Process for renewal of H1B visa that got expired in 2007

[abhiroy123]

Hi,
I have a bit of an out of the ordinary situation here and I am looking for some guidance / advice. I had an H1B visa that was issued in 2004 and got expired in 2007. It was done by my past employer. I never used the visa to travel to US as I had switched my job. My question is :
Is it possible to renew my H1B visa now, without going through the 65000 quota process? If yes, I would be happy to know the process.

[Nattybone]

Hello, Abhiroy.

An H1B can be revived for upto 6 years from the time it was issued or the person maintained H1B status. As you were granted the visa in 2004 and you never used it, your timeline for reviving this visa was 2010.

I am sorry, but this visa cannot be revived. You may file a petition for a fresh H1B if you have a sponsor.

Hope this helps.

Wishing you luck.

Cheers,

Hi,
I have a bit of an out of the ordinary situation here and I am looking for some guidance / advice. I had an H1B visa that was issued in 2004 and got expired in 2007. It was done by my past employer. I never used the visa to travel to US as I had switched my job. My question is :
Is it possible to renew my H1B visa now, without going through the 65000 quota process? If yes, I would be happy to know the process.

[abhiroy123]

Thanks for your reply NattyBone..

Hello, Abhiroy.

An H1B can be revived for upto 6 years from the time it was issued or the person maintained H1B status. As you were granted the visa in 2004 and you never used it, your timeline for reviving this visa was 2010.

I am sorry, but this visa cannot be revived. You may file a petition for a fresh H1B if you have a sponsor.

Hope this helps.

Wishing you luck.

Cheers,

Thanks NattyBone. I have a slightly different question now. Suppose a prospective employer in US now wants to file for a fresh H1B visa for me. IN such a case, will I be counted under the yearly 65000 cap or will I be exempted from it? If I am exempted, then can the employer apply for my visa at any time of the year? Looking forward to your advice on this.
Thanks,
Roy