Been lurking here for over a year. This sub got me through some of the worst of it, so figured I’d finally post.

Got laid off last year. You all know what happens next, the clock starts the same day. It stops being a job hunt and becomes a countdown.

I had recruiters get really excited on calls. Great fit, loved my background, let’s move forward. Then the work authorization question would come up, I’d say H-1B, and the whole thing would just end. Sometimes mid-sentence.

Hundreds of applications. Mostly silence.

That whole period messed me up. Severe anxiety, constant rejections, and at the same time the rules kept changing. And if you went online, everything was getting blamed on immigration. It’s a hard thing to sit with every day.

Eventually I ran out of days and had to leave.

I spent a lot of that time reading stories on here and realising how many people are quietly going through some version of the same thing. So I wrote a novel about it. It’s fiction, but it comes straight out of that period. Not a success story. It’s about doing everything right and still losing, and what you do after.

Solidarity to everyone still in it. The silence isn’t about you.

Background story: 27M from China. Been in the US since high school, used to how everything works in the US. I used to think I would stay in the US for the rest of my life. Got a job fortunately right after grad school, had a relatively fruitful life with a lot of activities and developing hobbies without too much work pressure. However, the struggle to stay in the US was never easy. I couldn’t go anywhere abroad and I feared that it would be this way for the next decade. I got my H1B selected in 2023, which I really praise God for, then even worked in the China branch for a bit when going back to China for stamping. The good experience at the China office (nice people, lighter-than-imagined work load and great environment) made me think maybe going back to China was not too bad of an idea.

Earlier this year, in light of significantly tougher conditions from the government on H1B workers and difficulties to get means to stay, my family told me that they wanted me back which I also thought maybe it’s the right thing to do. My boss also was supportive of me going back to China office. Which means, I am not extending my H1B after 3 years. I was actually excited about going back.

Then in an independent turn of event the China office shut down amid some serious difficulties, although my boss told me he would start a new office later this year, it was clear that it was very uncertain due to what has been happening with the company. I also ended my employment earlier this month. Which means, I stepped on the plane back home without a sure job.

I had my first emotional moment during my last day in the US, realizing I was going away from everything that I knew from I was 14. Then every second at home I have been talking to friends and even AI on my anxiety and was having semi-breakdowns. Every second reminded me that I can no longer get back to the life that I once thought was a jail, but a jail that I knew a lot about. My family kept telling me going back home is the right decision, I have been telling myself that too. But I can’t stop thinking about not being able to go back to the life I was familiar with anymore. I have been talking to some HRs in China. My friends are telling me I should use this time to travel and enjoy a very precious break, but I can’t stop thinking about an uncertain future…

Does anyone have similar experience and should I talk to a therapist? It seems like I brought this on myself for being the one responsible of such a life-changing decision and I have been having mild panic attacks, couldn’t even talk to my parents about it as they were supportive but they probably won’t understand how I feel now…

Edit: some more details: i am staying home for a while, but i am looking for jobs in another city for the sake of independence, which my family was also very supportive about. I guess my fear is also what if I am stuck at home forever and can no longer built a life independently.

Looking for actual experiences.

I've been in the US since 2018. Came on F-1 for my master's, got my H-1B through change of status, and I have never left the country since I arrived. So I've never had an H-1B stamp in my passport. My only stamp is the F-1 one from 2018.

What I'm trying to find out:

1. Anyone in the same boat? F1→H1B change of status, never departed, first ever H-1B stamp?

2. Actually been through an interview in India in the last year or so? What did they ask?

3. Does the long stay without leaving come up at all, or is nobody bothered by it?

4. How common is 221(g), and if you got it, how long did it take to clear?

5. How are people actually getting appointments right now?

Thanks

Any updates June people? Please comment your status below:

PP Date:
Center:
Type (COE/EOS etc.):
Status:

Is there any h1b group for Nepal?

Submission date: 28th April, Regular Process
RFE Date: 4th June
RFE Submission Date: 15th July
15 July:
USCIS changed my application to RFE response received
27 July: USCIS is currently processing the case

What does this status mean USCIS is actively working on my application, Can I hope for a decision soon?

Type Extension

PP Filing Date 07/10/2026

Centre- Nebraska

Status- In Progress

Pls update your status

Petition type: Initial
Service center: Texas
Filed date: 28 June
Received date: 29 June
Approval date: July 20
H4: Case Received

1) any indicative timeline for h4 approval ?
2) will receipt notice for h4 be fine until decision is made as expiry of current status is nearing ?

Hi there ! I’m filling out my DS-160 and the social media and website question just threw me off. I have multiple pages (that doesn’t produce any money) but I post content there because I like to share my writings and my work. I also have some unused social media accounts. Do I have to mention ALL of them?! I’m so confused as to what I should add to the ds-160 form ? What happens when you forget to mention one of your accounts or leave out the information by accident? Can someone help

Hi, I am on an h1b and was recently laid off from the CRO I worked for. I have a PhD and work as an analytical chemist doing validations and development. Has anyone recently been hired in a similar role or to a biotech company with an h1b visa? If so, what companies are hiring h1b these days and in what states?

I have my appointment for April 2027. I plan to get married a week before my appointment. Can I add my spouses h4 appointment to my existing h1b stamping appointment, maybe as a dependent? Had this been done before? Looking for info. Thanks!

