Updated November 11, 2026

H-1B visa extension interview questions: what officers check, status proof, and site visits

At an H-1B extension interview or worksite check, officers focus on whether you maintained valid nonimmigrant status and whether your actual wages, job duties, and work locations match your Form I-129 petition and Labor Condition Application. USCIS recommends applying to extend your stay at least 45 days before the expiration date on your Form I-94, and its instructions allow submitting your last 2 pay stubs and Form W-2 to prove continuous employment. Below are the questions to expect, how to prepare your answers without a script, and the documents that back them up.

How an H-1B extension differs from a first-time H-1B petition

When your employer files a first H-1B petition, the review looks forward. Officers evaluate whether the offered position meets the specialty occupation definition and whether your degree matches the role. When your employer files Form I-129 to extend your stay, the inquiry turns toward your actual track record.

Every petition requesting an extension or amendment of stay must include evidence that you maintained lawful nonimmigrant status. Officers also conduct administrative site visits, interviews, and investigations to verify wages, job duties, and work locations.

Whether you attend an in-person interview at a field office, meet an officer during an unannounced worksite inspection, or apply for a new visa foil abroad after petition approval, the questions test the same facts. They check that you worked where certified, performed the specialty tasks described in the petition, and received at least the required wage without unapproved benching.

How H-1B extension questioning differs from an initial H-1B review (from Form I-129 instructions and fraud prevention guidance)

When USCIS interviews H-1B extension applicants or visits worksites

Most H-1B extensions are decided on the submitted paper or electronic record. However, the petition instructions state that the agency may require any employer or worker to appear at a field office for an interview. During that interview, officers may collect biometrics to verify your identity and update background and security checks.

Apart from office interviews, random administrative site visits have taken place since 2009 to verify that employers and foreign workers comply with program rules. Under fraud deterrence initiatives, officers also carry out targeted site visits and unannounced inspections before and after petitions are decided. Those targeted reviews focus on three specific groups:

• H-1B-dependent employers, which are companies with a high ratio of H-1B workers compared to US workers as defined by statute.
• Cases where the agency cannot validate the employer's basic business information through commercially available data.
• Employers petitioning for H-1B workers who perform their duties off-site at another company or organization location.

Questions about your job duties and specialty occupation role

During an interview or site inspection, officers check whether your daily tasks match the role described in your petition. Performing duties that do not match the petition, including tasks at a higher level than the position description, is treated as a fraud indicator. Prepare for these questions by reviewing your employer's extension support letter and Part 5 of Form I-129.

• "What are your day-to-day job duties, and have they changed since your last petition?" What it checks: whether your position remains a specialty occupation requiring specialized knowledge, and whether any changes required an amended petition. How to prepare: know whether your employer selected Box B in Part 2 of Form I-129 for continuation of previously approved employment without change, or Box C or F for changes or amendments. Describe your core tasks in plain words that align with your employer's extension letter.
• "How does your degree relate to the work you do every day?" What it checks: the position must require a bachelor's or higher degree in a directly related specific specialty, showing a logical connection between the degree and the duties. A general degree without specialization does not qualify. How to prepare: state your specific degree field, or the combination of education and experience relied upon in the petition, and connect it directly to your technical tasks.
• "Have you been promoted or moved into a new role since your initial approval?" What it checks: whether a material change occurred in your employment terms. Non-material changes, like a title change without a material change in job duties, can be reported on an extension. Material duty changes require an amended petition. How to prepare: confirm your exact title and Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code on your certified LCA (Form ETA 9035) and Form I-129.
• "Do you hold a state license to practice your occupation?" What it checks: if your field requires a state license or permission to practice in the jurisdiction of employment, you must submit proof of continued valid licensing with the petition. How to prepare: have a copy of your active state license or professional registration ready if your occupation mandates one.

Questions about your salary, pay stubs, and W-2 forms

Wage verification is a primary part of compliance reviews. Officers examine whether you receive the wage certified on the Labor Condition Application, whether an improper wage disparity exists compared to peers, and whether your employer placed you in unpaid status between projects. Placing a worker in unpaid status while waiting for work is known as benching, and it violates immigration rules.

Review your certified LCA, recent earnings statements, and annual tax documents before any interview so you can provide precise numbers.

