Anyone who filed H-1B before USCIS approved their J-1 waiver - did your two approvals land around the same time, or was there a gap?
My attorney says the H-1B can be filed with just the USCIS receipt (not the final waiver approval), and that she's had many cases go through fine this way — some even got H-1B approved before the J-1 waiver itself was finalized. I'm a bit nervous given the recent RFE/NOID guidance on filings without the waiver approval notice in hand.
Questions for anyone who's been through this:
- Did you file H-1B with just the waiver receipt, or wait for the full approval?
- If you filed early, did you get an RFE or was it smooth?
- How far apart (timing-wise) were your J-1 waiver approval and H-1B approval?
- Can you all share your timeline from DOS favorable recommendation to H-1B approval, and at what stage in that process you actually filed the H-1B?
Trying to get a realistic sense of the risk here. Any timelines or outcomes appreciated — thank you!
u/Bubbly-Shoulder4967 — 2 days ago