r/h1b

What US banks work and allow to operate from india

traveling and preparing for worst case scenario to transfer money online from india if i get stuck there with visa issues. How do you guys plan.

do you keep US mobile number active to receive OTPs for 2FA or use other methods?

I just want to post this incident I faced at SFO while entering the USA with my family.

- Me and my wife had a stamp expiring Aug 2026.

- We were entering via SFO on July 3 2026.

- We both have approved I797 until Aug 2029.

- We presented our passports and new I797 to the officer.

- He asked a few questions and approved us for entry.

- I quickly checked on the I94 website my admit until date while waiting for my bags.

- I see that both of our Admit until date is shown as Aug 2026.

- We quickly go back into the immigration area and stood in the queue again.

- I see that the previous officer is off duty and there are new officers now.

- We go to one the officers, he takes the picture and says "You are already confirmed".

- I tell him that the previous officer gave the wrong admit until date as per our new I797.

- He calls another officer over and they cross question me on whether I showed an older I797 or if I used global entry.

- I deny and tell them that this is the only I797 I am carrying and that's what I presented. And I used the regular queue.

- They questioned me a bit more to find a reason to not fix our dates.

- When they couldn't find any, The officer goes and talks to his supervisor to take an override to unconfirm our entry.

- He then repeats the entry formailities and now puts the correct admit until date.

Lessons:

- Always check the admit until date on the website, since they don't stamp it on the passport anymore.

- If you discover a discrepancy, go back quickly to the immigration queue before exiting the arrivals area and get it fixed.

H1B got picked, and instead of feeling excited, I’m honestly pretty confused and stressed.
I still have 2 years of STEM OPT left and 2 lottery attempts remaining. Financially, I’m trying to understand whether moving to H1B right now actually makes sense. With the taxes on H1B, I’m worried I won’t really be able to save much at all compared to staying on STEM OPT for now.
Another thing adding to the uncertainty: my employer is filing my H1B, but the role is a contract position, and I haven’t officially joined yet. That makes me nervous about stability and whether this is the right move at this stage.

Options i have:

Staying on STEM OPT longer vs switching to H1B now
Higher taxes and reduced savings on H1B
The risk of starting H1B with a contract role
Whether it’s smarter to “lock in” H1B or wait while I still have time and chances
If anyone has been in a similar situation or has insights on how to think about this strategically (financially and immigration-wise), I’d really appreciate your perspective.

I'm on L1 visa, which is valid until 2028, this year, i'm filing h1b in pp, so can I travel internationally after h1b approval and before change of status on 1st Oct ?

Some lawyers suggest it's risky, has anyone done it ? What are the risks ?

Hi everyone,

I recently got laid off while on H-1B. I have around 10 years of strong Software Engineering experience.

For context, I previously did an H-1B to B-2 to H-1B transition about a year ago, so I am trying to understand my options carefully this time.

I would really appreciate advice or personal experiences from anyone who has been in a similar situation.

My main questions are the following:

1. H-1B → B-2 → H-1B again Is it realistic to do the same route again if I need more time to find a new employer?
2. H-1B → F-1 → H-1B Am I eligible to switch from H-1B to F-1? Also, is it still realistic to get admission for Fall 2026 at this point?
3. PhD route Is pursuing a PhD a practical option in this situation? I do not know much about this route, so I would really appreciate hearing from people who have actually done this or considered it seriously.

I understand this is not legal advice and I will consult an immigration attorney, but I would like to hear real experiences, timelines, risks, and practical suggestions from people who have gone through this.

Thank you.

Hi everyone,

I would love to hear experience of people entering the US with pets (specifically dogs) while holding a H1B visa. Me and my boyfriend adopted a dog in Italy (this is because it is the puppy of my dog in Italy and I was there when she was born so it was extra special for me). My boyfriend is American while I currently hold a H1B.

The dog is 6 months old. All the paperwork (vet certificates, ownership) are in my name. She is vaccinated against rabies and she has a universal microship. I need to fill out the CDC form and I saw that it is possible to list another person as the importer. So I am wondering if it’s better to have my boyfriend bring her or if it’s better I bring her given that there is my name on the paperwork from the vet.

Did anyone go through immigration with a dog and holding a H1B visa? How was your experience?

I’m feeling extra anxious and would love to receive advice! Thank you!

After my masters, when I joined a FAANG adjacent company, the law firm was so good they reached out early on to get started on I-140 and I kept brushing it away - hoping to get H1B first, hoping to settle in my new job, and then before I knew it, time passed by and I started pretty late and couldn’t even get to getting my I-140 as i had to leave that job due to certain situations. At that time, the processing window was like 6 months.

