Change of Status from H-1B to O-1B Approval for Indian Fashion Designer

We recently received a change of status approval from H-1B to O-1B for a fashion designer who is an Indian national. Congratulations to our client!

Our client was working full-time as a fashion designer based upon an H-1B petition filed by the fashion house she was working for. There were a large number of lay offs from the H-1B company due to newly imposed tariffs, and the client found herself in a 60 day grace period to obtain new employment or depart the United States. Although she could have sought new H-1B employment, this lay off presented an opportunity for her to move in new directions with her career that she had always wanted, specifically being a freelance designer for her own line as well as for working freelance for other fashion houses. There were several ateliers interested in working with her, and through an agent structured O-1B, all of those ateliers served as her employers & she also now has the opportunity to take on additional freelance employment in fashion design as the opportunities arise.

Losing a job for a nonimmigrant has the added tremendous stress of losing one’s immigration status. However, in some cases you may have a 60 day grace period to file a new petition & that new petition may be in a nonimmigrant status you hadn’t previously contemplated that may fit your professional goals better. If you are in a similar situation, don’t hesitate to reach out for a consultation at amir@rasoulpourlaw.com.