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Hello people,
First of all, apologies for the wall of text that is about to follow.
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My change of status from F1 OPT to H1b happened within USA in Jan 2010.I work for a university non-profit so it was a non-cap h1b.
1st h1b approval had an I-94 # 567xx [1/1/10 - 12/30/2012].
Left for India 12/25/2010
Got h1b stamped in India on 1/2/2011
Returned to USA via EWR: 1/25/2011
--
While still on 1st h1b, left for India 2/1/2012
Got married in India.
Wife and I returned to USA via EWR: 2/25/2012
We have not left USA since 2/25/2012.
My I 94 admission number issued on the paper card stapled to my passport (Feb 25, 2012) is 123xx
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2nd h1b: [12/31/2012 - 12/30/2015]
The i797A had a new I 94 #987xx
1st and 2nd h1b’s were done by lawyer A.
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Firm hired lawyer B to do my PERM, I 140 and eventual h1b extension.
3rd h1b: [12/31/2015 - 12/30/2018]
Received I-94 # 123xx which is same as I-94# received on Feb 25, 2012 during entering USA.
--
Seeing this I went back and reviewed the i-129 filed for my h1b extension for the [12/31/2012 - 12/30/2015] period
Lawyer A had made mistakes in the following areas :
Date of last arrival: 2/22/2012 (it was 2/25/2012) I hadn't caught the error then.
Also the i-94 # they listed was 123xx (they are missing the last two digits yy).
The i-797 had a new i-94 number.Maybe the reason for new I-94 number was because they could find no trace of my previous one?
I know the latest i 797A will be presented for my visa stamping interview.I just don't want to run into trouble with Customs Border Protection when returning back.
On asking lawyer B what to do if I get stuck with CBP her response was : Once you depart the US, all I94s get invalidated. The consulate has nothing to do with your I94 numbers. When you enter you will get a new I94.
--
on checking I 94 on https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/history.html
For me
1.Arrival 2012 February EWR (return from India with spouse)
2.Departure 2010 December 25 EWR (when I went to India for stamping)
3.Arrival 2008 July EWR (while I was a masters student at Rutgers)
It does not list my reentry to EWR in Jan of 2011.
I checked for my wife's I94's on the site.
She came along with me for the first time USA on Feb 25, 2012.
It says record not found.
Her H4 extension still has her original i94 number.
I have been with the same employer since my first h1b.
..
So my questions are:
We are looking to go to India on family business soon and will have to go for visa interview also. While I see no problems cropping up in the interview I have questions on the re-entry.
1. Will this different I 94 number in my second h1b have any impact?
2. Will my wife's no record found impact her return?
3. Should we turn in all i 94 cards (cut them out from the i 797 ) to the airline carrier at the port of departure?
If anyone has any information please help.
Thank you for reading this long winded query.
First of all, apologies for the wall of text that is about to follow.
--
My change of status from F1 OPT to H1b happened within USA in Jan 2010.I work for a university non-profit so it was a non-cap h1b.
1st h1b approval had an I-94 # 567xx [1/1/10 - 12/30/2012].
Left for India 12/25/2010
Got h1b stamped in India on 1/2/2011
Returned to USA via EWR: 1/25/2011
--
While still on 1st h1b, left for India 2/1/2012
Got married in India.
Wife and I returned to USA via EWR: 2/25/2012
We have not left USA since 2/25/2012.
My I 94 admission number issued on the paper card stapled to my passport (Feb 25, 2012) is 123xx
--
2nd h1b: [12/31/2012 - 12/30/2015]
The i797A had a new I 94 #987xx
1st and 2nd h1b’s were done by lawyer A.
--
Firm hired lawyer B to do my PERM, I 140 and eventual h1b extension.
3rd h1b: [12/31/2015 - 12/30/2018]
Received I-94 # 123xx which is same as I-94# received on Feb 25, 2012 during entering USA.
--
Seeing this I went back and reviewed the i-129 filed for my h1b extension for the [12/31/2012 - 12/30/2015] period
Lawyer A had made mistakes in the following areas :
Date of last arrival: 2/22/2012 (it was 2/25/2012) I hadn't caught the error then.
Also the i-94 # they listed was 123xx (they are missing the last two digits yy).
The i-797 had a new i-94 number.Maybe the reason for new I-94 number was because they could find no trace of my previous one?
I know the latest i 797A will be presented for my visa stamping interview.I just don't want to run into trouble with Customs Border Protection when returning back.
On asking lawyer B what to do if I get stuck with CBP her response was : Once you depart the US, all I94s get invalidated. The consulate has nothing to do with your I94 numbers. When you enter you will get a new I94.
--
on checking I 94 on https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/history.html
For me
1.Arrival 2012 February EWR (return from India with spouse)
2.Departure 2010 December 25 EWR (when I went to India for stamping)
3.Arrival 2008 July EWR (while I was a masters student at Rutgers)
It does not list my reentry to EWR in Jan of 2011.
I checked for my wife's I94's on the site.
She came along with me for the first time USA on Feb 25, 2012.
It says record not found.
Her H4 extension still has her original i94 number.
I have been with the same employer since my first h1b.
..
So my questions are:
We are looking to go to India on family business soon and will have to go for visa interview also. While I see no problems cropping up in the interview I have questions on the re-entry.
1. Will this different I 94 number in my second h1b have any impact?
2. Will my wife's no record found impact her return?
3. Should we turn in all i 94 cards (cut them out from the i 797 ) to the airline carrier at the port of departure?
If anyone has any information please help.
Thank you for reading this long winded query.
