I got my H-1B visa approved, but did not arrive in the United States until a later date. From which date does my six year time limit to be in H status begin?
Your six years begins from the time you first arrived in the U.S. in H status. In other words, if you received your visa in China in December of 2004, but did not travel to the United States until March of 2005, the six years begins in March of 2005. Back to Top Q: I have an H-1B visa in my passport, but I am not working for that company. I am in my home country now. That visa is not expired. Can I travel to the U.S. using that visa to find a new employer and have it transferred to the new employer? A: No, you should not travel to the United States using an H-1B visa unless both you and the petitioning company both intend for you to work for that company upon arrival. If you find a new employer, they would not be able to “transfer” your visa in the situation described in the question. The reason for this is that in order to process a transfer from one company to another, you need to show that you are in the U.S. and working for the company who initially sponsored your H1B. USCIS normal
