Hi all, I'm looking to get my H1B stamped for the first time. I have a specific concern with my start dates being a mismatch between i797A and the date I started. This is basically my situation in a gist:
- On H1B with Randstad and with a large financial service company as a client.
- Got my H1B picked with Randstad on Oct 2024 and have worked on F1 visa before that with the same client.
- Client had mandatory 3 month break in 2025 after completing 2 years on contract. Out of the 3 months, for roughly a month was on bench with pay followed by 60 day unemployment period.
- My H1B was terminated and reactivated 60 days after my bench period ended, to ensure I'm back on H1B status.
- But my start date with client is one week after my offer letter start date (I also received salary for that one week before my client start date but after 60 days).
- However my I797A valid from date matches my client start date which is one week after my payroll was initiated and after my 60 day grace period.
- USCIS had approved the petition without any RFE.
Now I am looking to go for Visa stamping and started reviewing the dates for my DS-160 and have developed a concern regarding this.
When i flag this to my company lawyers who filed my reactivation application, they were pointing out that USCIS is aware of the valid from date when they received the petition and approved it without issue. But I'm going for stamping soon and want to make sure a consular officer won't question this and if they do then I want to be prepared to explain the disconnect.
Is there like technically a status gap between the end of my grace period and my i-797A valid from date?