L1 Visa to H1B Visa

[rsapnag]

Hi

Currently I am on L1 visa with Company-A. I got H1B visa approval notice from Company-X effective from 1 October 2007, but I have not joined them yet. My questions are;

1. Am I out of status now (1 December 2007)?
2. Can I join Company-Y without joining Company-X with H1B approval notice that I have?. Since I have not joined Company-X, I do not have salary slip from Company-X.
3. What are the options left to me?.

Thanks in advance for your help
Rsap

[JyothiReddy]

1) YES --from Oct 1, you are no longer on L1 visa..u r on H1..u shldnt work for A.
2) with H1 approved petition you cant directly join Y under their pay rolls..instead you can join them as contract employee and can go for H1 transfer.
3) join X or join Y as contract employee and going for H1 transfer after 4 to 5 months.

[orion]

Just a clarification on the answers already posted below.

Your status is H1 now only if a new I-94 came with the H1 approval notice. If not, you need to get COS/consular processing done and you are still on L1.