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H1B Visa 2015 – Frequently Asked Questions – Updates

Updated : Dec 9, 2014 (H1B 2016 FAQs )

H1B Visa 2015 season is over. Check below for H1B Visa 2016 Season.

Applying for H1B Visa 2016 ? Did you miss FY 2015 lottery ?

Check out -> H1B Visa 2016 – Start Info, Sponsos, Fees, News , FAQs 

Flash News Update  : 

  • May 5th : USCIS announced today that data entry of all FY15 H-1B cap petitions has been completed. USCIS will now begin returning all H-1B cap petitions that were not selected in the lottery. They have announced it on their twitter and facebook pages.
  • April 18th : USCIS announced that they will begin H1B FY 2015 premium processing from April 28th, 2014. Previously they announced that they will begin, ‘no later than April 28th’. They just clarified that. You can read on USCIS website  
  • April 11th : USCIS announced that it received about 172,500 petitions for the H1B Visa 2015 Quota. Read USCIS : 172,500 Received – H1B Lottery Summary 
  • April 7th USCIS H1B Visa 2015 Cap Reached on April 7th. 

H1B Visa 2015 – Latest News Updates , Articles 

Looking for H1B Cap Daily Updates ?  Check  H1B Visa 2015 Cap count Updates Page 

Frequently Asked Questions about H1B Visa FY 2015 

When will H1B Visa 2015 Season Begin ?

USCIS accepted H1B Visa 2015 applications from April 1st, 2014. They had the window open for 5 working days. USCIS stopped accepting H1B Petitions for FY 2015 from Monday April 7th as more applications were received than the required cap of 85,000 petitions.

What would be the Cap count for H1B Visa 2015 quota ?

No changes to the H1B Cap for FY15, the immigration reform discussions did not go through, the cap limit remained same as last year.

  • Regular H1B Quota : 65,000
  • Masters H1B Quota : 20,000
  • It is to be noted that 6,800 visas every year are set aside for Singapore and Chile Free trade agreement filings, which is called as H1B1 program.

Would there be lottery for H1B Visa 2015 ?

We had H1B visa Lottery for fiscal year 2014. USCIS received about 172,500 petitions for FY 2015 . Our predictions were right, you can read the article H1B Visa 2015 Lottery Prediction analysis 

How soon should I start planning for H1B Visa 2015 ?

[ Updated : H1B Sesaon is over for FY 15, plan for next year FY 2016 ] Well, there is nothing like too early… Getting a good H1B Sponsor can be a challenge these days. You need to find a job that fits your profile and find a sponsor that has a job for you.  Some employers want to test out the capabilities of the candidate before they plan to sponsor H1B Visa. Typically, they would like students with masters from US work for them on internship or co-op.  If they like the candidate then they will sponsor H1B visa.  If you are planning to land in US from overseas countries like India, it could be even challenging to find a good sponsor. Maybe you would need to work with global IT services companies and make your way up. It can involve lot of internal process to get the process initiated… You are never early…. Read Step by Step Plan to Apply for H1B 2015 

How do I find Sponsors for H1B visa 2015 ?

This is probably the most asked question.  It can be a challenge to find a good sponsor. We have written quite a few articles on this topic. The fundamental concept of finding a good employer does not change.  You can use our H1B Visa Sponsors Database  and search for sponsors in a city or zip code. Check out the above links under 2015 latest news and updates for the current year’s article to find sponsors. You can also, read our last year’s article :  How to find H1B Visa sponsors, avoid fraud 

What would be the H1B Filing fee for Fiscal year 2015 ? 

There has not been any changes in the filing fee for the past couple of years. It did not change for fiscal year 2014.  The  H1B Visa 2015 filing fee can range anywhere from  $1,575 to $4,325  based on the size of the company (number of employees ). Also, the attorney fee can range from $700 to $3000. If you go for premium processing again that is $1225.  You can check out the detail break up of fee at : H1B Visa Filing Fee Details – Who Pays for What ?  

H1B Visa Immigration Reform – CIR – Proposed Changes ? The comprehensive immigration reform has not passed yet.  But, lets say, if it gets passed, the below changes may happen.

  • Annual H1B Cap will be increased from 65,000 per year to 110,000. If exteme demand, it can go up to a maximum of 180,000.
  • The H1B quota for STEM degree holders from American Schools will increase from 20,000 to 25,000
  • H1B Visa fees can up to USD $10,000.
  • More stringent rules on H1B visa adjudication.
  • Mandatory LCA posting on DOL website for at least 30 days, before it is certified.

