Recent Communication to H1-B Employees and Sponsoring Departments
COMMUNICATION TO UToledo STAKEHOLDERS AND SPONSORING DEPARTMENTS
June 23, 2025: H-1B Sponsoring Department Responsibilities
CISP would like to thank you for all your patience and understanding during the process of hiring and maintaining status of H-1B employees. To continue to be successful in our employment of foreign nationals, please be mindful of the following from UToledo’s H-1B Employer Compliance Policy:
The petitioner (UToledo) must follow all federal regulations concerning H-1B petitions (I-129 petitions for nonimmigrant worker).
Those involved in the hiring and sponsorship of a foreign national employee should be aware of the following:
- CISP does not guarantee the approval of any H-1B petition.
- The Sponsoring Department shouldn’t “promise sponsorship to a prospective employee or guarantee success of an H-1B petition.”
- The Sponsoring Department is responsible for adhering to all export control policies.
Please also note the following:
- H-1B employees may only work for the employer that filed their H-1B petition (i.e., UToledo).
- H-1B status is specific to the employer and terms and conditions of employment that USCIS approved in the original H-1B petition. Notify CISP regarding changes of any of the H-1B employee’s:
- job title
- job duties
- number of hours worked per week
- salary
- frequency of pay
- work location
- department or PI (If an employee leaves your area, please let us know.)
- employment status (nonproductive status, unemployment, leave, FMLA, etc.)
- resignation or termination (If the employee’s position is terminated before their H-1B end date, the department is responsible for paying for reasonable cost of return transportation to their home country.)
- Please consult CISP BEFORE changes occur, and allow us to determine whether an amended H-1B petition needs to be filed to notify USCIS of the changes.
Again, we appreciate your awareness of policies and continued communication with our office. Please contact us any time if you have questions.
January 21, 2025: USCIS Site Visit Final Rule
As part of the compliance review process and to investigate potential fraud in the H-1B Temporary Worker Visa Program, USCIS conducts random unannounced site visits to verify information in certain visa petitions. USCIS randomly selects sites to visit after the petition is adjudicated. The purpose of the visit is to ensure that petitioners (employers) and beneficiaries (H-1B employees) are following the terms and conditions stated in the approved H-1B petition.
In the past, USCIS did not require participation in site visits but encouraged employers to cooperate. DHS published a final rule on Friday January 17, 2025, for the H-1B visa program making site visit participation mandatory. Any refusal of a site visit may lead to a case being denied. Please feel free to contact our office during a site visit so we can provide additional information on a petition if necessary. You can get more information on USCIS site visits from our website.
The Office of Ohio Attorney General provided us with the following recommendation:
“H-1B Site Visits: Representatives from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) use the Administrative Site Visit and Verification Program (ASVVP) to conduct random, unannounced site visits after the H-1B petition is approved. Site visits typically take place at the H-1B employees’ work site. According to the USCIS website, officers conduct on-site visits to “verify H-1B petition information and supporting documents, verify the organization exists, visit the H-1B employee’s workstation, take photographs, and interview personnel to confirm information about the H-1B employee’s position. Each site visit focuses on one H-1B petition and H-1B employee.”
February 2, 2024: USCIS Updates: Fees and Final Rule
USCIS premium processing fee will increase
USCIS announced inflation adjustment to premium processing fees. Premium Processing fee is set to increase on February 26, 2024, from $2,500 to $2,805. According to USCIS, this is the first premium processing fee increase in three years.
USCIS final rule
On Tuesday 01/30/2024, USCIS published a final rule to adjust immigration and naturalization fees which will go into effect on April 1, 2024. Although USCIS increased the H-1B filing fees significantly for U.S. employers, there is an exemption for higher education employers. Therefore the increased H-1B fees do not apply to higher education employers. We are including the H-1B fee chart below:
|
Services |
Total fees |
|
New H-1B |
$2,160 |
|
H-1B extension/amendment |
$1,660 |
|
USCIS premium processing fee (optional) |
$2,500 *After 02/26/2024 $2,805 |
**Fees are subject to change.
You can review USCIS’s FAQ and the new fee schedule here.
