OPT ending on July 7th, what is my status till Oct 1st till i get my H-1B???

I

intl_student

New Member
I am on F-1 Visa( finished my Masters/MS) and currently on OPT status. My OPT expires on July7th 2006 and I have found an employer ready to file H-1 ( he has not filed it yet). The grace period of 2 months will allow me to stay on for a further two months ( till Sept 7th). I know I wont be allowed to work before October 1'st even if my H-1 gets approved with premium process, so my concern is there any way I can be in status and remain in the country during the period from Sept 1st week to 31st Sept?
Also, should I go to school on a new I-20 to be in status for the period of September? If so, when should I apply for H-1B (Masters quota) since I cannot be on both H-1B and F-1 at the same time?
I am really confused about the timings (when to file for H-1B under masters quota i.e), guys if anyone of you know anyone in a similar situation I would like to know how they dealt with it.
Please help ! :confused:
 
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Hi I have the same problem

Hi I have the same problem, my OPT ends on July 15th 2006 and I can get my H1B but what can I do between that 2 and half months? If you get a solution can you pass it on to me?

Thanks mate.

intl_student said:
I am on F-1 Visa( finished my Masters/MS) and currently on OPT status. My OPT expires on July7th 2006 and I have found an employer ready to file H-1 ( he has not filed it yet). The grace period of 2 months will allow me to stay on for a further two months ( till Sept 7th). I know I wont be allowed to work before October 1'st even if my H-1 gets approved with premium process, so my concern is there any way I can be in status and remain in the country during the period from Sept 1st week to 31st Sept?
Also, should I go to school on a new I-20 to be in status for the period of September? If so, when should I apply for H-1B (Masters quota) since I cannot be on both H-1B and F-1 at the same time?
I am really confused about the timings (when to file for H-1B under masters quota i.e), guys if anyone of you know anyone in a similar situation I would like to know how they dealt with it.
Please help ! :confused:
Click to expand...
 
Guyz...

I am in the similar state.. My OPT ends on July 13th. I was working for a contract company and in Jan. I found a full-time direct hire employer, I have been working for the employer from mid of Jan. They failed to apply for H1-B immediately and H1-B for last yrs 20,000 ended on Jan 21st. In April they filed for my H1 and I had a query 3 weeks ago asking me what I will do since I can stay only till Sept 13th. They wanted me to provide a proof that I will maintain a valid non-immigrant status for those 17 days (Actually what they wanted me to do is to go back to my home country India after Jul 13th and come once I got my H1). So I purchased a flight ticket to India and my company attorney send them a copy of my air ticket. Just today I got my 1-797 form with H1-B approved. Hope this helps.

VJ.
 
Apply to a cheap school for Fall 2006 and get your I-20. Register for required classes. Remember not to apply to schools which ask tuition fees in total in advance. Apply to schools that you can pay fees in installments. Anyways this is not so big deal. Miss all the class from Sept 1 - Sept 30. Remember to note down exact date when you can get full tuition refund and drop all classes accordingly. Most schools refund 100% tuition if you drop classes within first 3 weeks of school. Since every school has it's own policy, CHECK with records & registeration office.

Once Oct 1, 2006 hits, goto work on your H1-B and call your Intl Student Advisor and tell him/her..... BYE BYE..... :)
 
I am in a similar situation. I have a MS degree from a US university as well.

To protect my status, do I have to go to a master or higher degree or can I attend a cheap community college?

Thanks
 
Hi,

So what is the update guys from your side?. I'm in the same EXACT situation as you all are.

About me. I have applied for my H1-B ( recently through some consultant in NJ under the masters quota, still waiting for my receipt #). In the mean time I'm planning on taking a kaplan ( GMAT classroom course) to stay in status. I was told by kaplan they can issue I-20 with-in a weeks time added I can give them all the paper-work they need.

So as of now I'm planning on getting a kaplan I-20 starting July or Aug,2006. And just wait for my H1-B. I'm even planning on blocking a date in India ( US consulate) just to be on a safer side if I get a "Conditional H1-B(without the I-94 card)" and I have to go to the home country for visa stamping.


What are ALL your plans. !!!!

I talked to another guy who is in the same suituation as we are he said he HIMSELF has applied for the "change of status(I-539)" form in april and got it approved in May. His employer has applied for his H1B ( I-129 form) in April and is waiting approval. So according to him he can stay in the country till his start date of H1-B ( but cannot work ) as his change of status in approved by USCIS.

This was according to his e-mail he sent. I'll have to talk to him as I'm still NOT sure how he got his "change of status" approved when his OPT expires on Aug 19,2006 ( taking and adding into account the 60-days , his actual OPT expires on Jun 19,2006).

Anyways whats the up-date from all of you?

Maybe we can stay in-touch so that we can help each other out passing the information we have.


Feel free to e-mail me "pradeepankala@gmail.com" directly

Thanks

bye
 
speedy2378 said:
I talked to another guy who is in the same suituation as we are he said he HIMSELF has applied for the "change of status(I-539)" form in april and got it approved in May. His employer has applied for his H1B ( I-129 form) in April and is waiting approval. So according to him he can stay in the country till his start date of H1-B ( but cannot work ) as his change of status in approved by USCIS.
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It is incorrect.
Your friends misunderstand approval of change of status. If his h1 is approved before H1 start date, he loses ground of legal stay immediately unless he filled status gap. Change of status comes into effect from H1 start date.
 
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