H-1B holder filing I-539 COS to B-2 online — H-1B not in dropdown, only H-1B1. Is it safe to select H-1B1?
I was laid off on April 8, 2026, and have 4 days left in my 60-day grace period (deadline June 7). I am trying to file Form I-539 online for a change of status from H-1B to B-2 so I can request a few days to take care of my house sale and go back to India. The dropdown for current nonimmigrant status does not include H-1B — only H-1B1 (which is for Singapore/Chile citizens). I have seen on Teamblind and in some Reddit threads that some lawyers call this a portal glitch and say to select H-1B1 and attach the H-1B I-797 as supporting documentation. Has anyone done this successfully? Did USCIS have any issues with it? My alternative is paper filing, but with 4 days left, I am worried about timing. Any recent experience (2025-2026) appreciated.
Thanks in Advance.
Posted Jun 4, 2026, 12:53 AM UTC