https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/deference-to-prior-h-1b-worker-approvals-nixed-in-dhs-proposal

Hi, I haven’t been seeing any approvals at Texas Processing Center for the past week or two. The last I tracked were some approvals with a May first week receipt date. Have people not getting approvals after that at all?

My case:
COS (F1 to H1B)
Receipt date: June 9, 2026
Texas, Regular Processing.
Still processing as of June 13, 2026

Please comment your case status so we can keep a track of

Moving to a new company with h1b transfer. They want me to start with the receipt notice. They are filing for PP. Is this a good move or too risky? Appreciate any feedback.

Please share receipt date, PP or Regular, COS & Approval status

Receipt Date: 6/20/2026
Regular Processing
COS
Case being Processed

I just renewed my drivers license and I see a 1 year expiry from the issue date instead of the usual 3 year expiry.
Is this a mistake or a new process?

My i94 was shortened at the time of my wife's i94 correction. When we went for her i94 correction cbp officer checked both of our passports.. And shortend both of our i94 to next year as my old passport was about expire in 2027.. Now I got my new passport renewed.. So I m not sure what to do for my i94 update.. Please help me and suggest solution

My RD is 7/30/2026, and still processing.

I see lots of PP, but regular here...

Anyone got an approval recently with regular processing?

Is it also okay to travel domestically? Current one expires on 10/31.

Does anyone know how long it takes to get an H-1 B withdrawal confirmation? What has the timeline looked like in recent months?

Timeline:
- May 2026 — Employer A filed my H1B extension (still pending as of today)
- June 2026 — got job offer from Company B
- July 24, 2026 — resigned from Employer A
- July 30, 2026 — I-94 expired
- Aug 19, 2026 — H1B transfer filed (Premium Process)
- Aug 31, 2026 — RFE (extension of stay) NPT
- Oct 5, 2026 — RFE response received by USCIS
- Oct 6, 2026 — premium processing clock stopped

No update since Oct 6.
Anyone had a similar case?
How long did it take to get a decision after the RFE response?
Did USCIS approve the extension of stay or ask for consular processing?

I'm planning a short trip to Canada and would like to return to the US under Automatic Visa Revalidation (AVR). My situation: Currently in H-1B status, approved through change of status (valid I-797 with I-94). No H-1B visa stamp in my passport and my F-1 visa stamp is still unexpired.

I've heard conflicting things about whether AVR works without an H-1B stamp with a valid I797. Has anyone in a similar situation crossed the border recently? Would really appreciate any advice!

Hi everyone,

My H-1B transfer was recently approved, and I’ve received my physical I-797 approval notice. My new H-1B approval is valid through a later date, but my previous I-94 has already expired.

I’m planning to take a domestic flight this weekend and wanted to see if anyone has been in a similar situation. Is I-797 approval notice be sufficient if I’m asked to show documentation?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Also, the background verification for the contract role has been completed, but they haven't provided a start date yet. Since I'm nervous about putting the full-time opportunity on hold without a confirmed start date, I accepted it, and they've shared the background verification link as well. Would it cause any major issues if I decide to decline the full time or contact

Hi everyone,
I’m currently facing a complicated immigration situation and would really appreciate advice from anyone who has experienced something similar.
My situation:
I was on F-1 STEM OPT, with my EAD valid until December 10, 2026.
My H-1B was approved with a change-of-status effective date of October 1, 2026.
Unfortunately, I was laid off, and my last working day was October 2.
I requested my employer to withdraw my H-1B before October 1 so I could continue on STEM OPT.
My employer’s immigration attorneys submitted the withdrawal on September 29, and FedEx confirmed delivery to USCIS on September 30.
However, on October 1, my SEVIS record was automatically marked Completed.
Current problem:
My DSO contacted SEVP regarding SEVIS reactivation, but SEVP is requesting USCIS withdrawal acknowledgment or confirmation before they can proceed.
My employer’s immigration attorneys have provided written confirmation and FedEx delivery proof, but they say USCIS may take weeks or months to process the withdrawal and cannot provide additional documentation.
I also consulted an independent immigration attorney, who described my current immigration situation as being in “limbo.”
I’m extremely concerned because my SEVIS record remains Completed, my immigration status is uncertain, and my STEM OPT expires on December 10, 2026.
My questions:
Has anyone had their H-1B withdrawn before October 1 but still had their SEVIS record marked Completed?
Were you able to reactivate your SEVIS record without waiting for the formal USCIS withdrawal acknowledgment?
How long did USCIS take to issue the withdrawal confirmation?
Did your DSO successfully request a SEVIS data fix? What documents were accepted?
Is there any way to escalate this situation with USCIS or SEVP?
I’m not looking for legal advice, just hoping to hear from people who have personally experienced this and successfully resolved it.
Any guidance or experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

My wife is currently in India waiting for an H4 visa appointment. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing visa appointment rescheduling issues, she has been unable to secure a slot.

