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H1B Visa 2014 Quota Cap Reached – USCIS Official News Update

Well, folks, we have a breaking news update from USCIS saying that H1B Visa Cap for Fiscal year 2014 has been reached.  The human psychology has kicked in and many employers rushed to get their H1B petitions ahead of their schedule due to the press release by USCIS indicating that it expects more petitions. Here is a summary of the news release by USCIS on the cap completion for FY 2014.

News Summary by USCIS  on H1B 2014 Cap Completion :

  • USCIS has received enough number of H1B petitions for fiscal year 2014 under regular quota, which is 65,000 petitions.
  • USCIS also have received enough number of petitions for masters quota cap, which is 20,000.
  • USCIS will not accept any petitions for H1B Visa 2014 after today, which is April 5th, 2013.
  • USCIS will conduct lottery or Random computer selection to pick the cap subject petitions filed for FY 2014. The lottery system will be exactly like we described earlier in our blog. Read  H1B Visa 2014 Lottery Process – Step by Step.
    • USCIS will conduct lottery for Advanced quota petitions and pick 20,000 petitions from that pool
    • For all the masters quota petitions that are not selected in lottery will be placed into general quota pool
    • A lottery will be conducted on the combined pool of petitions to pick the 65,000 petitions that are eligible for the FY 2014.
  • USCIS is not providing an exact number to us today as they are still processing petitions received for FY 2014 that were received today.
  • USCIS will give us more detail update next week, stay tuned.

Did you miss this year cap?  Check out  H1B Visa 2015 FAQs, it will help you get some idea.

Official USCIS reference :  News Release : H1B Visa FY 2014 cap complete

   

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1,124 Comments

  1. Hi All…I am working for an MNC…got an offer outside…now serving notice period…..me n my manager are waiting for H1B lottery results…..no information yet regd my application to employer till date…..

    Reply
    • I guess ur employer might withdraw ur petition.. are you planning to cont with current employer who filed ur Visa?

      ur post is confusing.. not sure what answer you are looking for ?

      Reply
      • no as per my manager they have not withdrawn my petition……I am waiting for the lottery result….if it gets selected I will continue with current employer…else will move out…..but I have very less time…..not sure when will this lottery process gets completed…..I should decide by 25th May, 2013….

        Reply
        • Tell them you are only willing to stay if your H1B was filled and went through lottery and you need s copy of your I797C (acknowledgement of petition selected), I797C should have the filling# and your name.
          I797C would be sure shot way to tell H1B was filled for you and it went through lottery.

          Reply
  2. Hi All…I am working for an MNC…got an offer outside…now serving notice period…..me n my manager are waiting for H1B lottery results…..no information yet regd my employer till date….. 🙁 🙁 🙁

    Reply
  3. I received my packet back yesterday. My lawyer mentioned that there maybe another lottery at the end of the month. Does anyone think that is possible? it seems they increased the cap in 2008.

    Reply
    • lost allhope,
      No such thing. If the attorney is referring to wait-listed petitions, then USCIS has already shortlisted them. If you have received your petition back, then it means you aren’t wait-listed.

      Reply
      • Hi Sourabh ,
        I recieved an email on 16th from my employer stating that they havent heard anything from USCIS regarding my petition and therefore it is waitlisted ( assumption i suppose ).

        Whereas other team members have been stated that their petition has been accepted .

        What are my chances ?

        Reply
  4. Hi all.. I got my receipt number this monday.. and i think the method of lottery is first come first serve, because all the people who applied with me in my office got their receipt numbers. 🙂

    Reply
    • Congratulations! Kindly share the first 5 digits of your receipt number. Do you know how many applied, and how many got selected from your company?

      Reply
    • No, it can not be first come first serve.. becoz my package was delivered on 1st april at center..

      and still no receipt or information received.

      Reply
    • h1b,
      Petitions received on 1st five days of April are considered equal and are treated to have been received on same day.

