Planning Tool

Start Date Calculator

Figure out a realistic - and defensible - start date for a foreign national hire, based on visa type, processing speed, and how much risk you're willing to carry. Every timing assumption below is editable, so you can see how the date shifts if Boundless (or the candidate) moves faster.

1Visa type

2Where will they apply?

3Processing speed

Premium processing guarantees USCIS action (approval, denial, or an RFE) within 15 business days - it does not guarantee approval, and an RFE resets the clock.

4When can they start?

4Consulate step

Wait for an interview appointment (weeks)

Interview to visa-in-hand (weeks)

Appointment wait times swing from days to many months depending on the post and visa category, and they shift often. There's no sane global default - check the specific consulate before quoting a client at travel.state.gov's Global Visa Wait Times. This doesn't include administrative processing (221(g)) delays, which aren't predictable enough to model.

5Assume an RFE?

6Assumptions

Prep time from case initiation (weeks)

Standard USCIS processing (weeks)

Premium processing (weeks)

Shipping confirmation lag (business days)

Receipt turnaround - premium (weeks)

Receipt turnaround - standard (weeks)

Shipping confirmation defaults to 1 business day after filing, assuming the case goes out overnight courier. Receipt turnaround is dynamic: premium-processed filings typically get an electronic receipt in ~4 days; standard filings wait longer for a mailed I-797C. Defaults reflect typical Boundless prep time and general USCIS trends - check current USCIS processing times for the specific service center before quoting a client.

7Anchor date

Planned case-initiation date

Projected timeline

Est. start

Case summary

Copy for Slack / email

How to read the Foreign-Hire Employee Start Date Calculator: it's a planning aid, not a legal opinion. AC21 portability (starting on a filing receipt rather than approval) has a clear statutory basis for H-1B change-of-employer cases only. It is not clearly established for E-3, and does not apply to L-1, O-1, or TN - those candidates must wait for approval, full stop. Government processing times shift regularly and vary by service center and case complexity; treat the defaults here as a starting point, not a guarantee, and confirm anything client-facing with a Boundless attorney.

4 months

625

675

Attorney Advertisement: This website is an advertisement for legal services. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Boundless Legal LLC, attorneys@boundless.com. Boundless Legal LLC is authorized and licensed by the Arizona Supreme Court, license number 70276. Attorneys at Boundless Legal LLC are licensed in the State of Arizona. Boundless Legal LLC practices federal immigration law before United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and other federal agencies. The information contained on this website is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers. Viewing this website or contacting Boundless Legal LLC does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee or predict similar outcomes in future matters.