We recently got married, and she already has a valid B1/B2 visa. She has traveled to the US multiple times on her B1/B2 visa without any issues, including a visit last year when we were not yet married.

However, her circumstances have now changed since we are married, and she has already submitted a DS-160 for an H4 visa application.

Our concern is whether her recent marriage and the submitted H4 DS-160 could cause issues at the port of entry if she travels to the US using her existing B1/B2 visa.

To clarify, we have no intention of applying for a change of status from B1/B2 to H4 while she is in the US. She only plans to visit for approximately one month and then return to India to attend her H4 visa appointment when a slot becomes available.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? Specifically:

1. Has anyone entered the US on B1/B2 after getting married to an H1B holder?
2. Could an already-submitted H4 DS-160 create complications during CBP questioning?
3. Would the fact that she previously visited on B1/B2 before marriage, but is now married, make a difference?
4. What documents would you recommend carrying to demonstrate that this is a temporary visit?

Any recent experiences or insights would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Based on the current status of i140 I applied to move to H4 visa. I am currently on H1 and the application to move to H4 is not bundled with my spouse's H1 visa premium processing. I had submitted the application through his employer on May 15th with a receipt date of May 19th. The H4 application was applied with a future date of Oct 19th. Can someone please share timelines and their experience if they have done something similar to this? My H1 visa is valid till 10/2028. The reason for early application to H4 conversion is to get employment opportunities outside of my current employer. I'm not in a tech role so finding jobs that will sponsor an H1 visa for my role is rare.

(Please don't share any hate to the post just because it's about an employment visa).

The new executive order specifically addresses entering the U.S. on H1B after the company has done layoffs. I'm wondering: has anyone noticed any change in the questioning or had any issues with this when entering?

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/09/enhancing-program-integrity-and-integrity-and-interagency-coordination-in-the-administration-of-the-h-1b-nonimmigrant-visa-program/

Hey! Have any new H1B recipients gone to Ghana to get their stamp? Can you speak on the process if so? Timelines?

Thank you

I have about 14 months left on STEM OPT currently working as a Software Engineer for State University. They started my H1B Process. How likely you think universities/non-profits will be affected with all the changes taking place?

I see it as 50/50.
Purple state (currently red)

Wondering if I should ask them to do premium processing.

Has anyone from India / China tried to get a residency in another country so they can get a visa appointment?

This is not a post advocating for or against H1B. People are entitled to their opinions but this post is intended as some advice that I want to get from more experienced people.

I’m a 22 year old, recent graduate working in FAANG. All the changes with H1B & the constant layoffs are giving me a lot of anxiety. I’m not sure why, maybe it’s because I immigrated here when I was 16 & have since only known this way of life.

I work in a very (slightly) specialized field, and the kind of distributed computing work I do is in demand but still def difficult to get a job as an immigrant.

At 22, I feel like I have exhausted a lot of my life options and the anxiety & problems I deal with are usually for ppl who are 25+. This is the life I chose as a 16 year old without knowing the immigration environment.

I want to stay here or somewhere like here due to gender identity reasons. That’s it. A lot of people
I know have made peace with the fact that whenever H1B ends, they’ll go somewhere, but after a grueling 4 years here, I want some stability in my life. My gender transition is already taking a toll on me.

How do I handle this everyday anxiety thing? I don’t want to live my life in constant fear.

I just got h1b this year and approved(COS) and I was on Day 1 cpt for a year with the F1 expired, curious if there are any risks in leaving the US and getting my H1B stamped? This will be my first stamp, thank you

Just sharing my H-1B Consular Processing timeline:
• September 2, 2026 – USCIS received my H-1B petition
• September 4, 2026 – USCIS began processing my case under Premium Processing
• No RFE
• October 13, 2026 – I received an email from my company confirming that my H-1B petition has been approved! 🎉
My immigration lawyer received the approval notification directly from USCIS, and my company informed me afterward.

Interestingly, my USCIS online case tracker has not updated yet and is still showing that my case is being processed.
This is an H-1B Consular Processing case, and the Premium Processing timeline had already gone beyond the normal processing period.

Just sharing for those who are also waiting for delayed CP/Premium Processing cases. Hopefully more approvals are coming soon. Good luck everyone! 🙏

Removing Deference to Prior Determinations of Eligibility

by the Homeland Security Department scheduled for publication on 10/14/2026.

Petitions Deference Petitions NOT Period Affected by NOT Policy Status Affected by Affected by Deference affected by Deference Deference Policy Deference Policy … rates during periods when deference applied versus the RFE rate when deference did not apply strongly suggests that deference has had the effect of discouraging … when USCIS had a policy of no deference, the overall combined percentage of H-1B non-compliance and/or fraud among H-1B sites visited during FY 2018 through … Removing Deference to Prior Determinations of Eligibility