      Reply
  5. Guys i received a mail today from my employer saying that we have started receiving response on some petitions but since USCIS releases the details in batches your petition is still pending with USCIS.

    Is it so that all selected petitions have their response sent out and that rejected ones would be communicated by month end of mid july. I have my hopes hanging by a thin thread now but i dont want to keep hoping where there is none.

    Reply
  6. Hi, I have been following this Site since last month and finally today I got an Email from my Employer that I have been selected in the Lottery and they have received the Recipt for my Application.Thanks to god and all the members of this forum who have provided support in this forum.I hope and Pray that everyone in this forum gets selected in this lottery .

    For Basic info: My Employer is Accenture
    Most of the people got recipts : 5 out of 7 from my team
    2 are awaiting(Not rejected but waiting) and this is the ratio across all teams.
    The Ratio of selection was not that bad as I was expecting

    Reply
    • Its really was not that bad for Accenture…..most of the guys I know around made it through and has been just one among our team of 7-8 guys whose status says “Pending with USCIS”. So cheer up all the guys who are waiting…..I know its easier said then done but again…whatever be…ITS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD.
      Thanks to this forum for helping us through this time….wishing everyone Good Luck for their receipts.

      Reply
  7. Friends – USCIS customer care no is = 18003755283 …..But you know this customer care office is located in India – Haryana – Panipat …….LOL

    we need to call on this customer care no. to kknow the latest status . thanks

    Reply
  8. Hi ,
    I am RQ/RP/CSC . I was selected in lottery and got my receipt .
    Yesterday , my case has mioved to “Post Decision Activity” from Intital Review .

    I didnt take an appointment for an interview . Can anyone please tell me the steps involved ? When to go for an Interview and Biometrics ?

    Reply
  9. THanks to this wonderful forum!!! I am working in a MNC in India.
    I’ve been silent watcher on this forum since yesterday. But now am on serious worries as I was not selected so far. When asked, my manager said that my name was not there in the two lists got so far and they are waiting for another list soon. Only 2 got selected in my project so far.
    I just want to know if this is really true, that US Immigrations sending list by list to employers? Because I dont want to be in false hopes. Also, if a person receive RECEIPT number, does that mean they are selected? How can I know that I was rejected in the lottery. Is it worth waiting still? Your answers will be useful for me to speak with my manager.. By when(date), these will be over? PLease someone help me whatever u guys know!!!!! Thanks………..

    Reply
        • receiving receipt number means definitely selected in lottery. Well, USCIS will return the package for note selected application after the data entry for selected application will be completed. 2nd June is the deadline set to notify all applicant who is selected in lottery. So dude you need to wait till 15th june.

          Don;t loose hope, wait for 1 more month …

          Reply
  10. Hi ! Did anyone from Mahindra Satyam received Receipt? please advise. No infn so far. Does this mean we got rejected?

    Reply
  11. Sainath,
    I am concerned about you… did you get your receipt number? I am also a H4 visa like you, got my package yesterday

    Reply
  12. Saurabh,

    Please help me in guiding me:
    I’m in H4 visa, I too got a job in my hubby’s company and they applied for my COS from H4 to H1b, but the package came back yesterday. I would like to keep the job by finding an alternate visa. The Boss of the company even recommended me to try to find some other visas or CPT. Please advise me what to do now.

    Reply
  13. Did visa interview started ? i don’t understand 60% rejection, does that mean it was rejected after initial review status ? I haven’t even read anywhere people sharing their visa interview and especially about any rejection….

    Keeping my fingers across ..

    Reply
    • HI Guys,

      Still receipts are getting generated .The last receipt number generated today is EAC1315951956,so guys do losse your hope.
      All the best

      Reply
    • HI Guys,

      Still receipts are getting generated .The last receipt number generated today is EAC1315951956,so guys don’t loose your hope.
      All the best!!

      Reply
          • EAC1315951956 -> On May 14, 2013, we received this I129 PETITION FOR A NONIMMIGRANT WORKER and we e-mailed you a notice describing how we will process your case. Please follow any instructions on this notice.