USCIS is launching Organizational Accounts and Online filing of H-1B petitions
Employers sponsoring foreign national employees for H-1B status will have the option to file H-1B petition electronically through the USCIS website. Starting late February, employers can prepare and file H-1B petitions electronically, pay filing fees online and request premium processing. Paper filing will also be available.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Thank you,
419.530.5268
September 7, 2021: Department Obligation and Compliance
We would like to take this opportunity to provide UT Stakeholders and Departments sponsoring H-1B employees with the attached memo, Department Obligation and Compliance. UT Departments sponsoring H-1B employees assume responsibility on behalf of the University of Toledo to comply with regulations mandated by the Department of Labor (DOL) and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
As indicated in the attached memo, please notify our office of any changes in the employment of the H-1B employee (i.e: changes in job title, job duties/responsibilities or requirements, number of hours and work location) prior to any of those changes going into effect.
Please note, the H-1B is very specific to those duties stated in the original petition. If payment or benefit is received for services outside the approved job duties, this is most likely unlawful employment, which jeopardizes the validity of the employee's H-1B status, and which may affect future filings and/or the ability to obtain a permanent residency card. The Department should be mindful to only provide employment that has been authorized by USCIS. The approval of an H-1B does not allow the employee to work any other job at UT.
Please review the attached memo carefully and reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns. See Department Obligation and Compliance memo.
October 28, 2021: New Vaccine Requirement for Travelers Coming to the United States
On October 25, President Biden announced a Presidential Proclamation titled “A Proclamation on Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” This proclamation, takes effect on November 8, 2021, and will require that all travelers to the United States be vaccinated. Please see the following list of acceptable vaccines to determine if the COVID vaccine you already received will be acceptable for entry into the United States. There are certain exceptions being provided to individuals who are unable to get vaccinated before entering the United States. For our international population, if you come from a country with limited vaccine availability, you may still be allowed to enter the United States and may need to get vaccinated once you enter the United States. More information about this global vaccination requirement is available at Non-U.S. citizen, Non-U.S. immigrants: Air Travel to the United States | CDC.
COMMUNICATION TO H-1B Employees
June 23, 2025: Maintaining H-1B Status
Thank you for your service to UToledo. As a friendly reminder, we have attached the memo, “Maintaining H-1B status.”
As highlighted in the memo, please note the following:
- You may only work for the employer that filed your H-1B petition (i.e., UToledo).
- H-1B status is specific to the employer and terms and conditions of employment that USCIS approved in the original H-1B petition. Notify CISP regarding changes of any of the following:
- job title
- job duties
- number of hours worked per week
- salary
- frequency of pay
- work location
- department or PI
- employment status (nonproductive status, unemployment, leave, FMLA, etc.)
- Please consult CISP BEFORE changes occur, and allow us to determine whether an amended H-1B petition needs to be filed to notify USCIS of the changes.
- Failure to notify USCIS of changes in the terms and conditions of employment may be considered a violation of status.
- Notify CISP if you are resigning or your position is being terminated.
- Report all changes of address to USCIS within 10 days of moving (http://www.uscis.gov/addresschange).
- International Travel: Submit a Travel Letter Request in iRocket up to 3 weeks before travel. Keep in mind that it is not advisable to travel while your H-1B petition is pending.
- Keep Passports Valid: Always keep your passport (and your dependents’ passports) valid.
We appreciate your awareness of policies and continued communication with our office. Please contact us any time if you have questions.
March 31, 2025: Change Address with USCIS
Please remember to submit a change of address to USCIS. According to USCIS, "All nonimmigrants are required to notify USCIS directly of any residential address changes within 10 days of moving by submitting Form AR-11." For instructions, please see http://www.uscis.gov/addresschange.
March 7, 2025: Potential Travel Ban
As you may already be aware that several news outlets have reported the possibility of potential travel ban being issued next week. Our outside counsel has provided the following information:
“we recommend that citizens and nationals from the following countries already in the US not travel internationally.
Afghanistan
Iraq
Iran
Libya
Palestine/Gaza
Pakistan
Somalia
Sudan
Syria
Yemen
Citizens and nationals from all other foreign countries should also reconsider any
international travel plans until the travel ban is issued.”
