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H1B 2016 – After Lottery – Premium, Regular Processing Receipts, Time

As I read the comments on our H1B Visa 2016 page, I can empathize what all emotions everyone are going through…some happy to be picked in lottery, some anxiously waiting for the result, some frustrated with the wait…some upset with the overall system and how it is abused… some swearing at others as they abused the system…when someone posts a comment telling that they have received the case number, the anxiousness or pressure among the ones waiting goes up by a big factor…Let me shed some light on the reality on the premium processing and regular processing times from a historical standpoint, so that all of you have a realistic expectations.

Let’s be realistic about results of H1B Lottery?  About 2 in 3 H1B petitions would be rejected !

I can imagine all the pain everyone has to go through, but let’s be realistic folks…Unfortunately, H1B is a lottery and only 85,000 petitions are selected from 233,000 petitions received for H1B 2016 quota.  Not being too picky on the precise probability…Just about 1 in every 3 H1B applications will be selected in the lottery process. It is very harsh on many who have spent thousands of dollars studying in US and on many who have been working at MNC companies waiting for years to get an opportunity to work in US, including many others like H4 holders who have found a job, sponsor and waiting to work…but unfortunately, it is the truth and reality…so, do not get disappointed with the results, it has nothing to do with your talent or hard work! It is pure gamble and luck…Not getting in H1B lottery is not the end of the world, stay positive…if you get it, great…if not, maybe there are better things that are coming for you in life ! Anyways, enough of the lecture 🙂 …

Keep the above truth in context and read below…

H1B 2016 Premium processing time – Case Receipts, Typical steps.

USCIS originally mentioned that the premium processing for FY 2016 applications will start no later than May 11th, later they issued a news alert that the H1B 2016 premium processing will start from April 27th.   Some of our readers are receiving the case receipts for the premium processing applications. You can check the status of selected petitions in our H1B Visa Case Tracker ….But, if you have not received your case receipt yet, you do NOT need to be in panic…You still have a week or so to get the premium processing receipts.

Usually for premium processing, the employer/ immigration attorney will get an email from USCIS informing about your H1B case with the receipt number. You can use that receipt number to track the status at USCIS site .  Ideally, all the receipts of selected H1B petitions should flow in on or before April 27th, or at least by 30th of April. Having said that, sometimes they may keep coming in the first few days of May too. What USCIS has promised is that the 15 calendar day premium processing SLA or Clock starts from April 27th. What it means is that the premium processing petitions have to be adjudicated by May 11th ( 15 calendar days from April 27th ). Also, one catch is that, if say your petition ends up in an RFE ( Request for evidence) while the adjudication of the petition, this will halt the premium processing clock for your petition and will restart after the RFE response is submitted by employer.

All in all, what I trying to articulate is that, just do not get nervous or more anxious when someone posts a comment that they have got the receipt and you have not. The lottery is done, if you were selected, you will get it…nothing will change that…stay positive!

H1B 2016 Regular Processing Time –Case Receipts, next steps

Typically, H1B petitions filed under regular processing do not have any mandatory SLA from USCIS, unlike in premium processing. They can take their own time based on their work load.  This is one of the most frustrating things many regular processing folks experience as they have to wait a lot of time… Anyways, if your regular processing petition was selected in lottery, your employer/ attorney would get the H1B case receipt notice in traditional postal mail from the USCIS. There will NOT be any email receipt notice. You as an employee needs to be in close touch with your employer/ attorney to know the status of your case.  If you were selected and your employer received the H1B receipt notice, the receipt notice will have the case number, which can be used on the USCIS website to check the status of your case.

As there is NO fixed SLA for the processing of the regular processing petitions, the receipts keep coming in sporadically from USCIS. Typically they would start to arrive from about 2 weeks from lottery date all the way till end of May or maybe even in early June for some cases. Again, this can be very frustrating to keep waiting on this receipts, but there is no choice.

Once you have the receipt number of your regular processing petition, you may upgrade it to  premium processing to get the adjudication done in 15 days…but, unfortunately, now you cannot upgrade the case now…you will have to wait for the receipt number to arrive in mail to take any further action like upgrade to premium processing…!

When you see a comment or status on our H1B tracker that regular processing petition case number received, do not panic and get worried about your case… You just need to wait for couple of months to conclude your luck…Over the years, I have seen the frustration of applicants and can empathize the pain that regular processing applicants go through…it is very tough ! All I can say is, stay calm and keep doing your day to day stuff, do NOT stress yourself.

Tracking your H1B Visa Application Case

We have created the H1B Visa Case Tracker with the goal that everyone can see the status of many people like you and have an approximation on timelines. Instead of adding status comments on blog, I request all of you to add your case and keep the status up to date on the H1B Visa Case Tracker as your case status changes…We will try to enhance, for more options..