            This does not seem to be a Fresh H1B Capped petition. It might be an extension/a cap exempt petition for h1 or some thing else.

  14. Hi Guys – I didnt receive any mail from my employer yet. Got frustrated. But today I went through few forums and found that the rejection rate of those who successfully went through the lottery is around 60%. So just a quick maths

    No. of persons went thru lottery = 100000 out of 124000 (may be more)
    No. of persons rejected in interview = 60000 (worst case scenario but best case for people like me who didnt receive receipts yet)
    No. of persons who got there visas = 40000

    Will USCIS consider people like me who didnt go thru the lottery to fill the remaining cap of 45000 (85000 – 40000)
    ????????????????????
    If USCIS considers the remaining to fill the cap then I strongly say all 124 K applicants has hope. Isnt so?????

    Reply
    • Dude, I am not hurting you. Think with commen sense, how come rejection rate will
      be 60% !!!! on what basis it is making sense ?

      Reply
      • http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/cnbc-tv18-comments/h1b-visa-rejection-rates-at-all-time-high-for-indian-it-cos_862198.html

        CNBC is a good source. By the way will USCIS consider people like me if the cap is not reached with the applicants went thru the lottery?

        Reply
    • First, where did you read about the 60% rejection rate? That seems a bit high and I doubt it’s true.

      The rejection rate is more likely around 15-20%. Which means that yes, 10-15,000 extra people (on top of the 85,000 already selected) will be given visas. That still leaves around 20,000 empty-handed.

      Reply
      • http://www . moneycontrol . com/news/cnbc-tv18-comments/h1b-visa-rejection-rates-at-all-time-high-for-indian-it-cos_862198.html

        CNBC is a genuine source of news.

        Reply
        • PositiveHope,
          From the article “sources told CNBC-TV18’s Kritika Saxena”. May I know the source? News like this is more suited for zoom – sources tell us that XXX is going around w/ YYY.

          To be a genuine news agency, they have to tell what their sources are (whether in USCIS, IT giants, NASCOM etc) and what their method of deduction is. Until then, its sensational news, but not true news.

          Reply
        • If you read other blog post on this site, ppl have been posting returns for a week. Some of them are genuine so its no longer a rumour.

          I think you need to read all the blogs before posting.

          Reply
    • http : / / www . moneycontrol . com / news / cnbc-tv18-comments / h1b-visa-rejection-rates-at-all-time-high-for-indian-it-cos_862198 . html

      CNBC is a genuine source.

      Reply
      • PositiveHope,

        This makes me really worried. I got through the lottery…but keeping my fingers crossed for the decision!!

        Anyone know how long will it take to receive the approval? Another month?

        Reply
        • Hi Sai

          Not to worry. I pray for you. I read a news and want to share it in this forum. No hard feelings. All is well!!!

          Reply
          • PositiveHope,

            Thank you so much!! I too read the news…till last week, I was waiting for the selection in lottery and now the wait for approval begins….:)

      • If if this were true, it only mentions Indian IT companies… This gives no indication of the overall rejection rate. We discussed this article a few weeks ago and there has been no other source to back it up since

        Reply
    • Hey Guys,

      For me it looks the rejection rate mentioned is for the Lottery selection.
      Out of 125000 applications US picked 85000 applications. So the remaining 40,000 applications.

      As per my knowledge, USCIS will keep 15 % to 20 % (again based on the previous years rejection history ) applications in waiting list mode.

      So it is to 32,000 applications which were rejected on that day itself.

      So out of 32,000, 60% means 19,200 is of Indian IT companies and remaining 12,800 is of rest of the world.

      What do you say?

      Reply
  15. When is the last date for intimating H1b lot results,i have lost hope as all my friends got before two weeks i am the only one person left 🙁

    Reply
  16. So apparently I am not selected in the lottery – although haven’t received my returned package yet, but I am pretty much giving up.

