I am leaving my current job to go to grad school for a PhD. I have been at my present job for a little more than a year, and my co-workers and manager all like and respect me, and consider me quite a valuable member of the team.
However, my quitting strategy is quite messy because I am on an H1B VISA (employment VISA). Here's the issue: I am flying back to my home country to get a student VISA (F1). If I resign and go, and for some reason get rejected for the student VISA, I cannot come back to the US, since my presence in the US is contingent on either my holding a job or my having a valid F1. So I do not want to resign BEFORE going back home. However, once I get my student VISA in my home country, and re-enter the US, I cannot still be employed by my present employer as it will be a violation of the F1 status, so I cannot resign AFTER re-entering the US either, it has to be done before that.
So in light of this awful situation, here's my strategy to resign: I'll tell my manager (in person) the whole situation 10 days before I fly out. I'll request him to accept my official resignation over email once my student VISA is in my hand, and also request him that if the F1 application gets rejected, then I be allowed to continue working here.
I know this is terrible and ugly. But can someone tell me if there is any other option I have?
Underlying facts/assumptions to the problem: 1) I do want to continue staying in the US for a while. 2) I have funding for my PhD, and it's from a top-20 school in Electrical Engineering, so likelihood of having the F1 rejected is very low.
Please help
EDIT (june 26)-- Ten days ago I told my manager the whole situation. And he was simply fantastic about it. Firstly, he was really happy for me, and even went so far as to candidly admit that he wished he could go back to grad school but can't since he has three kids now. Secondly, he agreed with my plan. I'll hand him over all my company stuff - laptop, badge, etc- before flying to my home country. On July 7 I have my interview and will hopefully get the result right away. I'll then email him, and if I get my F1, I'll resign, if not, GOD I don't want to think about it.
Tahnks a lot, people!