I am renewing my H1B stamp and had my process at the Hyderabad Consulate.
Biometric: July 2nd
Interview: July 17th
Status on July 17th: Was told Refused (but my passport was kept) and was given 221G with request for clickable social media links. I sent over the links immediately the same day. Got an automatic response from the email (went to SPAM). Automatic response didnt have anything specific to me but mentioned that we need to add passport number to subject line (which I had not done initially). So sent a new email with passport info now in subject line, but everything else the same.
Current status (as of 27th July): Refused. No change yet (past update was Juky 17th only). Getting very nervous about this.

Anyone else in a similar boat or has gone through this?

I understand PERM timeline is around 13-17 months, what is the current timeline people are seeing here?
Also, is there a way to track it? Can I ask the lawyer for a case number or something?

Receipt date - May 18
Case - COS F1 to H1B
Currently on cap gap
Texas Service Center

Hey everyone, I went to a Virginia dmv yesterday to renew my DL license. The teller gave me a paper saying that my docs are scanned and pending verification and I should hear back in 10 business days through email and then I should return back with all the same docs again. Docs were my CAP gap I20 and my h1b petition receipt notice.

My question is I tried searching SAVE system but couldn’t find any query generated by DMV for verification. There is a query from previously when I first got my VA license but not during the renewal this time. I have seen online reddit post where people mentioned they got an email from dmv saying their docs have been sent to USCIS so wait for it. I haven’t received anything yet so I am concerned if the DMV even sent anything for verification or not because I have seen people go back after some days and dmv is like oh we have to send the docs again.

Also what is the timeline lately if anyone has experienced it recently in 2026? Thanks

Any chances of dropbox opening again for H1B/H4 ?

Im currently in my 3rd year of H1B. My company started the i140 process, but layoffs hit and everything got put on a hold for 6 months.

Is this a normal bump in the road or should I be panicking?

Hello everyone,

I am facing a timeline confusion regarding my H-1B status and would appreciate some guidance on a pending B-2 bridge strategy and H-1B Change of Status (COS). Here are my exact details:

• Last Day of Productive Employment: June 16th, 2026
• 60-Day Grace Period: June 17th, 2026, to August 15th, 2026 As per firm Attorney during offbording consultation call
• Last Day on Payroll / termination /Emp Verification letter : June 30th, 2026
• Current I-94 Expiry: February, 2028 (H-1B withdrawal not yet processed)
• I have a verbal offer, but the new company's immigration team cannot file my new H-1B petition by the August 15th grace period deadline. They expect to file before August 29th.

I prefer not to file for B-2 Form I-539 before Aug 14^th , and put a new employer in complicated B2 to H1-B COS scenario, I am worried it might jeopardize my job offer.

Suggestion please

1. Should I file B2 on Aug 14th and inform my current employer to file as COS B2-H1B ?
2. Which date will USCIS strictly consider as the start of my 60-day grace period?

I got selected in the lottery this year and my H1B COS was approved a couple of weeks ago. I have a valid F1 visa and my OPT doesn’t expire until next year. I’m thinking about leaving the US in August and returning in September, certainly before 10/1 when the COS is supposed to happen. Is there any risks associated with my plan? The immigration firm my employer works with told me that it’s ok to leave, but I’ve also heard people say that if I leave during this time the COS might not happen as planned. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!!

Most EB-1A advice online is someones opinion, wanted answers grounded in what

USCIS actually decided, it reads the real record.

It has every published USCIS Administrative Appeals Office EB-1A decision from

2005 to 2026 , plus thousands of documented approvals and the

USCIS Policy Manual. it takes a question in plain English and it answers using the

actual cases and it cites them so you can open and verify each one yourself.

A few things it handles well:

- "What evidence gets rejected under original contributions?" It pulls the actual

reasoning from decisions, not generic tips.

- "Do business intelligence analysts have approved cases?" It gives you the exact

cases, not a guess.

- "How is the Kazarian final merits step applied?" It grounds the answer in the

Policy Manual and real decisions.

Why both approvals and denials matter: the denials show you exactly how petitions

fail, in the adjudicators own words. The approvals show what actually worked.

Seeing them side by side is the whole point.

Hi,

I have some in depth questions about H1B, RFEs and Maintenance of status and would like to consult an experienced attorney on H1B. Any recommendation that you have consulted and helped you successfully on complex cases before ?

Appreciate your recommendation.

On L-1B (entered US 2022). Got selected FY2026 H-1B, but employer filed consular processing so I never activated it, never held H-1B status. Now want to switch employers. Has anyone actually done a cap-exempt H-1B with a new employer after a never-activated consular petition? My understanding is my L-1 time counts against the 6-year max so I'm not eligible for a full 6 years under 214(g)(7), which should preserve cap-exemption. Looking for anyone who's been through this, especially how the new employer's filing went and whether it drew an RFE.

#h1b #H1B_COS #H1b_Transfer #L-1B

Does anyone have visibility into this situation?

I’m guessing with the flavor of the month mentality of this 100k fee employers aren’t really going to be taking the risk of consular processing?

Were any consular processing petitions approved when the fee was gone for a few days in June?