Leaving a U.S. job would typically signal the termination of the H1B as well, right? But sometimes paperwork falls behind reality—and that’s when problems arise.
This is exactly what happened after six years working in the U.S., the last two on an H1B through a university. The move to the UK was in September 2024, but months later, the H1B was still active—at least on paper.
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No formal resignation to HR or the international office, only a courtesy notice to the department. The result? A delayed H1B termination—finalized seven months after the physical departure.
The university eventually amended the system, but the delayed notice raised suspicions. What are the repercussions for returning to the U.S. on ESTA? And does it hurt chances of coming back on a future H1B?
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There is no law that mandates the visa holder to report to USCIS personally—usually, the employer does. However, when they fail to do so, that delay creates a gap between reality and government records.
We are not sure if this delay will affect eligibility for a new H1B in academia, but it shouldn’t, as there was no overstay or abuse. The six-year H1B clock ceased with the end of the U.S. departure, and the remaining time should still qualify.
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Travel on ESTA to conferences should not be an issue either. The new passport and lapsed H1B will not conflict—short of immigration systems flagging disparate records, something that does not typically happen for this kind of departure.
What it does indicate is how poor communication between departments and visa offices can muddy one’s immigration history. And how easy it is for important updates to fall through the cracks—even when everything had been done in good faith.
No red flags were waved, no warnings were issued. Just silence on one end and a new life beginning on the other.
