I would like to know the number of years left on my H1-B.

[rpula]

Hello Sir,

I came to US on F1 visa and after completing my Master's degree, I got a job and my employer processed H1-B. My first H1 started on 01/13/2011 and was valid till 01/02/2013. In September 2011, I had to go to India for personal reasons and had to appear for H1-B visa. My application was put under administrative processing citing additional documentation. My employer submitted the required documents but my case was pending for about an year.
In September 2012, the client for whom I was working as a contractor, filed a new H1-B petition. My case was again put under administrative processing and I was also asked to withdraw one of the petition since my old petition was still pending. My previous employer withdrew the first H1 and my new H1 was approved after a couple of weeks.
I stayed out of the country for more than 1 year waiting for the H1 visa.

Could you please let me know how many years of my H1 are still left. Does my 6 years of H1 start from October of 2012 or is 01/02/2013 the beginning of my 6 years of H1.

Thank you very much for your time. Please let me know if you need more details.

 

[CalGreenCard]

If you entered the US in H-1B status in October 2012 that is when the 6 years start counting from. You were out of the US for >1 years so the old time in H-1B doesn't count against you. I'm not sure why you'd think 1/2/13 would be an important date.

Technically speaking any absences, however brief, from the USA since you entered as an H-1B can be added on to the end of the 6 years if they can be documented. Whether any such absences were long enough to make it worthwhile to do so, I don't know.