Question about Fragomen and H1b cap filing time.
(using a friend's blind acc. I am still in school). Have accepted an offer from a place that's ready to file an H1b. I am on f1. How much time does Fragomen take to file h1b after filling an LCA? I am looking for other offers meanwhile and want to know how long I can keep interviewing elsewhere. I want to avoid multiple filings(since change of status is involved on F1). Does Fragomen file only in April? Can I keep interviewing till end of March or can they file even earlier?
Once all your documents are submitted they file within two weeks. If your friend has an H1 and needs it transferred, end to end can be four weeks from the time documents are submitted.
On an F1 and filing for the first time. You mean once docs are submitted they file within two weeks for H1b? Don't they have to wait till April?
Nope, I was talking about transfer
Anywhere from 45 - 60 days, before you join on premium approval
Whats the harm in filing multiple times?
If something I don't join gets picked up for a lottery, the status changes to H1, and since I cannot join that company I am in limbo and risk losing F1 status.
But you would be joining some company anyway? That status would be changed in October. And I guess there must be a way for them to cancel the application if they filed it
Im looking for multi filing since it’s my last year of lottery, I’ll join the one that gets me a H1b, didn’t know there could be an issue
There's no issue for you if it is your last year and if you are already working and join after getting a visa. Issue is possible when you have to join before getting an H1b and you have opt period remaining.
I am also looking to do the same but i hv heard if it gets picked up for both companies then it can get rejected but not if it get picked up for only one company
I would get it filed in both companies. Say yours get picked in the company that you don’t like, then join it, stay for 6 months and then you can move to other company. If you land up in such a situation, you can explain the situation to company where you want to join but didn’t get picked in lottery and ask them to delay start by 6 months. Shouldn’t be a problem for entry level positions
Not sure how the company that I want to join would react knowing that I already accepted elsewhere before interviewing with them. Also there are issues like delayed lottery results that can cause further problems. There is a chance I join by June and results of lottery aren't out yet.
About the results, if I pay for premium on my own money, will I get to know the status before June?
I’ve been there before. Try postponing submitting the documents. It is because the company is also paying for the paper work not just the h1b application. So, if you are waiting on onsites elsewhere, I recommend you don’t submit documents yet.
Getting an offer can take more than a month since I am only at the start of the process with others. Worst case what do you think is the last date to pull the plug after submitting documents? Also how long can I wait till submitting in the first place.
Hmm.. drag submitting the documents as much as you can. You could still retract as late as like March 20. Though I feel bad retracting after they complete all the paperwork. This process costs the company money and doing this you will burn a lot of bridges.