My case was selected in the recent H1B visa lottery for FY 2015. This is my 2nd lottery, my case was not selected in last year’s lottery - so this is my first experience with the post-lottery H1B visa application process. I am currently in India.
My case status is “Initial Review” right now. I want to know - what is status or stage in application process of the case that will indicate that the H1B visa status is definitive or confirmed. I want to know this because I am planning to apply to jobs with other employers. So, I am not sure if I can proceed to apply for and secure job with my current case status or whether I need to wait for my case to reach certain status/stage in application process before hunting for new job for H1B transfer.
Once your H1B petition is approved the status will be shown as “Approved”.
Did your current employer apply for your H1B? In that case, if you leave them you cannot use this approved petition to work in US for another employer. Your new employer will have file a new cap-exempt petition for you.
Thanks. I understand that I cannot use the approved petition of current employer to work for other employer.
My question is, given that my current case status is “Initial Review”, can I go ahead and search new job and once I find a new job will it be straightforward for new employer to file cap-exempt petition? OR do i have to wait till my status becomes approved and only then can i think about finding new job and initiating cap-exempt petition?
My guess is that i will have to wait till USCIS allots me some kind of identification number to identify that I am a H1B visa holding individual and once i have this identification number, I can share it with another employee for them to initiate cap-exempt petition for H1B transfer.
USCIS will allot a number for your petition when they accept it for processing. Since your petition is currently in “Initial Review” status, it has already been allocated a number. However, for another employer to use it to file a cap-exempt petition, the current petition has to be approved.
Thanks. This is what I was looking for. So if i understand correctly, I can start looking for new job/employer after my current petition is approved and once it is approved, new employer will be able to initiate cap-exempt petition/h1b transfer.
When and where can i find the identification number for my petition? Will it be available only after it is approved? Right now i have got a receipt number from my employer which is “wac” followed by ten digits. Is this the petition number?