All’s well–visa stamped, client ready, offer accepted. But there is a catch played by people more than they will confess: the work location specified on the visa and the work site are different.
The following individual is in India and was in precisely that scenario. With a confirmed H-1B and a valid offer from an American consulting company, he was advised to come first and file the amendment when he arrived.
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The customer had already interviewed them thoroughly and sent a proper letter. But the approval notice for I-797 gave a different location than where they’d really be working.
An LCA for that right location had been filed—but not the H-1B amendment. Naturally, they asked: is it all right to travel like that? Will CBP trigger a red flag at the port of entry?
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Here’s the catch: others have successfully navigated through with it under comparable conditions. But it all comes down to the officer staffing the station, what they demand, and how good the documents hold up to questioning.
While the regulations don’t directly stop travel until an amendment is applied, this kind of location disparity falls within a dangerous gray zone. One that can shut things down, raise eyebrows, or elicit uneasy questioning right at the airport.
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Compliance must not be reactive. Starting with everything in place ensures not only a position—but the peace of mind which is derived from knowing the foundation is solid.
