H1 extension and passport expiry - confused on timing

[shikharv 0]

My visa is ending on Sept 2016 and so is my passport, I have stayed in the US on my h1 visa for appx. 1.5 years so that leaves another 4.5 years (considering the 6 years limit on the basis of number of days stayed in the US, my visa was stamped 6 years back though).

Q1 - Is the above understanding correct?

Q2 - Not sure when is the right time to get the visa and passport extended and how?

Q3 - Will changing jobs before September 2016 add to the complications?

I am in India currently and will be moving to the US by Jan 2016.

Thanks for the help in advance.

Shikhar

Edited October 6, 2015 by shikharv

[Mollie09 1,543]

What does your I-797 say?

[shikharv 0]

@ F1H1I130

i797 also expires in Sept 2016, I am assuming everything is linked to passport expiry date?

Thanks.

[newacct 688]

Neither visa validity nor H1b petition validity are related to passport validity. The visa validity is limited by H1b petition validity. That the petition is expiring at a similar time to passport expiration is a coincidence; the petition validity is usually 3 years and it probably just happens that it is expiring at this time. If your petition is expiring then your employer needs to file for an extension before it expires, and recapture your unused days.

[shikharv 0]

Ok. Thanks!

I guess I will have to do these two steps in parallel -

1. Get the i797 extended

2. Get a new passport before the next stamping

Also, any comments if changing jobs (before I do the top 2 steps) will complicate things? because that will involve H1 transfer.

I might be asking absurd questions because I am not very clear on these things.

Shikhar

Edited October 7, 2015 by shikharv