An H-1B applicant for admission who is no
longer working for the original petitioner is
admissible at a Port of Entry(POE) pursuant to
the portability provisions, upon presentation
of the following evidence:
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that the applicant is otherwise
admissible;
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that the applicant, unless
exempt, is in possession of a valid,
unexpired passport and visa (including a
valid, unexpired visa endorsed with the
name of the original petitioner);
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that the applicant was previously
admitted as an H-1B or otherwise accorded
H-1B status. If a visa exempt applicant is
not in possession of the previously issued
Form I-94,
Arrival/Departure Record,, or a copy of
the previously issued I-94, the applicant
may present a copy of the Form I-797,
Notice of Action, with the original
petition's validity dates; and
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that an H-1B petition was timely
filed on behalf on the applicant, before
expiration of the validity dates of the
applicant's previously authorized period of
stay. This evidence shall be in the form of
a copy of a date Form I-797 receipt notice
reflecting that a new petition has been
filed, or other credible evidence of timely
filing that is validated through a CLAIMS
query(the software that INS officers at port
of entry use).
If the applicant is not in possession of a
copy of the Form I-797, or a query of
CLAIMS shows no evidence that an H-1B
petition has been timely filed, the
applicant is not admissible and should be
processed accordingly. Generally, an
applicant who lacks evidence of a pending
H-1B petition would not be processed as an
expedited removal unless there is evidence
of fraud of misrepresentation.
The non-immigrant applicant is admissible
to the validity date of the previously approved petition, plus 10 days. If the validity dates of applicant's previously approved
non-immigrant petition have expired, and the
applicant does not present evidence that the
new H-1B petition has been approved, he is not
admissible under these provisions and should be
processed accordingly. Generally, an alien
whose petition has expired would not be
processed as an expedited removal unless there
is evidence of fraud or misrepresentation. If
the such an H-1 holder had not traveled abroad,
he/she could continue working for a new
employer using portability.
It does not apply to H-1B visa holders who
have never previously been to USA.
Applicants for admission who are dependents of
non-immigrants working pursuant to portability
must present the following evidence when
seeking admission at a POE:
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that the dependent is otherwise
admissible;
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that the dependent is in
possession of a valid, unexpired passport
and visa, unless exempt;
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that the principal non-immigrant
on whom the applicant is dependent was
previously admitted as an H-1B or otherwise
accorded H-1B status. If the principal
non-immigrant was visa exempt and not in
possession of the previously issued Form I-94,
Arrival/Departure Record, or a copy of
the previously issued I-94, the applicant
may present a copy of the principal
non-immigrant's Form I-797, Notice of
Action, with the original petition's
validity dates; and
-
that an H-1B petition was timely
filed on behalf of the principal
non-immigrant on whom the applicant is
dependent, before expiration of the
validity dates of the principal
non-immigrant's previously authorized
period of stay. This evidence shall be in
the form of a copy of a date Form I-797
receipt notice reflecting that a new H-1B
petition has been filed, or other credible
evidence of timely filing that is validated
through CLAIMS query(the software that INS
officers at port of entry use).