AC21 AOS Portability

AC21 is the name given to a law that provides for several matters including the ability to change jobs while an employment-based green card is pending (I-485 AC21 portability) and to start working for an H-1B employer as soon as transfer petition is filed with the USCIS.

The Proposed I-140 EAD Rule - FAQ's

8 years ago By Chief Editor

Question 1: Redo the PERM or just the I-140. If redoing the PERM again then what's new in this regulation?

Answer: After 180 days, you can extend H-1 even if 140 is withdrawn.

Question 2: It seems that there is no easy provision for EAD/AP for approved 140 applicants. So is there any point in waiting for this rule or Should I consider Visa stamping is only option for traveling outside US? Please suggest as I waited for a year or long thought they are going to give AP.

Read more about The Proposed I-140 EAD Rule - FAQ's

The Proposed I-140 EAD Rule - Continually Updated

8 years ago By Rajiv S. Khanna

This entry is now old law. The new law is at http://www.immigration.com/blogs/i-140-ead-regulations-effective-17-jan…

What is I-485 Pre-adjudicate/Pre-adjudication and How soon must I join my future green card employer

8 years ago By Chief Editor

Question details

What is I-485 Pre-adjudicate/Pre-adjudication?
How soon must I join my future green card employer?
Situation -
I have my EB2 India PD as March, 2008. I applied for I-485 in Oct 2014 (Future based GC application). My PD is not current as of yet but I have got an RFE for expired medical form I-693 ONLY in Oct, 2015.

FAQ Transcript

Question: What is I-485 Pre-adjudicate/Pre-adjudication?

You are at the last step of the green card process. Your priority dates became current, you filed the I-485, then the priority dates slipped back two years, at this time USCIS has two choices. They can either put your file in their filing cabinet and forget about the case, until the priority dates become current again. Or they can sit down and can say look we have time, let’s go over the case, adjudicate all the details, decide that the case is completely qualified to receive a green card, so we pre-adjudicate, decide that the person is entitled to get the green card. Make a note on the file. If you need some documents, we send an RFE get the documents so when the priority dates become current again all we have to do is issue the green card. That’s pre-adjudicate.

Question: How soon must I join my future green card employer?

There is really no rule of thumb. But within a commercially reasonable period of time. Three to four months maybe, after approval of the green card, you should join the future green card employer. In your particular case that appears to be a requirement sometimes it may not be a requirement because of AC21 and remember AC21 portability is available even in future employer green card cases.

Read more about What is I-485 Pre-adjudicate/Pre-adjudication and How soon must I join my future green card employer

Recording of Free Community Conference Call (Every Other Thursday), 29 October 2015

9 years ago By Chief Editor

Immigration.com

Community Conference Call

Citizenship and Naturalization

Naturalization

Nonimmigrant Visas

Green Card

Substantial transcription for video

Topics for Discussion, Thursday, 29 October 2015:

FAQ: Withdrawing one pending petition (H-4) when another is (F-1) approved; Writ of Mandamus against delay; Investment property while on H-1 (Buying and renting out a house); Starting my own company while on H-1; Priority date loss upon revocation of I-140; Consequences of getting laid off on H-1; etc.

Other: TN/TD Visa; I-14- approved, company acquired; Job termination AC21; Cross chargeability evidence (Iraq); Applying for H-1 from OPT and travel; H-1 transfer while an extension is pending,I-140 revocation and priority date; Minor son on tourist visa, parent on green card; PERM denial and probability of success; Naturalization delay; etc.

Recording of Free Community Conference Call (Every Other Thursday), 15 October 2015

9 years ago By Chief Editor

Immigration.com

Community Conference Call

Nonimmigrant Visas

Green Card

Substantial transcription for video

Topics for Discussion:
FAQ: J-2 or J-1 with 212(e) HRR converting to F-1 student; FAQ: For PERM is formal certificate required or completion of degree is enough; Correcting dates on I-94; Travel while H-1 extension pending – change in I-94#; Changing employers - what immigration documents should I keep; FAQ: Maternity leave on H-1, FMLA and status.
Other: Multiple I-140 approvals; I-140 denial; Cap-gap extension; Effect of change in citizenship on H-1; PERM/AC21 and multiple I-485 filing; Family-based green card change in category; Child turning 21 – CSPA and derivative non-immigrant status loss; L-1A visa and EB-1C filing; Filing I-485 for spouse; PERM more than 50% different job; Cross chargeability; I-130 fraud by spouse; Maternity leave on H-1; AOS filing; F-2 COS; H-1quota, etc.

Recording of Free Community Conference Call (Every Other Thursday), 17 September 2015

9 years ago By Chief Editor

Immigration.com

Community Conference Call

Nonimmigrant Visas

Green Card

Substantial transcription for video

FAQ: I-485/AOS/AC21 issues in job through future employer - I-485/AOS; Reentry permit; New Priority Date rules; Priority date port and multiple I-485/AOS petitions;
Discussed: H-1B extension using I-140 receipt; cross chargeability; Losing priority date when I-140 revoked; location change on L-1B visa; Porting priority date to a different job; Spouse of green card holder; H-4 EAD extension; Filing I-485 without employer; CSPA; Birth certificate issues; Petty offense exception; H-1B and maternity leave; I-485 through future employer; etc.

How soon can I change employers after getting green card?

9 years ago By Chief Editor

Question details

I got my green card base on EB-2 category. I got mail from USCIS mentioning they change my status in to Permanent resident. As well as I got my Green Card in mail this year March. But I filed my I-485 last year July.I want to change my employer. (New Employer offering similar salary as well as similar position ). Is there any legal issue. Do I have to worry about this junction ?

FAQ Transcript

FAQ Transcript:

Green card which is employment based does not require you to enter into slavery. It requires only this. On the date your green card was approved it was your intention to work at your job indefinitely, not permanently. So if I got my approval today and today I continue working indefinitely for the next few days or years but a week later I got a better job can I leave and the answer is yes. I think you can. But let’s say I already have an offer at hand and I got my green card and I want to go and would that be considered indefinite. Probably not. The government can take an objection but even there if the job was same or similar to what the green card job was I think a good argument can be made under AC21 portability. Currently the law requires only to have indefinite intention but on the date you got your green card. However once the green c ard is approved and if your intention changes, then I do not see any problem with it.

Community Conference Call, 2015, April 2 (Every Other Thursday)

9 years ago By admin

Citizenship and Naturalization

Naturalization

Nonimmigrant Visas

Immigration Law

Green Card

Substantial transcription for video

Discussed: FAQ Dual intent visas and filing green Card in multiple categories simultaneously, CSPA, Denial of F-1 student visa, FAQ: H-1 Receiving payments for past work/bonus (1099), change of location H-1B amendment, AC21 green card portability, naturalization, J-1 waiver, H-4 EAD: travel, fingerprinting, reentry permit

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Considerations for AC21 job portability

9 years ago By Editor

Question details

My I-485 (based on EB-1) is pending more than 180 days. If I decide to change jobs under AC 21 rule -<br>
(1) Does the new job description should be same as by definition of EB-1 or should it match my current job description based on which I applied for GC in EB-1B?<br>
(2) Do you advise to change using EAD or transferring H-1B? <br>
(3) Based on your experience, will you advise to change jobs under AC 21 or stay in the present job until GC is approved?

See clip from Attorney Rajiv S. Khanna's conference call video that addresses this question.

https://youtu.be/GtOqgqgEG6I?t=242

FAQ Transcript