    Does someone know what visa type is a good alternative? My company has offices in my country of citizenship, so I guess H3 and J1 are good options? I am aware that J1 has two year mandatory residency in my own country after visa expires, but there are ways to waive it. Is H3 a better alternative than J1? Do companies have a preference?

    I would appreciate it if anyone can help out!

    Reply
      • Boss, i am asking whether sending receipts for lottery selected petitions has been completed for 65k ? or stil USCIS is sending the receipts .. ?? wake up ..

        Reply
        • VJ,
          Actually you need to wake-up. That wasn’t your original question.

          “Does the the 65000 quota still open or closed for 2014” translates to is the quota still open or closed. The cap was closed on April 5th. Whether they are still sending out receipts or not doesn’t change the fact that quota is closed and no longer open.

          What you asked subsequently is a complete different question.

          Does anyone else think that the original question referred to receipts still being sent out?

          Reply
          • Hey saurabh,

            It’s ok… Even I feel the same way you feel. Maybe he just didn’t know…
            Yeah, it is funny for us who have been visiting this site for the last 50 days?

            Let’s not make fun of anyone… Yeah but a bit poking is always ok…

    • 😀
      I wish I was this happy go lucky 🙂
      Things work out the best for people who are already happy.
      *no sarcasm intended*

      Reply
      • For some reason I am remembering Jagjit Singh Gazal Today,

        Jag ne chinna mujhse, mujhe jo bhi laga para
        Sab jita kiya mujhse, main har dum hi hara….

        Reply
  17. Did anyone get receipt today from Mahindra Satyam? Looks like most companies are either delaying or keeping the employees in a limbo and apprehension.

    Reply
  18. My employer have updated the receipt number and the my case status is at intial review

    On April 8, 2013, we received this I129 PETITION FOR A NONIMMIGRANT WORKER, and mailed you a notice describing how we will process your case. Please follow any instructions on this notice. You will be notified by mail when a decision is made, or if the office needs something from you. If you move while this case is pending, please use our Change of Address online tool to update your case with your new address or contact our customer service center at 1-800-375-5283.

    Can anyone update me what does it mean?? Am I selected or what?

    Reply
  19. Is it too late for us PP applicants? I haven’t heard anything back from USCIS or my company/their lawyers. Based on my understanding all PP would hear back by the 1st right? So is no news bad news? (PP/Cali)

    Reply
  20. Even though my posts are usually ignored, and this is quite weird, may be because I am not Indian or smth, anyway, I am still waiting for my receipt number as well as many people on this forum, and I was trying to follow USCIS today. What I noticed is that there was a big throw- in of I-129 receipts yesterday and today dated May, 4th. It made me think of some possible additional lottery among waitlisted petitions after they rejected a significant number of petitions previously selected in the first lottery. This throw- in is too massive to be just for H1B cap exempt petitions. so what do you think guys?

    Reply
    • @Jewel

      I am also following the same. But I suspect that those are cap exempt H-1 B petitions like non-profit organizations. I am not 100% positive though.

      Reply
    • Jewel, If you say that the amount of receipts generated today for I-129 are huge, then there is a chance that they may be throwing waitlist petitions in there. Whether they are doing a lottery within those may or may not be possible. They never defined how the waitlist was going to be addressed. So, I think you maybe right. Let’s hope for the best. I am not sure if you are waiting for a receipt but I sure am. RP/RQ/VSC. Good luck!! 🙂

      Reply
    • I was told by my employer that attroney received the receipt yesterday. But it is not yet shared with me. Hoping to get it by tomorrow.

      Reply
  21. Anybody still waiting for h1b receipts under RQ/RP …?? I don’t see any news/ info.. So uscis is done with the data entry process ?? Any hope left ?? Appreciate any valuable info . Thanks.

    Reply
  22. I am from HCL tooo..I am waiting..anyone got a recipt or update..please update so we can guess our fate as well.

    Reply
  23. My company has sent a mail to each individual who has received receipt. In my company, the most of my friends have received receipt :).

