How many times can I renew my H-1B visa?
H-1B visas are granted for a period of three years. Often, H-1B visa holders may find that they wish to remain in the United States to continue working for their sponsored employer. Visa holders have the option to renew their visa for another three-year period. The renewal process, which was once fairly simple, may now be more complex as the Trump Administration has vowed to review renewals with additional scrutiny. Our immigration lawyers at NPZ Law Group discuss how you can renew your H-1B visa and what changes you should anticipate to the renewal process below.
Renewal Periods for H-1B Visas
Once you have achieved the grant of an H-1B visa, you may want to extend your time living and working within the United States. You can apply for an H-1B extension six months prior to your visa’s expiration. It can take the USCIS two to three months or longer to process your renewal, so ideally you should start the process as soon as possible. You may need to gather documents and your employer will need to complete additional paperwork, so delaying your application could result in a lapse of your visa.
Fortunately, as long as you have filed an H-1B extension before expiration of the visa, you can continue to work for your employer for up to 240 days while you await a response by the USCIS. Those willing to pay extra for premium processing will have a result on their renewal typically within 15 calendar days.
Changes to the Renewal Process
Renewing an H-1B visa used to be a fairly simple process. In 2011, the laws changed to require more documentation by employers. Now, the Trump administration may be complicating the renewal process even further. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has instructed its advisors to subject renewal applications to the same scrutiny as the initial visa application. This could mean requesting additional information from employers and applicants and potentially even requiring a new interview. This could lead to greater delays and more denied renewal applications.
With the laws
If you should have any questions or need more information about the way that the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Laws may impact you, your family, your friends or your colleagues, please contact the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Lawyers at the NPZ Law Group – VISASERVE – U.S. Immigration and Nationality Lawyers by e-mailing us at info@visaserve.com or by calling us at 201-670-0006 (x107) or by visiting our Law Firm’s website at www.visaserve.com.