Have you applied for H1B last year ? Any words of wisdom for new H1B filing candidates ?  Share your thoughts.

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Satheesh Kumar Ilu, commonly known as Kumar, is the founder of RedBus2US.com. He is an Immigration and Study Abroad expert. He holds an MS from the University of Houston–Clear Lake and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. He studied, lived, and worked in the U.S. and Singapore for nearly two decades, and has traveled to over 25 countries.

   

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2,359 Comments

  1. NON-AD / PP/ VSC
    Still Waiting!!! Anyone in the same boat? This is bs… that wait is bs, the way they handle it is bs.

    Reply
  2. Hi Friends,
    Please share if anyone got update for regular cap(Non-advance degree) selection or rejection, any update.

    As per below link i am expecting to get update from my employer during mid of May.
    uscis.gov/news/alerts
    April 14, 2015 H-1B Cap Premium Processing to Begin April 27

    Fakers & Time pass users please stay away for sharing wrong information.

    I am sharing some useful information like as per i know with-in my friends circle this years many company hiring employee below 5 year’s of experiences.
    Due to 65000 limit company started to apply in hug number without even think about skill quality of employee, just they are picking in bundle for Win in lottery and fill their H1B allocated sit.
    This is really going too

    Reply
    • Respected sir,

      no need to get angry. lots of advance degree people having five years of experience and more talented then you also facing same problem. so be happy and try next time.

      PATEL

      Reply
  3. My attorney got my receipt today via mail AD/RP/California, 1st attempt with a single application, very releived… Keep your heads up! Hoping all you people with single applications get selected.

    Reply
  4. Hello guys,
    My lawyers secretary just forwarded me the acceptance receipt for lottery. AD- regular processing-Cal center. Came in today via mail. receipt no. WAC-15-138-xxxxx
    I was surprised to get it so early. The notice date is 18 april on the receipt.
    Good luck to everyone on this forum.

    Reply
  5. If the Checks are cashed does that mean that the petition got selected? Does that guarantee that, or should we still wait for the receipt numbers before coming to a conclusion. Please advice.

    Thank you

    Reply
  6. Hi,
    From my company only two application sent for h1b this year.
    My employer said one got selected in lottery and waiting for the next one’s results .My question is if they sent the application on same day to same service center did USCIS give serial number for the applications ?and the chances of getting picked for second one is less???

    Reply
  7. Uscis already started processing on duplicate applications. they are questioning with RFE. Check with this WAC1513453500. Hope all the genuine applicants will go to here good news soon. Good luck eveyone. And me too.

    Reply
  8. Does anyone know the order of status changing in your school system and receiving receipt? If there is no change in school system yet, should I say I failed in the lottery? VT, ADV, PP.
    Appreciate!!

    Reply
    • My school DSO first confirmed about the Change of Status and then after 3 days, my employer and attorney confirmed checks getting encashed and the same day they received email and mail both…
      AD/PP/Vermont

      Hope this helps 🙂

      Reply
      • Thanks Nick! It’s very helpful.
        Wants to know is there anyone found their DSO status didn’t change until you receive the receipt.
        Still trying to find a hope.

        Reply
    • I found my check for premium process encashed in the morning, called the school 2 hrs later and found status changed.
      Ask my employer at the same time, and was told company checks cleared as well.
      I guess there is no set rule for the order.
      Good luck and bless you!

      Reply
  9. Any Friends is there any hopes for Premium Processing , I came to know many are received the Receipts already.

    Still any hope??????? This is 2nd time,

    Thanks Friends and congrats to people who received the Receipts already…

    Reply
    • my second time too.. AD/PP/VT.,still waiting for results 🙁 Not sure if we still have any chance! one of my colleagues just got a receipt letter from the lawyer..he was told that they just received a receipt letter instead of email (my colleague had also applied in PP).

      Reply
    • im still waiting too..mine is AD/PP/VT. one of my colleagues got a hard copy receipt today (AD/PP/VT), instead of email. So looks like we might still hav some chance, but trying not to have too high hopes!

      Reply
  10. Hi,

    My h1b filed nonad\rp\vt. Tension getting increased. Some one pls let me know how to check status. No info from employer.