Although we are uncertain whether a travel ban will be put in place, when it might occur, or which countries or visa classification will be affected we wanted to provide you with the above information.
We will keep you updated as more information becomes available .
January 21, 2025: USCIS Site Visit Final Rule
As part of the compliance review process and to investigate potential fraud in the H-1B Temporary Worker Visa Program, USCIS conducts random unannounced site visits to verify information in certain visa petitions. USCIS randomly selects sites to visit after the petition is adjudicated. The purpose of the visit is to ensure that petitioners (employers) and beneficiaries (H-1B employees) are following the terms and conditions stated in the approved H-1B petition.
In the past, USCIS did not require participation in site visits but encouraged employers to cooperate. DHS published a final rule on Friday January 17, 2025, for the H-1B visa program making site visit participation mandatory. Any refusal of a site visit may lead to a case being denied. Please feel free to contact our office during a site visit so we can provide additional information on a petition if necessary. You can get more information on USCIS site visits from our website.
The Office of Ohio Attorney General provided us with the following recommendation:
“H-1B Site Visits: Representatives from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) use the Administrative Site Visit and Verification Program (ASVVP) to conduct random, unannounced site visits after the H-1B petition is approved. Site visits typically take place at the H-1B employees’ work site. According to the USCIS website, officers conduct on-site visits to “verify H-1B petition information and supporting documents, verify the organization exists, visit the H-1B employee’s workstation, take photographs, and interview personnel to confirm information about the H-1B employee’s position. Each site visit focuses on one H-1B petition and H-1B employee.”
November 20, 2024: Traveling Outside the U.S.?
If you are traveling outside U.S. for the holidays or plan to travel in the near future, please submit a H-1B Travel Letter Request in iRocket. (See instructions here.) You will need your travel dates, countries to be visited, and reason for travel.
Upon your return to the U.S., please upload a copy of your Form I-94 from the DHS website to iRocket (instructions). If there are any mistakes in the I-94 or if your “Admit Until Date” does not match your H-1B validity period, please contact our office right away.
We recommend that you carry the following while you travel.
- Original I-797 Notice of Action/H-1B Approval Notice
- Valid H-1B visa stamp in your passport
- A copy of your H-1B petition
- Employment Verification letter/Travel letter
- Recent pay stubs
- Copies of your J-1 waiver documentation
You can find more information on Traveling During H-1B Status on our website.
February 2, 2024: USCIS Updates: Fees and Final Rule
USCIS premium processing fee will increase
USCIS announced inflation adjustment to premium processing fees. Premium Processing fee is set to increase on February 26, 2024, from $2,500 to $2,805. According to USCIS, this is the first premium processing fee increase in three years.
USCIS final rule
On Tuesday 01/30/2024, USCIS published a final rule to adjust immigration and naturalization fees which will go into effect on April 1, 2024. Although USCIS increased the H-1B filing fees significantly for U.S. employers, there is an exemption for higher education employers. Therefore the increased H-1B fees do not apply to higher education employers. We are including the H-1B fee chart below:
|
Services |
Total fees |
|
New H-1B |
$2,160 |
|
H-1B extension/amendment |
$1,660 |
|
USCIS premium processing fee (optional) |
$2,500 *After 02/26/2024 $2,805 |
**Fees are subject to change.
You can review USCIS’s FAQ and the new fee schedule here.
USCIS is launching Organizational Accounts and Online filing of H-1B petitions
Employers sponsoring foreign national employees for H-1B status will have the option to file H-1B petition electronically through the USCIS website. Starting late February, employers can prepare and file H-1B petitions electronically, pay filing fees online and request premium processing. Paper filing will also be available.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Thank you,
419.530.5268
July 7, 2023: Travel While on H-1B Status
If you are traveling outside U.S. over the summer or plan to travel in the near future, please remember to print your I-94 online with every U.S. entry and provide us with a copy to ensure that you were admitted in H-1B status for the correct validity period. If there are any mistakes in the I-94 or if your “Admit Until Date” does not match your H-1B validity period, please contact our office right away.
