H-1B consular processing and traveling abroad
I’m currently working under STEM OPT in the U.S. (valid through June 2023), and I was just selected in the H-1B lottery and am about to file the petition.
I need to leave the U.S. in June, so instead of changing status here, I’m considering filing the petition and then going to Korea in late September to do consular processing and change status there. But I have some concerns.
1. If the petition isn’t approved by then, would I not even be able to schedule a visa interview?
2. Would the review be more strict if I get the visa this way in Korea?
3. If there’s an RFE or a pending action in Korea, how much longer would the review take?
On one hand, I’m worried about being denied, so I’m considering paying for expedited processing in the U.S. and canceling my June trip, but it’s an important event I really want to attend. I’d like an expert’s opinion — if consular processing carries a lot of delay risk or variables, please let me know! Thank you.
1. Switch to premium processing and get your result within 14 days. It is possible to move your interview date up in advance.
2. Visa review in Korea does tend to be stricter. Cases with a low salary, a non-specialized role, or an unskilled position have a higher denial rate.
3. The U.S. Embassy in Korea doesn’t use the term RFE — they use “administrative processing (AP).” AP is the process of additional documentation and administrative review.
Given the back-and-forth of correspondence and the time your attorney needs to prepare documents, this can end up taking anywhere from an additional 2 weeks to over a month.
So, our advice: if possible, don’t leave in the middle of the process — try to complete your change of status within the U.S.