    Why can’t USCIS simply declare all numbers that got selected at once like result announcements for public exams or board exams. This way everyone know result same day. Either picked or not picked. No one bothers really the time for whole stamping. But one is waiting for lottery result. And we can avoid this guess game. Unbearable. Is that true Infy filed 60 k. If so then too bad. Is there won’t be any limit on how many a company should file

    Reply
    • I totally agree. If not atleast send emails just like the PP, it is economical/greener solution. USCIS needs to improvise their processes to meet current day environment

      Reply
        • Sorry, if i slightly disagree. PP is for adjudicating the application in shorter window time. But the case here is, that the decision has been made and why cant share the results immediately. It is us who have discovered that when check gets encashed, the application has been selected. Curious minds 🙂

          Reply
  11. My employer filed h1 for work location Richmond ca, do anyone know which center it wud go to and how much I need to wait for confirmation. I believe it is regular app..and non ad…

    Reply
  12. 60k???????????????Are they mad or what?.Are they planning to shut down Infy in India and move completely to US?In total 1-1.5 lac employees they have,out of those some 50k are working abroad and now another 60k applications?.If USCIS ban Infosys half of the world’s worries will be addressed.And what kind of resources they send to US?.I know some 10-15 guys just doing a bullshit job there for which they wont be even employed in India while they are proudly employed in US for past 7-8 years-Damn shit

    Reply
  13. It’s my first time, applied through a consultant who filed it in Houston TX. Can someone tell which center it comes under and what’s the % of chances.

    When we will start receiving Non-AD/RP. ?

    Reply
    • It will be processed at VT.No idea yet on when receipts will start flowing in.My attorney told they will inform somewhere in 2nd week of May.
      NON AD/RP

      Reply
  14. Hi,

    My h1b applied on NonAD\ Regular\ VT . when can I expect result. As some one already updated that regular processing is started.

    Reply
  15. Hello,

    Till friday can we expect results for Non AD/PP/VT?? I see more number of receipts received for AD/PP. Any one has got receipt for Non AD/PP/VT??

    Reply
  16. Hi,
    A consultancy has filed H1B petition for me. When I emailed and asked them whether they have received any receipt number for me the HR said that they will start receiving the petition only after May 11 for regular petitions. Does this mean they are faking me ?

    Reply
  17. I applied non-AD/PP/CSC … Still no word.

    My application was filed on 6th April (USCIS closed accepting application on 7th). Does that affect the date you get the receipt? For example people who file on 1st get to know first?

    Reply
    • No. the draw happens after they stop receiving petitions, so regardless of when it made it to the service center within the allotted time, it will be processed the same way as the others if picked in the lottery. – good luck!

      Reply
  18. My case was Non-AD/PP VT center. I have not received any confirmation from lawyer or employer yet. However, today i received a postal mail from USCIS on my home address, which has I 539 Amount Received for H4 dependent. Does it mean that my case was picked up in lottery?

    Reply
  19. Is it mandatory to stay in the country if your AD PP and lost both chances ? I mean go back and work in india till a h1b gets approved ? Why do people take extreme steps like enrolling into a school etc just to stay in the country ? Is it more difficult to get the visa from India

    Reply
    • reason is they will get cpt from day 1 in a school. So they can continue their job that they are doing currently and go to school on weekends. If they go to india then they have to apply through a consultancy and they will not have the client letter as well and more risky

      Reply
    • I agree. I was in same situation last year. OPT expired and didn’t get through the lottery…. Company transferred me to India office. This year got the receipt….

      Reply
  20. Any update guys! Fingers crossed! not getting interest to eat!No mood for movies! no interest to work 🙁 AD/PP/CSC ).Guys please give me some hope.

    Reply
  21. I see the day is not far when applicants will commit suicide if the H1 is not approved. Like the recession.

    No Not me…l i can see how desperate some of them are.

    Whatever happens it happens for good.

    Reply
  22. My cousin works in a lawyer office and she confirmed that last year they received email receipts for premium processing 1-2 days after the processing date i.e 27th this year. Not sure about the reason but thought of putting this down here as I observed few people losing hope.

    Reply
  23. I QUIT !!!!

    People who are all waiting on your H1’s desperately and helped me with some useful updates… Good luck!!!

    Annoying People who are making fun — good bye!!
    Please do not do this, people like me here in this forum who are awaiting and searching for some useful updates are not expecting this kind of behavior. Try to be nice to your fellow Indians!

    Reply
    • Yo!! listen i have been more than courteous to you….u gotta chill babe. And by the way “fellow indians”. u outta be kiddin me….i aint no doon goon!!!

      Reply
    • What you expect Snigdha….really what you are expecting? ok people genuinely let us know their cases and status….So will it help you in anyway? Will your stress decreases?
      Its a luck based system, some get some wont, those who got are lucky enough and they may troll others, those who didnt just have to wait more or give up….its 50-50.
      Everyone is on their own in this ball game

      Reply
    • take it easy my friend 🙂

      Chill 🙂 No need to be so nervous 🙂

      Life is not all about h1b 😀 get something delicious, drink , hang out with friends , it would help you 😉

      Reply

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