Maintaining H-1B Status

H-1B employees are responsible for understanding and complying with U.S federal laws and regulations governing H-1B status. Failure to do so could result in the violation and loss of your immigration status. Please contact the OIS if you have questions. Upon approval of H-1B status, all H-1B nonimmigrants must complete the “Maintaining H-1B Status E-form”.

Basic Guidelines for Maintaining H-1B Status

1. Maintain a valid passport
   Your passport must be valid for at least 6-months into the future unless exempt by country-specific agreements. Contact your country’s embassy in the U.S. for information about renewing or extending your passport while in the U.S.
2. Carry documentation verifying H-1B status
   • Regulations require that you carry your I-94 at all times
     • Review your I-94 record each time you re-enter the U.S., ensuring it reflects the correct class of admission (“H-1B”) and admit-until date (“the correct amount of time”). Retrieve your electronic I-94 here, print a copy, and carry it with your immigration documents, as required by immigration law. If your I-94 contains incorrect information, email to [email protected] for guidance on correcting it
   • It may be advisable to carry a copy of form I-797: Form I-797/ H-1B Approval Notice: This document shows that you are the beneficiary of an approved I-129 (H-1B petition) and you are authorized to work for the sponsor of the H-1B (JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY) in the capacity described in the petition for the time period indicated on the I-797. Keep the original I-797 in a safe location  
   • It may also be advisable to carry a valid government-issued ID to further establish your identity
3. H-1B Petition (Form I-129, LCA and supporting documents)
   Form I-129 (H-1B petition) was filed with USCIS by Johns Hopkins University on your behalf. A copy of the H1B petition was shared with you when your H1B petition was approved. When you apply for an H-1B visa at a U.S. Consulate, OIS recommends you carry a copy of the petition with you. An H1B petition includes a Labor Condition Application (LCA). A copy of the LCA is shared with you when your H-1B petition is being prepared. The LCA is a formal declaration filed by the employer (JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY) with the U.S. Department of Labor stating JHU’s intention to employ you, as a non-immigrant worker in H-1B status. The LCA specifies the dates of your employment, your minimum annual salary, your job title and the address(es) of your employment. The LCA also is an attestation that JHU will meet specific H1B sponsorship requirements (e.g. wages, work conditions, etc.)

Site Visits

Under the H-1B program, United States Citizenship and Immigrations Services [USCIS] Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate [FDNS] routinely visits H-1B employers to validate the information submitted in H-1B petitions. USCIS started the Administrative Site Visit and Verification Program in July 2009. The purpose of these visits is to verify the employer’s [JHU’s] existence and confirm the H-1B employee’s work is consistent with the information that was provided in JHU’s H-1B petition. H-1B employees should review the information on the OIS website to familiarize themselves with the process.

Change of Address

USCIS requires that you report an address change within 10 days of the move. To report an address change you must:

1. Submit Form AR-11 to USCIS. AR-11, Change of Address Form
2. Email [email protected] with your full name, date of birth, JHED and new address
3. You also must update your address on file with JHU. JHU employees can update their address at “My JHU”: https://my.jh.edu/myJH/

Travel Outside the US

For general travel information, please review the H-1B travel page. If your H-1B status will expire soon, it is important to share your travel plans with OIS well in advance of departure. If you are working with an H-1B advisor on a change of status to H-1B, and extension of H-1B status or an application to amend your H-1B status, you must review your planned travel with a H-1B advisor before you depart. In some cases, travel can invalidate a H-1B application and have serious consequences. If you have a case in progress, email the H-1B advisor assigned to your case. If you do not have a H-1B case in progress, email your travel questions to [email protected] .

Termination of H-1B Employment by JHU/Resignation of H-1B Employee

If your employment at Johns Hopkins University is ending, please contact OIS to discuss your H1B status. When your employment ends, your H-1B status ends. There is no guaranteed “grace period” for H-1B status, so it is important that you take steps to secure an alternate status or depart the U.S. in a timely manner. You also must notify the OIS via the Notification of Departure Form.