How to convert current L1 VISA from my existing company to H1

l1toh1b

New Member
I am currently
- working for a an Indian consulting giant company and in USA on an assignment
- holds a valid L1 visa and is about to expire & I have applied for an extension

Can some one help me know my options to convert L1 to a H1?

I do not know if I can approach a consulting company in USA to process H1 on my behalf while there is a valid L1 in existence. If I can - what happens to my existing L1 VISA?Can I keep it and work for the current company until H1 is approved ?
 
I am currently
- working for a an Indian consulting giant company and in USA on an assignment
- holds a valid L1 visa and is about to expire & I have applied for an extension

Can some one help me know my options to convert L1 to a H1?

No such thing in existence. You cannot "convert" L1 to H1. The employer needs to submit a H1 petition on your behalf, and it doesn't matter if you're already employed on L1, employed in India, or not employed there yet at all. The process is exactly the same, there's no additional benefit based on the fact that you have L1, except that you can skip the visa application process (as long as you don't leave the US, because your L1 visa won't be valid to enter on H1 status). As long as you're in status (L1) you can work and stay in the US, regardless of any other petition. Once H1b is approved for you, you'll have to adjust your status from L1 to H1.

BTW: What's expiring, the L1 visa or the L1 status? These are two different issues.

BTW #2: There's a limit on how long you can stay in the US, and the limit is longer for L1.
 
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