• "What is your current base salary, and does it match your LCA?" What it checks: that your employer pays at least the proffered wage listed on Form I-129 and certified on Form ETA 9035. How to prepare: check the prevailing wage on the Department of Labor wage search site for your occupation and work location. Know your exact annual or hourly rate, and have your last 2 pay stubs ready as initial proof of status.
• "Were there any periods during your previous H-1B stay when you were not paid or waited between projects?" What it checks: benching violations. How to prepare: confirm that your pay stubs and Form W-2 show continuous pay throughout your stay. If you took approved medical or family leave, review that documentation beforehand.
• "Why does your Form W-2 show a different amount than the annual salary on your petition?" What it checks: whether your employer paid less than the required LCA rate. How to prepare: check your start date during that tax year, partial-year employment periods, and pre-tax deductions so you can explain the gross pay figures on your W-2 and pay stubs.
• "If your employer is H-1B-dependent, what salary qualifies your petition for a recruitment exemption?" What it checks: targeted site visits verify whether H-1B-dependent employers claiming an exemption from recruitment rules actually pay the required statutory salary. How to prepare: check the H-1B Data Collection Supplement in your Form I-129 copy to see what your employer attested.

Questions about off-site work locations, end clients, and remote work

Worksite accuracy is one of the main targets of government inspections. Working in an uncertified location is treated as a fraud indicator, and employers who place workers off-site at third-party facilities receive closer review during site visits.

• "Where do you physically work every day?" What it checks: whether your actual work address matches the area of intended employment certified on your LCA and disclosed in Part 5 of Form I-129. How to prepare: know the street address, city, state, and county on your current LCA, including your home address if you work remotely under an LCA that covers that location.
• "Do you work at a third-party client site, and who is the company at that location?" What it checks: employers placing an employee off-site must answer the assignment disclosures in Part 5 of the petition and notify the worker of the placement. How to prepare: know the exact name and address of any client location listed in Part 5 and have a copy of your written employment contract or agreement summary available.
• "Do you have daily assignments mapped out for the entire three-year extension?" What it checks: whether a bona fide specialty occupation position exists as of the requested start date. The employer must show a real position on that date. However, petitioners do not need to establish specific day-to-day assignments for the full requested validity period. The general Form I-129 itinerary rule does not apply to H classifications. How to prepare: frame your answer around your ongoing role and active duties as of the extension start date.

Questions about maintenance of status, I-94 dates, and AC21 extensions past 6 years

To extend your stay from inside the country, you must have been lawfully admitted, your status must remain valid, you must not have violated admission conditions, and your passport must remain valid for your entire stay.

Officers examine your arrival-departure records, extension filing dates, and the statutory basis for extending beyond the standard six-year limit under the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-first Century Act (AC21).

• "When does your current Form I-94 expire, and when was your extension filed?" What it checks: whether your employer filed Form I-129 before your authorized stay ended. USCIS recommends applying to extend at least 45 days before the date on your Form I-94. If your Form I-94 expires earlier than the validity date on your approval notice, an extension must be filed before the I-94 expires, you must apply for another benefit, or you must leave the country. How to prepare: print your latest Form I-94 from the CBP I-94 website or CBP Link app and carry your Form I-797 notices.
• "How long have you held H-1B or L-1 status, and on what basis are you extending past 6 years?" What it checks: the H Classification Supplement requires detailing all prior stays in H or L status. The H-1B Data Collection Supplement asks whether you are recapturing time spent outside the United States or extending beyond 6 years under AC21 sections 104(c) or 106(a) and 106(b). How to prepare: have your prior I-797 notices, travel history records, and underlying immigrant petition or labor certification details ready.
• "Do you own more than 50 percent of the petitioning company or hold majority voting rights?" What it checks: Item Number 8.a. on the H Classification Supplement asks whether the beneficiary holds a controlling interest. If you own more than 50 percent or hold majority voting rights, the initial petition and the first extension are each limited to a validity period of up to 18 months. How to prepare: if you are a founder or owner, state your ownership share clearly and confirm that the requested extension fits the 18-month validity limit.
• "What if you lost status because you reported an employer LCA violation?" What it checks: workers who fail to maintain status are generally barred from extending. However, if you lost status due to employer retaliation after reporting an LCA violation, the agency may treat it as extraordinary circumstances under 8 CFR 214.1(c)(4) and 248.1(b). This allows officers to excuse the status gap on a case-by-case basis. How to prepare: maintain complete written documentation of the reported violation and retaliatory actions.

Checklist: documents to prepare for an H-1B extension filing or interview

Our team compiled this document checklist from petition instructions, agency filing guidance, and CBP arrival-departure rules. Petitioners should submit legible photocopies with the petition because unrequested originals may be destroyed. Bring original documents to any in-person interview or border inspection.

