Check the actual petition notice and USCIS case information to distinguish an H-1B withdrawal, revocation, denial, and simple end of employment. These events do not always have identical consequences. [2]
Collect the controlling documents
Obtain the I-129 receipt and approval, current I-94, employer communications, and any revocation notice. Online status can help identify an event, but the notice supplies the legal reason and any response rights. [2]
The discretionary grace period after certain employment cessations is generally up to sixty consecutive days or the remaining authorized validity period, whichever is shorter. It is not a guaranteed extension for every revocation scenario. [1]
Evaluate the next filing
A new employer petition, change of status, departure, or a challenge to the decision may require different timing. An employee is not necessarily the party authorized to appeal an employer’s petition decision. [2]
Determine the last authorized work date and the separate stay deadline. Do not continue working simply because an old approval notice has a future expiration date. [2]
Practical application
An employer’s withdrawal request, USCIS revocation action, and a worker’s layoff date can appear on different documents. Put those dates on one timeline. Ask whether a new petition is requesting extension of stay or consular processing, because that choice can affect what happens next. A favorable petition decision does not always include an approved extension of the worker’s authorized stay. [2]
Case status does not replace the petition record
A short online update may not identify whether the petition was automatically revoked, revoked on notice, withdrawn, or denied. Obtain the written decision when possible. H-1B regulations distinguish these mechanisms and identify relevant petition events. Determine whether the worker remains in an authorized period of stay and whether any new employment has a valid authorization basis. Where the employer controls the petition, the beneficiary may need cooperation to obtain notices and understand a potential challenge. Keep copies of approval and admission documents before employment ends so that later dates can be reconstructed. [1] [2]
Related questions
Related guidance: H-1B Extensions Beyond the Sixth Year and What Happens to H-4 Status After Divorce?.
Primary sources
Sources checked: October 31, 2026.