Extension with the Same Employer
H-1B visa status is employer-dependent and must be coordinated by your hospital department. Your department's Administrative Contact Person must act as the liaison with our office regarding any inquiries.
How to extend your current H-1B visa status:
- Confirm with your supervisor and your department's Administrative Contact that your they would like to extend your H-1B visa status.
- Your department's Administrative Contact person is responsible for coordinating the extension. He/she will provide you will a list of documents that you must submit to your department.
- Your department's Administrative Contact person should submit the H-1B extension materials to our office 7 months in advance of the H-1B current expiration date.
After a complete extension request has been submitted to our office:
- Our office typically has an internal 2-month processing time to prepare the H-1B paperwork.
- After our office submits the H-1B paperwork to USCIS, the U.S. government will need an additional 2-5 months to process the extension (USCIS processing times are always subject to change).
- You can continue your current employment and work authorization once our office files the new H-1B petition with USCIS on or before the expiration date of the H-1B current visa status. The actual approval notice for the extension does not need to be received from USCIS before your current H-1B visa status expires (it can arrive later while you continue working for your employer).
- The new H-1B approval notice will be required if you travel internationally after your current H-1B visa status expires and your extension has not been approved. You may decide to expedite the request with USCIS for an additional fee.
- When the new H-1B approval notice has been received in our office (Form I-797), our office will email you, your department and Human Resources and overnight mail the original I-797 to your department's Administrative Contact person. You will pick up the original I-797 from your department's Administrative Contact person.
Length of Time
H-1B visa status can be extended in increments of up to 3 years at a time. H-1B visa status can be extended for up to a total of 6 years. If you intend to work in the U.S. for more than 6 years, you should consider filing for a green card (legal permanent residence in the U.S.). See more information about green cards.