We recommend that you carry the following while you travel. Contact our office to
request a travel letter with your dates and destinations of travel.
- Original I-797 Notice of Action/H-1B Approval Notice
- Valid H-1B visa stamp in your passport
- A copy of your H-1B petition
- Employment Verification letter/Travel letter
- Recent pay stubs
- Copies of your J-1 waiver documentation
You can find more information on Traveling During H-1B Status on our website here.
September 1, 2022: Travel While H-1B
If you traveled outside of U.S. over the summer or plan to travel in the near future, please remember to print your I-94 online with every U.S. entry and provide us with a copy to ensure that you were admitted in H-1B status for the correct validity period. If there are any mistakes in the I-94 or if your “Admit Until Date” does not match your H-1B validity period, please contact our office right away. You can find more information on Traveling During H-1B Status on our website here.
April 4, 2022: USCIS March Announcements (H-1B improvements)
USCIS recently announced goals to reduce immigration system backlogs, to offer premium processing for more application types, and to provide some new EAD application processes to reduce lost work authorizations.
The announcement indicates that premium processing will be extended to I-539, Application
to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status; I-765, Application for Employment Authorization;
and I-140, EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW). Currently premium processing is available
to Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, and certain I140, Immigrant Petitions.
For more information regarding this announcement please refer
to the attached email and this article.
USCIS will provide a timeline, additional information on premium processing fees, and more details once the plans are finalized. The CISP office will pass updates along to you.
Read the March 28, 2022, news release from USCIS at their website.
October 28, 2021: New Vaccine Requirement for Travelers Coming to the United States
On October 25, President Biden announced a Presidential Proclamation titled “A Proclamation on Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” This proclamation, takes effect on November 8, 2021, and will require that all travelers to the United States be vaccinated. Please see the following list of acceptable vaccines to determine if the COVID vaccine you already received will be acceptable for entry into the United States. There are certain exceptions being provided to individuals who are unable to get vaccinated before entering the United States. For our international population, if you come from a country with limited vaccine availability, you may still be allowed to enter the United States and may need to get vaccinated once you enter the United States. More information about this global vaccination requirement is available at Non-U.S. citizen, Non-U.S. immigrants: Air Travel to the United States | CDC.
September 7, 2021: Letter to H-1B Employees
We would like to take this opportunity to provide you with the attached memo, “Maintaining H-1B status.” H-1B employees are responsible for understanding and complying with the U.S. Federal Laws and Regulations that govern H-1B status.
Please note, H-1B status is employer specific and specific to the terms and conditions of employment that USCIS approved in the original H-1B petition. Please consult OISSS before ANY changes occur. An amended H-1B petition may need to be filed to notify USCIS of the changes.
As highlighted in the memo, you may only work for the employer that filed your H-1B petition (i.e., UT). This means that you may NOT work for any other employer unless that employer has filed a concurrent H-1B on your behalf. While you are permitted to participate in outside lectures, you may NOT accept any compensation or honorarium for such activities. You may, however, be reimbursed for actual travel expenses; always consult OISSS before accepting reimbursements.
As you are aware, Form I-94 is the controlling document regarding your lawful status in the U.S. and determines the duration for which you are permitted to remain in the U.S. Once the I-94 expiration date is reached, your status will end, even if other documents are valid. You will need Form I-94 to apply for benefits in the U.S., such as a driver’s license or SSN.
Please make sure to keep your passport (and your dependents’ passports) valid at all times. If your passport expires prior to the I-797 expiration date, upon travel/entry to the U.S., a CBP officer may shorten your I-94 expiration date to match the date your passport expires. If this occurs, your “status” in the U.S. will expire despite having an approved H-1B petition, unless certain actions are taken to extend the status. In this scenario, employees may “correct” their I-94 by travelling abroad and re-entering the U.S. using their renewed passport so that a new I-94 record is created. However, if travelling is not an option, and we recommend against traveling during the Pandemic, OISSS may file an extension of stay on your behalf with USCIS to extend the I-94.
The attached memo is for informational purposes. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. Read Maintaining H-1B Status memo.