Free · interactive · 60-day preview
Your personal H-1B timeline
Every other tool here answers one question. This one stitches them together. Enter your situation once, and watch your custom day-by- day timeline build itself — grace deadlines, cash projections, decision forks, and direct links to the calculator that answers each fork.
All inputs stay in your browser. No signup. No email required.
Tell us your situation
12 fields. All in your browser. No signup. The timeline updates live as you type.
The basics
From i94.cbp.dhs.gov.
The date in your passport, not your I-94.
Money
Cash + brokerage you can access.
Total household monthly cost.
0 if not covered.
Context
0 if no PERM. AC21 §106(a) unlocks at 365 days.
Your plan summary
54 days of grace remaining
Grace ends 2026-07-16 · Phase: panic
Recommended primary path
H-1B transfer (portability)
INA §214(n) lets you start work the day USCIS receives the petition. Premium processing gives certainty in 15 business days.
Liquid today
$35,000
Cash-out projection
Beyond 26 weeks
Severance remaining
8wk
COBRA cliff
3 mo
Your day-by-day timeline
Showing days 0–60 (free preview)
Day 0 · 2026-05-17 · milestone
Last day worked — grace clock starts tomorrow
Per 8 CFR 214.1(l)(2), the 60-day grace period runs from the day after your last physical day worked. Confirm in writing with HR — paystub last-date and employment-end-date sometimes diverge.
Day 1 · 2026-05-18 · action
Day 1: gather your immigration packet
I-797 (every approval), I-94 from i94.cbp.dhs.gov, last 3 paystubs, last LCA, passport bio + visa pages, EAD if any, all degree certificates + transcripts. Any H-1B transfer, AC21 filing, or change of status needs this packet ready.
- +$2,771
Day 7 · 2026-05-24 · milestone
Severance payment 1
Estimated $2,771 gross. Verify schedule against your separation agreement — biweekly vs weekly vs lump-sum changes the cash-flow timing materially.
- Severance optimizer
Day 7 · 2026-05-24 · decision
Day 7: severance review checkpoint
ADEA gives workers 40+ a 21-day review window (45 days for group layoffs). Use that time to negotiate RSU acceleration, COBRA reimbursement extension, and reaffirmation of I-140 portability. Don't sign the day they hand you the document.
- +$2,771
Day 14 · 2026-05-31 · milestone
Severance payment 2
Estimated $2,771 gross. Verify schedule against your separation agreement — biweekly vs weekly vs lump-sum changes the cash-flow timing materially.
Day 14 · 2026-05-31 · decision
Day 14: transfer pipeline check
No active offer? Start the I-539 backstop draft today (B-2 visitor or H-4 if dependent on spouse). Even if you don't ultimately file, having it ready means day 50 takes hours, not days.
- +$2,771
Day 21 · 2026-06-07 · milestone
Severance payment 3
Estimated $2,771 gross. Verify schedule against your separation agreement — biweekly vs weekly vs lump-sum changes the cash-flow timing materially.
- +$2,771
Day 28 · 2026-06-14 · milestone
Severance payment 4
Estimated $2,771 gross. Verify schedule against your separation agreement — biweekly vs weekly vs lump-sum changes the cash-flow timing materially.
Day 30 · 2026-06-16 · milestone
Day 30: midpoint check-in
You're halfway through grace. If you haven't accepted an offer, today is when the I-539 backstop or departure planning becomes mandatory, not optional. Stop telling yourself the offer is coming next week.
- +$2,771
Day 35 · 2026-06-21 · milestone
Severance payment 5
Estimated $2,771 gross. Verify schedule against your separation agreement — biweekly vs weekly vs lump-sum changes the cash-flow timing materially.
- +$2,771
Day 42 · 2026-06-28 · milestone
Severance payment 6
Estimated $2,771 gross. Verify schedule against your separation agreement — biweekly vs weekly vs lump-sum changes the cash-flow timing materially.
- Premium processing ROI
Day 45 · 2026-07-01 · deadline
Day 45: file by this date for safe receipt
USCIS counts the date they RECEIVE the filing, not the postmark. FedEx/UPS overnight to the correct lockbox + tracking is the standard. Filing on day 45 leaves 15 days of buffer for delivery, mail-room scanning, and bounce-back.
