JimmyArtnull

If you plan on staying in the US for longer than 60 days after your L1 status expires (you finish with your US employer) you can request a change of status to a visa waiver without leaving the country. This would give you up to 90 days to stay in the US as a tourist essentially, while you finish up your personal business such as moving out, closing accounts etc.

Noorah101

I don't think one can change status to VWP. One would change status to B-2 visitor.

Rene

JimmyArtnull

I can buy that. I’m not sure of the actual status you would change to but you can do it without leaving the country.

Vicious B

Just so i'm sure i've understood... If I finish up with my US employer say end Feb and start first week March under a new contract with my UK based employer, I can switch to a B-2 visitor status (without leaving the country) and finish up all my US based admin and then move back to the UK a couple of weeks later?

Orangepants

You can apply for a B-2 (not switch), may take a few months to be approved/denied and the cost is around $370. Don't see the point if you have 60 days grace period anyway.

Vicious B

Thanks!
So I think this means i'm back to the same place I was earlier, where the other posters were saying, you can't work from here (even if for a UK employer) during your grace period. Would that be correct? I am just trying to give myself a bit of time to get my things together once I stop working here - they literally won't let me leave before end Feb, so i'm a bit stuck...

petitefrancaise

repatriation expenses should include expenses for early termination of a residential lease - especially since it sounds like you already have an early termination clause in your lease. 30 days' notice and 2 months' rent is about the norm and I would expect that to be covered.

Just be glad you didn't buy a house!

Vicious B

petitefrancaise - I didn't have any of that in my offer letter unfortunately (& very naively didn't think i'd need it!) anyway, you learn from it and move on!
Severance got given to me yesterday, they've given me a week for every year. I've pushed back on the expenses to move home, saying that if I was a US citizen I wouldn't have to fork out for moving and flights etc. so am being penalised for being a foreigner. Am hoping they are going to be kind, but let's see...

petitefrancaise

that's a shame. It is absolutely normal for repatriation expenses to be covered on a temp work visa. Maybe you could sublet if your room-mate were amenable to the idea.

Noorah101

Yes. No matter what you decide to do, you cannot work for your new UK employer while you are physically in the USA. Might as well just use your grace period to stay and wrap things up in the USA.

Rene