    Reply
  24. Mine is RP/RQ/VSC.
    Did not receive any receipt number yet.
    Did anyone receive any reciepts today?
    My employer is not ready to call USCIS and check.
    Feeling low!!!

    Reply
  25. For the receipt : “WAC1314850001”

    “On April 15, 2013, we received this I129 PETITION FOR A NONIMMIGRANT WORKER, and mailed you a notice describing how we will process your case. Please follow any instructions on this notice. You will be notified by mail when a decision is made, or if the office needs something from you. If you move while this case is pending, please use our Change of Address online tool to update your case with your new address or contact our customer service center at 1-800-375-5283.”

    I got the above one USCIS website. What is means?? Is it for the RC/RP/CSC people who send the petition between April 1 to April 5??

    Reply
  26. Got my receipt today Morning for RQ/RP/CSC . I’m a first time h1b applicant and this forum have been very useful to me .
    I wish luck to all ; though luck is very complex at how it manifests in your life . Please , Keep patience .

    Reply
  27. Ok, noticed smth weird. As I can see from USCIS page, they have thrown in many H1B receipts today, there were some dated as April, 8th, which might give us some hope still. However, which is more interesting, there is a bunch of receipt issued for petitions accepted as of April 9-12. Any thoughts? I know that those might be those for extension or cap-exempt ones, but I want to hope that those are still ours.

    Reply
  28. Hi Friends,
    I got my EAC no today. Mine is Regular Processing/General category.

    First time in my life this much for waiting 🙁 ….Waiting really makes man sick. Will not allow us to do anything…. Thank God.

    All the best to all my friends, who are yet to receive. Dont loose your hopes.

    Reply
    • @ Venkat

      Any idea when (between 1st and 5th april) had ur application got received at the service centre by courier …??

      Reply
  29. A Silent Observer,

    Someone gave me an idea of checking SEVIS today, and i was so dejected to hear no update there…. most of them here wrote there was update for them and my heart sanked…I lost all hope..

    Jst got a confirmation from my company that my name was picked in the lottery….

    Dont believe SEVIS thing is foolproof…some are updated some are not… i havnt recieved the reciept so i dont have info to share…

    Dont loose hope….

    Hang in there…

    Reply
      • @AtLast- Can you please share how did your company confirm about your petition? Did they call USCIS or was it by any other means? Please let us know!

        Reply
          • i checked it today afternoon….and there was no update….my company had filed several h1b this year and they arent telling us, until they feed it into the system after recieving everyones reciepts or answers..
            I jst happened to ask the HR and he was kind enuf to tell me my fate. My fellow coworkers are yet to knw their fate. The reciepts for some mite have come, or the check mite have encashed..i dont knw…they answered my plea and thats all i knw…

            Wht is important is since i dont knw whn i got my confirmation, but even then my sevis was not updated up until today….which is a gud sign for everyone…

  30. Finally!!!!! I just got my receipt number mins ago. EAC-13-148…..
    Non-pp, reg.

    Thank you guys for all the sharing in this forum, and good luck for those still waiting.

    Reply
    • Congrats @ hoping.

      Do you by chance know if your check was encashed? Are you currently working in the US?

      Am RP/RQ/VSC still waiting no news. as at last week check wasnt encashed.

      Reply
  31. I was waiting and waiting… I had lost all hopes..
    My lawyet just emailed me today that I she got my receipt. Thank you GOD… GOD is so great, please keep patience everyone, GOD will help you.
    I dont know my receipt yet, I didnt get a chance to talk to my lawyer.
    I was Regular Processing / Bachelor’s Degree/WAC. My job is with a small pvt employer.
    My SEVIS did get updated.

    Thank you everyone on this forum for the support and feedback.

