Form I-140

Priority date loss upon revocation of I-140

Question details

1) Is there any difference between I-140 revoked by employer - vs - I-140 revoked by USCIS (say for fraud or misrepresentation) with respect to being able to retain the priority date with the new employer ?<br>
2) Changing from Employer A to Employer B - If Employer B files the PERM before I-140 by employer A is revoked by the employer A - would that help retain the PD corresponding I-140 to employer A ? In other words, are there any specific scenarios in this case - where the PD could be retained based on the first I-140 approval ?

As far as we know, USCIS has once again revered its position and has stated that priority dates will be retained if the revocation is based upon an employer's request.  See: the blog entry here

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

Immigration.com

Citizenship and Naturalization

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.

For PERM is formal certificate required or completion of degree is enough

Question details

1. I am on H-1B with my I-140 approved in EB-3 with priority date is Sep 2013. I have 12+ years experience in the field. I am getting an opportunity from a company. They are ready to start my green card process.
I have just completed my master degree(MCA) from India. Waiting for my degree certificate, which would take a month or two.
<br>2. Can my new employer do the H-1B transfer now based on my BSc degree (Computer Science) and once I get the master degree certificate, can they start the green card process in EB-2? Or do I need to wait for my master degree certificate before the H-1B transfer?

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

https://youtu.be/ZvUVIGTM-Kk?t=602

Changing employers - what immigration documents should I keep

Question details

Currently on my H-1B post 6-year based on approval of PERM and I 140 under EB - 2. Would be In the process of switching jobs for some personal / professional reasons very soon.<br>

1) What documents would I need to have with myself - corresponding to PERM and I-140 - so that I can retain my priority date and start another green card process with a potential new employer ?
<br>
2) For the documents above - would I need to have the originals or the photocopies ?

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

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

Immigration.com

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.

H4 - EAD validation if H-1B holder moved to another company

Question details

I have a question on EAD validity for the below scenario. <p>
H-1B holder got I140 with Employer A and applied EAD for H-4. H-4 is valid until MM-DD-YYYY 10-29-2018. Now H-1B holder moved to Another Employer B, then at this point he doesn't have Approved I-140. Will EAD which received using Employer A valid until MM-DD-YYYY 10-29-2018? I knew for renewal of current EAD after 10-29-2018, we need approved I-140, but not sure exiting EAD is valid until 10-29-2018 if H-1B holder moved to Employer B.

USCIS has said that revocation of I-140 does not automatically invalidate an approved H-4 EAD, but they reserve the right to revoke such an EAD.

I-140, I-485 Workload Transfers and a Change in the Direct Filing Address for Certain Form I-140 Petitions Submitted Together with Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing

To improve efficiency, USCIS recently rebalanced the workload distribution of certain Form I-140 petitions and employment-based Form I-485 applications between the Texas Service Center and the Nebraska Service Center.  Unless you are submitting a Form I-907 together with a Form I-140 petition for a worksite in one of the states listed below, please continue to file your forms as indicated on the form instructions and at:

Priority date port and multiple I-485/AOS petitions

Question details

I have my old Priority date as Dec 2009 in EB-3 and when I changed the company they filed the Labor and I-140 in EB-2 and my old Priority date is not ported on my new I-140 and I see the new I-140 in EB-2 with the Priority Date as Jan 2013. Now with the revised USCIS VISA Bulletin can I apply my I-485 with old PD ( EB-3) and simultaneously to be safer side can I apply I-485 from my wife's side and her PD is July 2010.

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

https://youtu.be/OMuYdzLJ2qQ?t=1436

FAQ Transcript:

I-485/AOS/AC21 issues in job through future employer - I-485/AOS

Question details

Situation -
1. I am working with employer A on L visa.
2. Employer B has filed my future employment based GC under EB2 category. My I-140 is approved. (I have not worked for employer B until now)
3. My I-485 filed by employer B is pending for more than 180 days.
4. I certainly want to join employer B as soon as I get a project prior to getting green card OR when I get my green card.
Questions - (in case point # 4 is not MET and I get an RFE on employment verification letter)
1. During I-1485 adjudication if I get EVL RFE and I decide to respond to it using another job offer from employer C, then - How do I prove that I certainly had intention to join employer B at the time of filing I-140 and I-1485?
How to prove that my employer B also had intentions to hire me on a permanent Job offer at the time of filing I-140 and I-485?
2. If we want to respond to EVL RFE using Employer C's offer then - How do we prove that this offer was extended prior to I-485 adjudication (with joining date after getting green card)?
What should be the offer extended date and
What should be the joining date to comply by AC21?
3. If I respond to this EVL RFE using employer B's job offer letter then - What are the chances of getting "Ability to pay RFE" subsequent to my RFE response using Employer B's offer letter (Not using AC21 at all)? (FYI - as far as I know so far none of the GC applications are denied for "Ability to Pay" RFE for employer B)

Video URL
FAQ Transcript

It is perfectly legal for an employer to process the green card for you as long as they have the good faith intention and you have the good faith intention of joining them. However once I-140 is approved and I-485 through a future employer has been pending 180 days you’re not required to join them. You could join anyone with same or similar job anywhere in the United States. So AC21 protects not only jobs you already have in hand it also protects future jobs. As long as the intention is honest basically that is based upon your statements and that’s all that matters.

Now you are protected by AC21 job portability or green card portability you can take any job anywhere with any employer as long as it is similar to the job described by your employer B when they file your green card.

Question: During I-1485 adjudication if I get EVL RFE and I decide to respond to it using another job offer from employer C, then - How do I prove that I certainly had intention to join employer B at the time of filing I-140 and I-1485?

How to prove that my employer B also had intentions to hire me on a permanent Job offer at the time of filing I-140 and I-485? If I cannot join them during I-485 adjudication.........can I use another job.

And the answer is - Yes, you can and you don’t have to prove that this offer was extended prior to I-485 adjudication. That too can be a future job offer and the joining date does not really have to be specified all that needs to be specified is that is it is their intention to offer you the job and accommodate you either before or promptly after the green  card is approved.

So you have all the options open if you want to respond using a job offer from the future employer (employer B/employer A) all of them are open to you and ability to pay RFE is usually only relevant to the employer who filed your green card. So if I use AC21 and go from employer X to employer Y USCIS is not going to question employer Y’s ability to pay. But if you stay with employer X they can question the ability to pay all the way till you actually get the green card.

 

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

Immigration.com

Nonimmigrant Visas

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.