H1B Site Visit Survival Guide 2026
FDNS visits are unannounced — know your rights before they knock
What FDNS Is Looking For
FDNS site visits are not random. USCIS uses a risk-scoring model that flags petitions with certain characteristics — third-party worksites, consulting firm employers, offshore staffing companies, petitions from employers with prior compliance violations, and petitions with certain SOC codes. If your petition was filed by an IT staffing company and you work at a client site, your risk of a site visit is substantially higher than an employee working at a large company's own office.
Under current administration priorities (2025–2026), FDNS has significantly expanded site visit operations. Officers visit listed worksites and sometimes home addresses. They conduct interviews with workers and supervisors separately. They request documents. The goal is to identify fraud, status violations, and material misrepresentations in petitions.
Critical: Site Visits Are Unannounced
FDNS officers do not call ahead. They appear at the worksite (or home address on record) without warning. This means every H1B worker needs to know — in advance — what to do when FDNS arrives. Reading this after they've already been is too late.
Immediate Response Protocol When FDNS Arrives
Verify credentials — don't waive this
Ask to see the officer's FDNS badge and government ID. Write down the badge number and officer name. This is professional and appropriate — not obstruction. A legitimate FDNS officer will expect this and comply.
Notify HR, legal, or your supervisor immediately
Before answering any substantive questions, tell the officer: 'I'd like to have my HR representative and/or legal counsel present. Let me make a quick call.' Most FDNS officers will accommodate a brief pause for this. If they refuse, that itself is notable — document it.
Answer factual questions about your actual job — truthfully
Don't lie, deflect, or be evasive. Answer what you know about your actual job duties. If you don't know something, say so. If a question is about something you're unsure of the legal implications, say 'I'd prefer to have my attorney present for that question.' Lying to a federal officer is a crime.
Don't volunteer information beyond what's asked
Answer the question asked. Don't elaborate. Don't offer information about other employees, other sites you've worked at, or business practices that weren't specifically asked about. Short, accurate answers are better than long explanations.
Document everything immediately after
As soon as the officer leaves, write down everything you remember — every question asked, every answer given, what documents were reviewed, what the officer said. Time and date your notes. Send them to your immigration attorney immediately.
Pre-Visit Preparation: Know This Before They Come
Know Cold Before Any Visit
- • Your exact job title on the approved petition
- • Your supervisor's full name and contact info
- • The worksite address listed in your LCA
- • Your current salary (should match LCA prevailing wage)
- • A plain-English description of your daily duties
- • Your employer's full legal entity name
- • Your H1B start date and expiry date
Red Flags That Trigger Scrutiny
- • Working at a client site not listed in the LCA
- • Remote work from a location not on the LCA
- • Employer is an IT staffing company
- • Your supervisor works for the end-client, not the petitioner
- • Discrepancy between petition job title and business card
- • Employer's address is a mailbox or coworking space
- • Gap between stated and actual duties
Remote Workers: Special Considerations
Remote work has created a significant H1B compliance gap. If your LCA lists your employer's office but you work 100% remotely from your apartment, you have a worksite compliance problem — regardless of whether FDNS visits. USCIS regulations require the LCA to cover every location where H1B work is performed for more than a de minimis period.
Short-term travel (under 5 consecutive workdays)
Generally covered as a 'non-worksite' location — no LCA amendment needed. Document that it's temporary, non-recurring, and you return to the primary site.
Regular remote work from a different metro area
Requires a new LCA for the home location. If the home location is in a different OES wage area with higher prevailing wage, the LCA must use the higher wage. Your employer must post the LCA at your home worksite (typically by email or public posting).
Full-time remote (no office presence)
Highest risk. Requires LCA amendment and potentially H1B petition amendment if the change in location constitutes a material change in employment. Consult your attorney — this area has been heavily litigated and 2026 enforcement has intensified.
Related Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an FDNS site visit for H1B?
FDNS (Fraud Detection and National Security) site visits are unannounced inspections by USCIS officers who visit an H1B worker's listed worksite and sometimes their home address to verify that the petition conditions are real. Officers verify that: (1) the employer exists and is operating; (2) the H1B worker is employed in the position described in the petition; (3) the worksite matches the LCA-listed address; (4) wages and working conditions comply with LCA requirements. Under the current administration, FDNS site visit volume has increased significantly in 2025–2026.
Do I have to let USCIS into my home for an H1B site visit?
FDNS officers do not have the authority to enter your home without a warrant. If an FDNS officer appears at your residential address, you are not required to let them in. You can speak through the door, take their contact information, and have your attorney follow up. Worksite visits are different — employers generally allow access because refusing an authorized government inspection can itself become a compliance issue. Always contact your immigration attorney before or immediately after any site visit contact.
What questions do FDNS officers ask H1B workers during a site visit?
Typical FDNS questions for H1B workers include: What is your job title? Who is your supervisor and how do you contact them? What are your day-to-day duties? Where exactly do you work (floor, building, address)? Who else works in your group? What software or tools do you use? What is your salary? Have you worked at other locations? How long have you been with this employer? The officers compare your answers to what's in the petition. Inconsistencies — even minor ones — are flagged and can trigger RFEs or referrals.
What should I do if FDNS shows up at my workplace?
Stay calm and professional. You have rights. You can and should: (1) Ask to see the officer's credentials (FDNS badge and ID); (2) Tell them you will cooperate but want to notify your company's legal/HR department first; (3) Do not answer questions alone — ask for your supervisor or HR to be present; (4) Do not allow access to your computer or files without checking with your employer; (5) Contact your immigration attorney immediately. You are not required to answer questions without counsel, but being evasive creates problems — the goal is to be cooperative within proper limits.
Can a site visit result in my H1B being revoked?
Yes. If FDNS officers find material discrepancies — the worker isn't at the listed worksite, the employer doesn't appear to exist, wages aren't being paid as stated, or the job duties don't match the petition — USCIS can initiate notice of intent to revoke (NOIR) proceedings. A NOIR gives the employer an opportunity to respond, but a revocation terminates H1B status. Workers whose status is revoked must stop work immediately and either change status or depart. This is one of the most serious immigration outcomes short of removal proceedings.
Are remote workers at risk of H1B site visit issues?
Yes, and this is an increasingly active area of USCIS enforcement. If you are working remotely from a location different from the LCA-listed worksite, the petition may not accurately reflect your actual work location. The LCA must list every location where you will work. If FDNS visits the listed office and you're not there (because you're remote), this can appear as a discrepancy. Employers with remote H1B workers should file LCA amendments for new work locations and H1B amendments if the change is material.