staying in India is my preferred option
I feel that if one looses one\'s job, but their employer is willing to help them by at least giving a future employment letter, people should wait it out in India rather than here. Why? Well technically when one is "on the bench" while on an H1B Visa you are out of status. Now you need to declare out of status period during CP interview. Obviously no one declares it. So people are in effect lying under oath at the CP interview. If this comes to light any time later (due to INS becoming smart with their computers and data cross checking with other governmentt departments such as IRS, etc) then one\'s green card could potentially be cancelled years later on the basis of fraud. It is a remote possibility, but why should one take risks when there is no benefit in doing so, only potential catastrophic loss.
Lastly NWD is not askingpay slipsps now, what if they start asking for it because they know the current situation is bad, what with the unemployment at an all time high.
BTW, my consulate (not India) has asked me to bring a copy of my I-94 to prove that I have been in status. Minnesota is now proposing to use I-94 validity to issue temporary driving licenses to students, H1B, business visitors etc. I-94 date is a wrong choice, because one could be in valid status by I-94 stamped date, but one is out of status if they have lost their place at the college or a job. On the other hand one is still in status with an expired I-94 if they have filed for an extension for the H1B. It looks like other than the immigration lawyers and INS, no one understands if an alien is in status or not. No wonder the local police are not interested in policing illegal aliens!
Anyway good luck with your green card.