Maintain Status

IFSS is required to notify USCIS if there has been a material change in the terms and conditions of your H-1B employment. You and your hiring unit may not be authorized to make changes to your H-1B employment without having received USCIS approval of these changes first.  If there are any questions about a change to your position, please consult with your Department and/or IFSS before making the change.

Changes to your employment that may require an amendment include, but are not limited to:

• new title series (for example, transitioning from a postdoc/research associate position to a scientist position)
• significant change in duties
• significant salary increase (which typically signifies a change in duties)
• change in percentage of appointment (part-time to full-time and vice versa)
• new employment in a different UW department or UW System institution
• concurrent employment in another UW Department or UW System institution (including overloads)

Promotions within a title series: these are typically ok as they are deemed a “natural progression” of your duties rather than a change.

Form I-94 is the Arrival/Departure Record issued to you when you enter the U.S., change your status in the U.S., or extend your status in the U.S. The I-94 card dictates how long you can lawfully remain in the U.S., what immigration status you hold during your visit, and if you can work or be paid while in the U.S. You must exit the U.S. before the ‘admit until date’ listed on the I-94.

IFSS recommends that every time you enter the U.S., you print your I-94 card to make sure all the information on the I-94 card is correct. If you find an error on your I-94, contact IFSS immediately; do not wait. This is extremely important if your ‘Admit Until Date’ is shorter than your H-1B approval notice ending validity date. We can provide you with instructions on how to contact the appropriate CBP office that can assist you in getting your I-94 corrected. Keep copies of your I-94s for your records (this will be helpful if you ever need to recapture time as an H-1B). Each time you enter the U.S., your online I-94 will be replaced with a new I-94 and you cannot currently retrieve prior I-94s online, only the most recent I-94.

For those who are changing or extending your status while remaining in the U.S., you will be issued a replacement I-94 on your approval document (the I-797A). Your online I-94 will not change until the next time you enter the U.S. However, you will notice that both I-94s have the same number connecting the two.

NOTE: Many H-1Bs are granted a 10 day grace period after their H-1B ending validity date. If your I-94 ‘admit until date’ has this grace period, please note that you cannot work during the 10 day grace period. Therefore, your true ‘work authorization end date’ is the ending validity date listed on the upper portion of your H-1B approval document (the I-797A or B).

You should be aware that, at any time, the University may be subject to inspection/audit by officers of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) with regard to any petition filed by the University.  These site visits can be conducted with no prior announcement. Therefore, IFSS may not be able to give you advance notice of when one might occur.  Please be assured that these inspections are random and routine, and the fact that a petition filed on your behalf has been selected for review does NOT mean that you or the University are under suspicion.  When a site visit occurs, the officer will generally contact IFSS to verify information provided by us on the petition, in addition to requesting to speak with the employee named as the beneficiary of the petition.  The officer may ask to see the employee’s office or work area (if the visit is in person) and may take photographs of the employee’s work area and the hiring unit.

If an officer arrives in-person at your worksite, please ask the officer for identification. Contact IFSS immediately.

Almost all non-citizens, including permanent residents (i.e. green card holders), must notify USCIS directly of any change of home address by filing Form AR-11 within 10 days of moving.

Form AR-11 is available on the USCIS website and can be submitted by mail or online.

Important Notes

• If you work remotely, contact IFSS at least 3-4 months before moving your remote work location (even if that is your home address) to determine what needs to be done to amend your work location.
• The Form AR-11 requests an A number, but please note that not everyone will have an A number. Write “none” if you do not have an A number.
• If you change your address while your application is pending with a USCIS Service Center, indicate your pending application in Form AR-11 or attach a copy of the pending petition’s receipt notice. If you have more than one application pending, include all pending applications.
• If you submit Form AR-11 by mail, we recommend using certified mail, return receipt requested, or some other method providing proof of delivery (FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc.). Refer to Form AR-11 for where to mail the form.
• If you have dependents, you must complete an AR-11 for each person.
• Make a photocopy of the complete AR-11 Instructions and Forms for your personal records.
• Form AR-11 is available and downloadable in languages other than English, the form must be completed in English.

You should also:

• Update your address in MyUW. Some benefit plans you have through the UW will update automatically this way (for full list see UW Human Resources).
• If applicable, update your address on your Remote Work Agreement in MyUW under Personal Information > Update My Personal Information.
• Contact others who have your address (banks, doctor’s offices,
• etc.) to update your information.
• Inform the U.S. Post Office of the change so that your mail can be forwarded (you can do this by going to any post office or online at http://www.usps.com). The U.S. Post Office will not forward USCIS mail, however.