Need help regarding H1B

[divyakadam]

Hi,

My H1B petition for FY 2012 was filed in April 2011 and got approved in May. Can someone tell me if i can apply for a visa appointment now. Also if the visa is approved, it there any time constraint that we should not travel before Oct 1st 2011 or before the employement date mentioned in the I 797

[kabkaba]

You can apply for the Visa at any time. If start date is Oct 1 you can travel to US only after Sep 20 and start working on or after Oct 1.

[divyakadam]

I heard that H1B holders can move to US only after Oct 1st. Is this mandatory?

If petition is filed for FY 2012 but the client letter has an employment date of say Sept 15, can we travel in Sept?

[kabkaba]

There is a start date on the petition, it will be Oct 1. You cannot work before Oct 1. You can travel to the US approx. 10 days before (Sep 20) but you cannot begin work before Oct 1. Read the approval notice, it clearly states that this is your work authorization.