Time to Consider Visa Status Renewal

As summer winds down and Labor Day quickly approaches, it is the right time to begin thinking about renewing your visa status. Applications to extend nonimmigrant visa status are typically filed within a six-month window prior to status expiration. If you have one of the renewable visa statuses listed below, make sure you are eligible to renew, start collecting your documents and contact the Guerrero Law Firm to begin your process.

The most common renewable U.S. visas include, but are not limited to, temporary B-1/B-2 visas for business or pleasure; E visas for investors/employees; F and M student visas; H-1B visas for skilled workers; H-3 visas for trainees; L-1 visas for corporate transferees; O-1 and P visas, typically for athletes, entertainers, and others with extraordinary abilities; and TN visas for Canadian and Mexican professionals. Also, don’t forget about dependents such as spouses and children who may also need to renew their visa status.

Assuming you have a renewable visa type, the common requirements are:

• You have been maintaining your nonimmigrant visa status.
• The purpose of renewing your visa status remains – work, education, training, etc.
• No conditions exist that would invalidate your visa status.

The visa status renewal process can take from a couple of weeks to a few months to complete, depending on the type of visa status you are renewing. Like your initial visa application, the renewal process includes an application filing, renewal fees, and supporting documents.

Supporting documents may include:

• Your current passport and any previous passports that have an expired U.S. visa in them.
• Evidence you are maintaining your current nonimmigrant visa status.
• Evidence of continued employment/education/training required for the extension period sought.

If your current visa status expires during the application process, don’t panic. As a matter of general discretion, the U.S. government does not consider removal proceedings until after an application is adjudicated, assuming your extension or change of status application was filed prior to the expiration of your original period of authorized stay. Also, in certain cases, you may be permitted to continue your employment while your extension application is pending.

September is a peak time for visa status renewals, so the more prepared you are, the quicker the process. Contact Guerrero Law Firm today to get started.