In my next job, they were clear they will start PERM after one year of joining and seeing as i didnt have much choice, i joined them. They didn’t get it to it due to multiple layoff rounds they kept conducting. Unfortunately i was also impacted in its 6th round.

Now I’m really worried about my future and yes as silly as it may sound, I understand it’s all my doing. My biggest regret is- if I had been on top of my filing on my first job and not delayed it, even before I left that job at that time, I’d have gotten my I-140. I’m unable to process that regret. I am starting to be so angry and resentful towards myself cos of my silly mistake that costs such big decisions later.

I’m sharing to get my heart lighter on the mistakes I made so that you don’t, I appreciate this space to come share my troubles. You’re all amazing. Thanks!

Is anyone here who filed their petition under regular processing in around mid June and received their receipt notice yet?

Mine sent on 17th June to Texas, no receipt notice yet. My employer is using BAL law firm.

Receipt Date 10 June

Hi, my RFE got submitted 63 days back, how many more days it will take in normal processing at California or going to premium processing is better right now?

Any news on H1B 2nd lottery since number would be in by June 30 of filed and approved petition?

Hi. My visa stamp is valid till Sep 30 2026. I am planning short trip to India and be back by July end. My h1b renewal was filed on June 19. Is it safe to travel? Has anyone faced issues recently?

COE/EOS/New filing: EOS
Receipt date: 6/12/26
Current status: Case Is Still Being Processed By USCIS
Final decision date: NA
Processing center: TX

So many indian immigrants in the US creating content and promoting products/apps. Hard to believe that they're all not monetizing their content. Many of them post on a daily basis as well.
Would this not be an issue for people on H1B ?

For example, there is Veeraj Gadda (vee_daily19) on instagram - curious about how they're doing it ?

Hi! I'm Elizabeth Mavec, an immigration attorney with Manifest Law. Over 13 years I've handled more than 1,000 immigration cases, spanning work visas and employment-based green cards. I'll keep my answers practical and flag clearly where the law is still in motion.

I'll be answering questions Wednesday, July 1, 2026, from 12 to 3 p.m. EDT.

A few things worth asking about:

• Is the $100,000 fee actually dead, or could it come back on appeal?
• How does the wage-weighted lottery change my odds if I'm at a lower wage level?
• I wasn't selected this year. What are my realistic alternatives, like O-1 or cap-exempt routes?
• I'm on OPT or STEM OPT and didn't get picked. What are my options before it runs out?
• My employer is small. Can they still sponsor me, and what does it cost them now?
• I'm on an H-1B and want a green card eventually. When should I start?

Post your questions below and I'll get to as many as I can.

(Please note: Any information shared here is for general educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. Your situation may require fact-specific guidance. For personalized legal advice, please consult an immigration attorney directly.)

Its been more than 15 business days now;
No decision on h1b petition,
What are my options?
And anyone having a similar timeline?

Details:
Vermont H1b CoS.

Thanks

Hello everyone,
I’m facing the classic H-1B immigrant dilemma: prioritizing my green card or focusing on career progression.
I work as a software engineer at a mid-tier investment bank in New York City and have been here for three years. I received my H-1B in 2024, and my company has agreed to begin the green card process. Since I’m in the Rest of World category, it seems like it could still take another four years before I actually receive it.
In terms of where I am in the process, the company is just starting the prevailing wage determination, so I’m basically at step zero.
The issue is that while I enjoy my work, I’m not particularly excited about it. I would like to move to a better, faster-paced team or switch to another company to increase my compensation and accelerate my career growth. I currently earn around $130,000, and I feel like many of my peers are earning significantly more, which makes me feel like I’m falling behind.
I’d appreciate any thoughts on how to approach this decision. I want the stability of getting my green card, but I also don’t want to sacrifice several important years of career progression.

Are the new wage levels that have been released bring into effect the proposed prevailing wage level increases? Or is this separate from that?

Posting for my friend. She had her valid i797 until June 2026, but the CBP officer never asked for latest i797 which was valid till June 2026 when she entered the country in 2024 and put the i94 validity date as per her old visa which expired in September 2025. So she has been staying in USA out of status since sept 2025. Which means as per law she is not allowed to enter USA for 3years once she leaves

No one told her to present latest i797. This could have been all fixed if she was told to re enter the USA on valid visa in 2024 again and present the i797.

So now her current employer has asked to leave the country in 2 days. Looking for any possible leads or help Reddit community can offer if you know someone who went through the same situation? 😓