You can read Summary of CIR – Immigration reform – H1B Visa and Green Card  . We will keep you posted with updates on CIR and H1B visa changes for this year, if any. Did I miss anything ?  Do you have any other questions ?

Note :  Some of the below comments about H1B Sponsors are negative.  Please be aware that these are comments added by individuals of companies, competitors and many others that may hate such companies. We do NOT vouch for any of the comments made as they are not made by us.

Under federal law (Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act), our Blog RedBus2US.com is NOT legally liable or responsible for information posted by public, general users or third parties that contains remarks that are defamatory for a company or individual.

Photo of author
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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23,888 Comments

  1. Hello Admin,

    I think I am cap exempt for h1b since I applied in 2008 and petition was approved but I do not have any proof in my hand. How can I proof to uscis that I am cap exempt since I do not have any document. Can I say refer PIMS system or I shoul apply to regenerate I797 forms.

    Reply
  2. Hi Admin,

    I am filling up the ds160 form for my wife who would go on h4.Under the option
    Purpose of Trip to the U.S. (1):
    What should i fill? temporary worker or others.

    I have checked pages on redbus2us and few have mentioned ‘temporary worker’ while few have mentioned ‘others’.

    Reply
  3. ya..it seems like game over for ppl waiting in cts…..there are many who r waiting…GIT team has informed by June 29th everyone will know the result!!

    Reply
  4. Cts guys, Did ne of them got reciept numbers in past 2-3 weeks!?? as far as I know ..after may first week no one has got reciept numbers…please confirm

    Reply
  5. Anyone who got their rejected papers. Did you notice on the back of the check that there was a stamp ” For deposit only, USCIS” Wondering what does it mean? Since my application was rejected why did they bothered to stamped ,for deposit only” on the check.

    Reply
  6. The status of my receipt number changed today from “Initial Review” to “RFE” are there high chances of rejection on this stage? Is it normal?
    Does anybody know how long it takes to be accepted/denied after this stage? and one more thing.. I am supposed to start in October if all goes well. However, it has taken awhile to get all this moving. Is it guaranteed that everything will be processed before October? (for good or for bad)? or are there cases that take longer and therefore the starting date has to be postponed? e.g. November or any further date
    Thanks

    Reply
      • Andreas, there is nothing to worry about RFE. First try to check with your employer on what kind of RFE it is nd what the query is all about. If its a simple one, you should not see any issues.

        But you cannot expect a speedy reply for that as you are under RP. It might take anytime between 10 days to 6 months.

        If that’s a PP, you can exactly expect a response back in 10 days. Look for few days and if still you don’t get a response, try to convert to PP.

        Reply
      • You could also ask your employer to convert to PP while submitting a response for your query.

        This is just my opinion but not my advice.

        Reply
        • I would not recommend to switch to PP. There are high chances of rejection when you switch to PP while responding for RFE (I personally know a couple of cases for whom this happened last year). There is ample time to get a status update once you respond to RFE. Just ensure that you respond to the RFE soon.

          Reply
  7. Finally! my coworker and I both got approval just now! EAC 146 series Non-AD/RP/VT

    Looks like 146 series are getting processed now

    Reply
  8. Guys, Does anybody(PP case) are still waiting for an update on their status(Selected/Rejected)? Neither my employer nor lawyer have got any update from uscis on my case. I’m aware that I have no chances now but curious to know why they have not updated my case being a PP one? Any thoughts? Are there any one applied via PP but still have not got any update? Please, I request all PP fellows who haven’t got any update so far to ping this message so that we shall know that we are not alone in this mistery…

    Reply
  9. Guys, Does any one(PP Case) still waiting for return packets? Neither my employer nor lawyer haven’t got any update on my case. I’m aware that I have no chances but wondering why USCIS still haven’t updated being a PP case. I’m really curious of what could be reasons and are there any body like me still looking for an update? Please, all PP mates who still haven’t got any update kindly ping to this message so that we shall know numbers.. Mine was applied under Non AD/PP/CA..

    Reply
  10. Employer updated about the received rejection package.
    but what is the proof that they applied my h1 and it got rejected??
    what should i ask them ??

    Reply
  11. Hi Admin,

    I am just filling up the ds160.I wanted to go for my visa first and then later on , i will apply for my wife h4 visa.
    Just confirming if i can apply for her h4 visa later on or do i need to apply for h4 with me.

    regards
    PS.

    Reply
  12. EAC1414854*** Got RFE today … Last year I wasn’t selected in lottery 🙁

    In how many days can we expect the mail from USCIS received by the employer.

