Laid off from Amazon, offer from Microsoft but stuck in B2 COS "Bridge" limbo. Is it worth the wait?
Hey everyone,
I’m in a high-stakes visa situation and could use some perspective. After being laid off from Amazon (last day in Jan 2026), I filed for a B2 COS to stay in the US (Receipt: Mar 5). I’ve since landed a great offer from Microsoft, but I’m stuck in a procedural loop.
The Hurdle
MS legal refuses to file the H1B transfer until the B2 is approved. They’re calling it a "bridge" requirement to ensure status continuity.
The Personal Side
I recently got married (Dec 2025) and my spouse is here on H4 (no EAD). We’ve been burning through savings for months. I have an emergency fund that can sustain us for a few more months, but I’m starting to wonder, is it worth it? To cut costs, we broke our lease (running until Sep 2026) and are living with extended family. While they are amazing, the lack of privacy and the uncertainty of not knowing when we can move to the West Coast for this job is taking a huge emotional toll. I reached out to my manager on Apr 21 about the delay (projecting a mid-June start), but haven't heard back.
Questions for the community:
- Manager Check-in: When should I ping my MS manager again? I don’t want to seem desperate, but I need to know if they’ll wait until Jun or further if there's more delay.
- Move or Stay? Should I stay with family on the East Coast or move West now and wait there?
- Will MS Wait? In your experience, how long does MS usually hold a spot for visa delays? What triggers a rescinded offer?
- B2 COS timeline: Know this has come up a lot here, and I have seen mixed comments. For receipt date of Mar 5, when can I optimistically and pessimistically expect an answer?
- CA workaround: Is there any workaround where I can ask for CA work visa until Sep (to omit $100K fee) and then get my H1B transferred?