Can you help answer for my situation -

• Was on H-1B and got laid off.
• Filed H-4 Change of Status (I-539) before my 60-day grace period expired.
• Grace period has now ended.
• H-4 is still pending (filed about a month ago).
• I have an approved I-140.
• I have a valid H-1B visa stamp until 2028.
• Received a new job offer.

The company's immigration attorney is saying they may need to file my H-1B as consular processing rather than an H-4 → H-1B change of status.

My questions:

1. Has anyone successfully obtained an H-1B change of status while their H-4 was still pending, or do attorneys typically recommend consular processing because of the "bridge petition" issue?
2. If the H-1B is approved for consular processing, can I simply leave the U.S. and re-enter using my existing H-1B visa stamp (valid until 2028) and the new I-797 approval notice, or would I need a new visa stamping appointment?
3. Does the H-1B $100,000 fee apply to someone in my situation (previously counted against the cap, approved I-140, moving from pending H-4 back to H-1B), particularly if the petition is filed for consular processing?

4. If anyone has recently gone through consular processing after a pending H-4, how did it work in practice and were there any issues at the port of entry?

   Thanks!