Confusion on VISA Expiry date and PED Date

[Uma Mahesh Padisetty]

Hi,

I have got L1 blanket visa after administrative processing for 1 month.
I have received my passport after interview with Visa Expiry date - Dec 2017 and Petition Expiry Date (PED) - Nov 2018.

Is it legal to work for the company living in US on Feb 2018?

Thanks in advance,
Uma Mahesh

[Chintan Kamani]

Hi,

I have got L1 blanket visa after administrative processing for 1 month.
I have received my passport after interview with Visa Expiry date - Dec 2017 and Petition Expiry Date (PED) - Nov 2018.

Is it legal to work for the company living in US on Feb 2018?

Thanks in advance,
Uma Mahesh

Simple answer to that is No. You are legally allowed to work in US only up until Dec. 2017 (or date as per your I-94).

PED is validity of Petition. On L, H or any Work Visa category you are allowed to work in US for maximum of 3+3***=7 years.

Let's say for example: out of your Dec 2017 validity you used all but two months (as you were travelling or not working during that period, basically outside of USA). So after your Visa expires on Dec 2017 and as per the above example you still have used days. If its falls before Nov 2018 you do not need to file a new petition. Same petition can be used to request extension.

Once you exhaust your 7 years work in US you have to leave US for minimum of 1 year to and then apply a fresh petition if you still seek to work in US (unless your employer sponsors for Green Card).

PS: The total of 7 years is combination of L, H, F Visa category. If you had L Visa for 3 years and you converted it to H Visa it means you already exhausted 3 years and are left with maximum of 4 years (subject to Counselor's approval).

-CK