The University has agreed to sponsor me for a green card as soon as I finish my PhD in March 2004. Currently, I am on the 6th year of my H1-B visa which expires in August 2004.
----- If LC field for you by any employer and pending more than 365 days you can extend your H1 for 7th year
I was wondering if someone can give me information about the following. Am I eligible to ask for the 7th year extension on the H1-B visa while my green card application is at CIS so I can stay and work past August?
---- What do you mean by “while my green card application is at CIS” ? if you have LC pending more than 365 days OR I-140 filed and pending OR I-485 pending you can get 7th year H1b extension
To clarify the University will sponsor me as an outstanding researcher not through labor certification. Also in this Green card category how long does it usually take to get a work permit?
--------- From this info it seems you don’t have LC pending or I-140 filed or I-1485 filed is it true? To your second question that university WILL file under outstanding researcher, it means they plan to file in EB1 and no LC is needed you will need many recommendation letters and citing your published work and your lawyer has to prepare 30-40 pages of cover letter and have to provide the evidence that you qualify for EB1. Meet the lawyer immediately and start colleting the evidence for I-140 and I-485 filing. Every lawyer is NOT expert in EB1 or extraordinary ability petitions. If your employer files your I-140 petition in 2-3 months then you will get the filing receipt and with the I-140 filing receipt you can get 7th year h1 extension filed. Remember EB1 gets lot of RFE and you need good lawyer; try to maintain H1 status till the time your I-140 is not approved. Better file I-140, I-485, EAD, AP at same time. You should start ASAP
