My H-1B was approved but I lost my job before traveling. What now?

The H-1B is approved based on a specific job offer: it is tied to the employer who sponsored your petition. When that relationship ends before you travel, the foundation that supported the visa ceases to exist, and that changes your situation.

If you are still outside the United States, losing the job tends to make it impractical to use that visa to enter, because admission depends precisely on the job offer that was the basis of the approval. In practice, without the employment, that visa can generally no longer be used to enter the country.

If you were already in the United States when you lost your job, there is typically a limited grace period during which you can look for a new employer willing to file an H-1B transfer petition. The critical point is to act within that window to avoid falling out of status.

Since each case has its own details and rules can change, the safest course is to seek expert guidance promptly and confirm the current requirements through the official source (USCIS), steering clear of easy-fix promises without legal backing.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.