    Reply
    • What is your experience and degree?….attorney will receive the mail in in 2 weeks and response review may take maximum of 90 days, some cases it will be resolved faster and in some cases the review goes beyond 90 days…

      Reply
      • Thanks for the info, I have B.Tech Degree in Computer Science from a reputed college and 8 year of IT experience with top IT companies.

        I am waiting for the letter what evidence they need 🙁

        Reply
  13. I repost this in case the folks who have not received anything back from USCIS has not read it down there somewhere.
    ——————————————————
    Alright people. Are you ready to hear the weirdest H1B case of mine ever happened in human history!

    Let’s start from the beginning.

    I applied H1B through the petitioner in Chicago with AD/PP/CA and started waiting for the lottery results as every body else after it was conducted on April 10th. Since I had not gotten any feedback from the employer and my lawyer I decided to contact my school’s DSO to learn if there was a status change on my SEVIs record and they said there is an automatic cap gap extension applied on my status along with a receipt number.(Even though when I check that receipt number’s status online, it’s still at the ‘acceptance’ stage)

    Then I asked my lawyer to confirm the receipt number with USCIS premium processing unit since its more convenient to reach and has fast response time. And guess what they said. My case was first selected(that’s why there was a status change on my SEVIs record) then it was rejected for somehow that they did not even know what the reason was. As you can see I went off by this fact and insisted my lawyer to call USCIS continuously to tell them that there should be no reason for my case to get rejected because it was filed properly, no duplicate entry and there is enough money to be cashed in the associated bank account for the check sent. We(I, employer, lawyer) believe that my case was voided erroneously by USCIS probably as a result of human interaction. After several phone calls we were shut out by the PP officers from USCIS said that my case was 100% rejected and waited for my package to be back. Since then I have been working on my other options like O-1 or E-2 but I was waiting for my package to be returned.

    It was this morning that I received an email from my lawyer. First I thought she notified me with the package return but it turned out a big favor to me. She has gotten a receipt notice email from USCIS saying they received my case and the approval time will take 15 business days. And the most interesting part is they assigned me a different receipt number. Here is the first few numbers: WAC141805….

    My whole world has changed since this morning as I already had lost my all hope whatsoever. I tasted what it feels like to be rejected as well as selected so I can pretty much understand the people’s feelings who still have not received anything from USCIS.
    My advise is never lose your hope until you receive something pos/neg. If you have any questions let me know people

    Reply
    • I guess they kept your application in waiting list (that might have triggered cap gap extension and it might be the reason for not receiving a receipt number ) . As most of the applications are processed and decision is made. They might have started processing waiting list applications to replace rejected applications.

      This is all my guess it might not be correct. USCIS never mentioned about waiting list this year but they use to have waiting list back in 2008.

      Reply
    • got a call from splendtek saying unfortunately my case is not picked up in lottery as they didnt receive my receipt and waiting for the returned package.

      All the best for all those waiting and congrats for all those who got picked up in lottery and approved

      Reply
  14. Dose anybody know what’s going on inside USCIS ?

    Do they go after RFE response reviews after they are all finished with all the initial reviews ? or it is like FIFO ? Dose the same agent who reviewed your petition and gave you RFE review your RFE response letter ? or it is like whoever has nothing to do goes after the response reviews ?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • I am not sure about regular processing but PP RFE will be reviewed and a decision will be made in 15 days from the acknowledgment date ( status goes back to initial review).

      Make sure you provide all documents they ask. It will definitely get approved.

      Reply
      • Hi all,

        My case is PP/Non AD. My RFE was answered on 23rd May. The status gone back to Initial review the same day. Since then there is no change in my status. Can anyone have an idea how long this gonna take still. My Case Number is EAC1413650***

        Reply
  15. Chance of getting RFE for web developer post . I did B.E in electronics and communication and having 4.5 years of experience in IT . Selected in lottery !!!

    Reply
    • you can very well include your college internship experience and other part-time experience, as far as my org is concerned, whoever got 6 years or more experience with NON-IT degree were able to convince the USCIS officials with education and training evaluation….at this moment you cannot do anything since your application is already processed….it depends on the attorney!!!

      Reply
        • You have 13+ years of exp , which is enough to justify the any IT role . Mine is 4.5 years of exp, so I am little bit worry . Here I am just trying to understand , how much exp require for non IT person(mine BE in elex & comm.) to justify the Web developer role.

          Reply
          • As far as i know for Web developers the requirement is Associate Degree….i never came across any of my colleagues applied for web developer role….as long as your attorney is able to justify its a speciality occupation and a bachelor degree is sufficient for the preferred position…you are safe…but why do you bother when you do not have RFE….do your normal work…sometimes it will be directly approved…

    • Same here still initial review for EAC14140***. I thought it is going to be FIFO and was expecting early response from USCIS. Looks like receipts generated after EAC14145*** are being approved earlier.