• Form I-797, Notice of Action: your current approval notice and extension receipt notice showing petition validity dates.
• Form I-94, Arrival-Departure Record: a copy of your electronic Form I-94 from the CBP I-94 website or CBP Link app, or the paper replacement document attached to your earlier approval notice.
• Complete copy of Form I-129: including the basic form, the H Classification Supplement, the H-1B Data Collection Supplement, and Part 6 export control certifications.
• Certified Labor Condition Application: Department of Labor Form ETA 9035 valid for the requested extension period.
• Petitioner extension letter: the employer support letter stating the reasons for the extension and describing ongoing specialty duties.
• Proof of maintenance of status: copies of your last 2 pay stubs and your Form W-2 as listed in the initial evidence instructions.
• Valid passport: valid for your intended stay, or an explanation if the document is not current at the time of filing.
• Educational credentials and state permissions: copies of your US degree, foreign degree with equivalency evaluation, or training and experience records, along with any mandatory state license.
• Employment contract: a copy of the written employment contract or a written summary of the terms of your oral agreement.
• Dependent family applications: Form I-539 for your H-4 spouse or children under 21, and Form I-765 for spouse employment authorization. When properly packaged and filed together with Form I-129, dependent applications are adjudicated together after the principal petition is reviewed.
• Land border departure proof: if you depart the United States by land into Canada or Mexico without re-entering before your passport stamp expires, CBP recommends carrying departure proof such as entry stamps from CBSA or INM, travel tickets, and pay stubs.
• Visa foil stamping abroad: if you travel abroad after approval, you must obtain an H-1B visa at a US embassy or consulate before returning. The State Department (travel.state.gov) notes that an approved petition is not a visa, so carry your passport visa foil and Form I-797 when seeking entry at a port of entry.

Which USCIS fees apply to an H-1B extension petition?

Although the petitioning employer pays Form I-129 fees, officers verify that the correct statutory amounts were submitted using the H-1B Data Collection Supplement. Petitions submitted with incorrect payments are rejected. Several fees have specific rules on extensions:

• Base Form I-129 fee and Asylum Program Fee: every Form I-129 filing requires the base fee plus the Asylum Program Fee detailed in the table below. Employers with 25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees qualify for reduced rates supported by IRS Form 941 or Form 943. Qualifying nonprofit educational institutions, 501(c)(3) organizations, and government research entities pay no Asylum Program Fee, supported by an IRS Determination Letter.
• ACWIA Fee: applies to the first extension of stay filed by the same employer for the same beneficiary (unless the employer is an exempt institution). It is not required on a second or subsequent extension filed by the same employer for the same worker.
• Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee: not required for an extension filed by the same employer in the same nonimmigrant classification, unless the worker has been outside the United States for more than one year and requests a new initial grant of status.
• 9-11 Biometric Fee under Public Law 114-113: under the DHS final rule effective September 9, 2026, covered employers (those with 50 or more US workers where over 50 percent hold H-1B or L-1 status) must submit this fee for all H-1B petitions, including extensions of stay. It does not apply to amended petitions that do not request an extension.
• High-wage entry payment update: on June 8, 2026, the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts vacated agency guidance implementing the one hundred thousand dollar payment requirement for certain H-1B petitions, and on July 24, 2026, the First Circuit denied the government motion to stay that order, so the agency is complying with the court order while considering next steps.

Fees from uscis.gov, as of November 2026

Practice example

What are your current job duties, where do you perform them, and what salary are you being paid?

Start by stating your exact job title and the petitioning employer named in Part 1 of your Form I-129. Describe two or three core duties in plain sentences that show how you apply specialized knowledge from your bachelor's or higher degree, matching the letter your employer submitted explaining the reasons for your extension. Next, state the exact street address, city, and state where you physically work each day, and confirm whether you work at your employer's office or off-site at another company's location as disclosed in Part 5 of Form I-129 and on your certified Labor Condition Application (Form ETA 9035). Finish by giving your exact annual base salary, confirming it equals or exceeds the wage certified on your LCA, and have your last 2 pay stubs and most recent Form W-2 ready to hand over if the officer asks for proof.

Compliance guidance states that officers verify three specific facts during H-1B interviews and administrative site visits: your wages, your job duties, and your work locations. Having your Form I-129, certified LCA, last 2 pay stubs, and Form W-2 aligned and ready proves you maintained lawful status without benching or unapproved worksite changes.

This is interview practice, not legal advice. For questions about your own case, talk to an immigration attorney. Visaful is not affiliated with the U.S. government or the Department of State.