    Reply
    • I guess I wrote with a lot of excitement, and released some spelling mistakes after I posted this.
      so i am re-posting it 🙂

      I was waiting and waiting… I had lost all hopes..
      My lawyer just emailed me today that she got my receipt. Thank you GOD… GOD is so great, please keep patience everyone, GOD will help you.
      I don’t know my receipt no. yet, I didn’t get a chance to talk to my lawyer.
      I was Regular Processing / Bachelor’s Degree/WAC. My job is with a small pvt employer.
      My SEVIS did get updated.
      Thank you everyone on this forum for the support and feedback.

      Reply
  32. My friends got receipt latest receipt notice date is April 25 from California center. But still I did not get any updates. Is there any chance????

    Reply
  33. So our Accountant did the math for us according to USCIS graphs and numbers. So taking rejection % from 2009 through to 2012 it looks like an average rejection rate of 20% of Visa’s chosen to be processed will be rejected this year. Now this of course could be lower or even higher. So with that 124,000 application only 85,000 were picked. that leaves around 39,000 left out. So if 85,000 -20% rejection =68,000. Which means 17,000 rejected application need ing to be replaced from the 39,000 left over. Which means from the 39,000 an additional 22,000 will need to be pulled to fill those visa spots giving those left out from the orignal lottery a 56% chance of being picked still. I hope I got this right.

    Reply
    • They would need to pick 21,250 (=17,000/0.8) out of 39,000 to fill 17,000 rejections from the first lottery if you assume that the rejection rate remains at 20% for those who are waitlisted.

      Reply
      • I am not sure if you know but from one the blogs I heard that rejected apps are still part of the cap (65k) and they dont solicit new apps for rejected apps..Its unfortunate but just google it and you will find few articles on this..

        Reply
        • My source was USCIS themselves. They do take apps not picked up in the lottery to replace rejected ones. Thats what they told me.

          Reply
  34. So far what we know is that USCIS stopped processing in California center and Vermont center on Friday of last week. There may be one or two that pop in but 99.99% are done and being sent out. So all this week and next we will hear of people getting in bu it has stopped. My company called USCIS on 5/01/2013 and found out I was not in their system and so I was not picked in the lottery. Packages are being sent back but he could not say when. Now here is what I found out by doing some independent research on the net(not USCIS).

    USCIS rejection rate is around 14-18% of processed Visa’s. I got this info from various sources. So that means that they may keep around 15,000 applications if the math is right to cover those rejected. But the rejection rates may be higher this year as USCIS clamp down on the abuses that take place with the H1B Visa(which I have heard from three different law firms). I spoke to a Lawyer friend in the Bay area who said that anyone who submitted an application without a letter from their future employer was being rejected even if it was picked in the lottery. So if you were applying through a consultancy firm with no ties to a company then they were rejecting them. The consultancy company must show a letter of Job offer from your employer so that USCIS knows you are coming over to a secure job. This may be one of the reasons we are hearing such high numbers as 60% being rejected. take it for what it is worth. Now as to the 60% it is shady at best as information. But for those who are still hopeful of a chance of getting past the wait list. I heard that the companies that got 60% of apps rejected place over 30,000 visa this year. We don’t know how many of that 30,000 made it through the lottery but I have read that The big four Indian IT company’s were informed of who was picked and are holding onto a master list until they get a final count and then release them all in either batches or all at once. So maybe this 60% is coming from this sample of lists.

    Reply
    • @ H1 B Scotland.

      How do you know that they stopped processing ? I have seen generating receipts even today but very now. 99.99% completion is not true, if so they will officially declare that data entry is done and they did in the past also. What is your source of information ?

      Reply
      • @ H1 B Scotland

        To add more on it, one of my colleague got reciept yesterday generated on Monday (EAC1314850077). They are not done yet but pace is declined. Don’t tear the people’s hope.

        Reply
        • @Hope

          I hope you are right. My company called USCIS. USCIS were the one’s who told me they had finished. I am not trying to ruin anyone’s chances I am trying to tell you what chances are left. If I am wrong great because then maybe I still have a chance also. There may be one or two that will come through but it is done deal with it.

          Reply

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