L1-B2 Questions. Time sensitive.

[Canadian_at_Heart]

Hi, everybody!
I'm from Canada and have an L-1 visa. I have been working at a company here in California for the last 18 months. On Monday I handed in my 2 week notice and as of the 27th I will no longer be employed. I want to know if it is too late to apply for a B-2. I know that it takes at least 90 days but I remember reading somewhere that as long as you have receipt for the visa and a plane ticket and proof of support here it should be O.K. I only plan on staying until the beginning of August to essentially clean out my apartment and tie up loose ends. Clearly, an answer as soon as possible would come in really handy.

[raghvi]

Hi, everybody!
I'm from Canada and have an L-1 visa. I have been working at a company here in California for the last 18 months. On Monday I handed in my 2 week notice and as of the 27th I will no longer be employed. I want to know if it is too late to apply for a B-2. I know that it takes at least 90 days but I remember reading somewhere that as long as you have receipt for the visa and a plane ticket and proof of support here it should be O.K. I only plan on staying until the beginning of August to essentially clean out my apartment and tie up loose ends. Clearly, an answer as soon as possible would come in really handy.

You should file a COS to a B2 visa befoe your last working day otherwise you will be illegal and out of status. At the same time, if for some reason you leave before B2 decision comes in or B2 is rejected you will be considered illegal from last working day till the day of departure and might face more scrutiny in future visa applications. B2 Visa cannot be used to stay to clean out apartment and do packing up.

This is my opinion not legal advice.

[Canadian_at_Heart]

You should file a COS to a B2 visa befoe your last working day.

What is a COS? I've never heard of this before?
All of my googling on the topic was pointing me toward a B2

[raghvi]

What is a COS? I've never heard of this before?
All of my googling on the topic was pointing me toward a B2

COS is Change of Status. A COS is filed by fillign the I539 form and subimittign to the USCIS. Currently you are on L1 so your immigrant status is L1. After your last working day you would cease to be in L1 status so you need to move to a different status before that day in order to legally stay in US. Now, I do not know if as a Candian citizen do you explicitly need to do a COS to a B2.

This is my opinion not legal advice.