- +$2,771
Day 49 · 2026-07-05 · milestone
Severance payment 7
Estimated $2,771 gross. Verify schedule against your separation agreement — biweekly vs weekly vs lump-sum changes the cash-flow timing materially.
- +$2,771
Day 56 · 2026-07-12 · milestone
Severance payment 8
Estimated $2,771 gross. Verify schedule against your separation agreement — biweekly vs weekly vs lump-sum changes the cash-flow timing materially.
- Run grace calculator
Day 60 · 2026-07-16 · deadline
60-day grace period ends
Day 60 of the grace period under 8 CFR 214.1(l)(2). Any change-of-status filing (I-129 transfer, I-539 H-4/B-2, AC21 extension) must be RECEIVED by USCIS on or before this date — postmark does not count.
1 more events from day 60 to day 180
Post-grace planning, receipt-notice tracking, RFE windows, dual- status tax milestones, AC21 maturity unlocks. Your full plan + email reminders + downloadable PDF live in the personalized intake.
Build my full 180-day planDecision forks ahead
For each fork, lay out both options now so day-of you're picking, not panicking.
By day 30 · 2026-06-16
By day 30: do you have a written H-1B transfer offer in motion?
A
YES — transfer pipeline is live
Push for premium processing on the I-129. You'll have a decision in 15 business days and can start work the day USCIS receives the petition.
B
NO — no offer yet
Draft I-539 to B-2 (visitor) or H-4 (spouse-dependent) as backstop. File by day 50 if no transfer materializes. Note: I-539 to B-2 has high RFE/denial rates post-2023 — H-4 is the cleaner path when available.
Recommendation: Prepare both paths in parallel. Single-path planning is what gets people stranded.
By day 45 · 2026-07-01
15 days before grace ends: what gets filed?
A
I-129 transfer in flight (or already filed)
If receipt notice is in hand, you're in valid status under INA §214(n) portability. Print the receipt notice and keep it with your I-94.
B
Nothing in flight
File I-539 (H-4 if spouse on H-1B; B-2 as last resort) NOW. USCIS must RECEIVE the filing on or before grace end — postmark does not count. Use FedEx/UPS overnight with tracking.
Recommendation: If you're at this fork without an I-129 receipt, the I-539 backstop is non-optional. File it.
Status options ranked for your profile
H-1B transfer (portability)
New employer files I-129; you can start work the day USCIS receives the petition.
I-539 to F-1 (Day-1 CPT)
A common pivot, but read this carefully — the schools that aggressively market this are flagged for fraud.
I-539 to B-2 (visitor) — limited use
USCIS is now actively denying B-2 changes filed for job-search purposes.
Depart the US (with a clean re-entry plan)
Sometimes the right move. Your employer is required by law to pay your return transportation.
Ready for the full plan?
The free preview shows the structure. The paid intake gives you:
- 180 days of timeline (post-grace planning included)
- Daily morning email with your specific next action
- Downloadable PDF of your complete plan + checklist
- Pathway-specific document checklist + filing addresses
- Cap-exempt employer database for insurance plays
- Attorney red-flag detection + escalation guidance
Why a unified timeline?
Every individual calculator gets one question right in isolation. The grace calculator tells you the date your status ends. The severance optimizer tells you what to negotiate. The departure-cost tool tells you what leaving will cost. The visa-stamping tool tells you whether to attempt a renewal abroad.
In real life, those questions interact. A short COBRA bridge changes how aggressive you can be on transfer-vs-departure. An I-140 maturity date changes whether AC21 §104(c) becomes your primary path. A 221(g) risk profile changes whether you should even leave the US. The whole point of building one timeline is that the answers stop contradicting each other.
The free preview here covers the 60-day grace window — that's the panic phase. The full intake extends to day 180 with post-grace tracking, daily morning email, downloadable PDF, pathway-specific filing checklists, and the cap-exempt employer database.
This is an information-only tool, not legal advice. You are responsible for your decisions. When in doubt, consult an immigration attorney.