Arriving in US before H2B starts

[Kurtwalters 0]

Hello all,

I'm looking to travel to the us in April a month before my H2B starts in May to travel and have vacation time using an ESTA. I won't be flying home from this but instead as my H2B becomes active i would start working.

Would this raise any flags? e.g. do i have to leave the country before and come back when my H2B activates?

[newacct 688]

I won't be flying home from this but instead as my H2B becomes active i would start working.

Would this raise any flags? e.g. do i have to leave the country before and come back when my H2B activates?

No, that's not how it works. You will have to leave the US before the 90-day duration of stay of your VWP expires, and re-enter using an H-2b visa to go into H-2b status. It's also not possible for someone who entered on VWP to do Change of Status inside the US.