      Reply
  16. Hmm 2015 After waiting for lottery for long, finally Got lottery and attended visa in Chennai Got Approved 2 hours back…Iam in cloud 9..How about you guys??

    Reply
    • Congrats a lot !! You deserve a rocking treat for yourself

      Hey share your details regarding. R u AD/NON-AD.. PP/Regular… EAC/WAC?

      What all questions were asked?

      and if you can .. share you company details too. Thanks !

      Reply
    • Can you please share your contact number on my email id below for me to give you a call about your interview

      jatinchawla1986attherate gmail com

      Reply
    • Why to post nonsense message in the forum. 2015 cap H1-B visa interview can only be scheduled after July 1st, 2014. Stop posting such useless messages.

      http://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/in-gen-faq.asp#qlistwork10

      Reply
    • Congrats on your stamping!!!

      What is the Employment start date in your case? AFAIK, we can go for stamping 90 days prior to the employment start date..

      Reply
    • Hey Waiting Over Got Visa, Did you get your receipt notice today that you got picked in the lottery? OR were you already picked in the lottery but got approval today? I am waiting too..Wanted to see if I should have any hopes or not….

      Reply
  17. EAC1414452*** , yesterday it status become Post decision Activity..

    On June 17, 2014, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I129 PETITION FOR A NONIMMIGRANT WORKER. Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service at 1-800-375-5283.

    Reply
    • Congrats bro for approval!!

      can u share what is your role …is it java etc. or other IT related…
      I am asking to understand the approval process as mine is still in initial review and is of 143 series…

      Reply
  18. Dear All,

    I applied through a desi consultancy in US from India,it has got a decent reputation…my petition is in initial review..if it gets approved..will there be a problem in stamping if all my documents are fine..please comment and give ur own experience….

    Reply
    • Dear H1B
      If it gets approved there would be 85% chances to your petition to get stamped. 15% negative chances wuld be there if USCIS raise any QUERY on your petition

      Reply
  19. Just got Approval email. Non AD/RP/CA. WAC141445*** series.

    First time applying for H1. After waiting nearly 2 months stuck in “Initial Review”, I registered at the USCIS site for email updates yesterday night around midnight just for the heck of it. And got an email today morning at 8 that the case got approved and has moved to “Post Decision Activity”. Time to start figuring out what to do with all the junk in my apartment now!

    Reply
    • Thats a great coincidence bro…

      u registered in the night and morning approved..

      Congrats!!

      can u share what is your role …is it java etc. or other IT related…
      I am asking to understand the approval process as mine is still in initial review.

      Reply
    • @Ak – Thanks! Yeah it was quite a surreal coincidence. I had stopped checking the USCIS website several weeks back to avoid the tension. I am a Sr. Systems Admin. Been with my organisation for 5 years and now they wanted me to move to the US office.

      @H1B – I don’t think the stamping should be an issue, from what i’ve figured out by talking to other H1 employees. Specially considering my case did not go into RFE. I had been sure it would move to RFE. But luckily it skipped that whole tedious step.

      Reply
  20. Am hearing lot of approvals for EAC series . Any one who got approvals for WAC series ? let me know . Mine is WAC141445**** . Still in initial review.

    Reply
  21. Guys,

    Received Approval Mail today. Non-AD/RP/VT from India.
    EAC1414854***, Was waiting like anything for this since 30th April, on 17th June, it got approved and moved to Post decision activity directly.

    Anyidea, when we can do the stamping procedure….

    Reply
    • Congrats bro for fast approval!!

      can u share what is your role …is it java etc. or other IT related…
      I am asking to understand the approval process as mine is still in initial review and is of 143 series…

      Reply
      • Hey Bro,
        Don’t worry about JAVA, etc. There is no standard approval process. Every file is assigned to an officer. It all depends on the officer’s workload, speed and efficiency in completing cases, and amount of research he had to do on cases before yours and your case. Some people’s application got approved in 1 week and others is still pending. Try to relax.
        I know it is not easy. I am still waiting for my rejection packet. Just be happy that you at least got selected in lottery.

        Reply
  22. Any further update…updates till yesterday

    ||count || Name || status ||
    || 5 ||Integral Guy ,Integral Aspirant, Integral, MAB, XYZ || Don’t Know ||
    || 1 || Bob || Rejected ||

    Reply
  23. If H1 is approved (COS from H4 to H1) and if i have received all relevant approval documents from my employer, can i apply for SSN before Oct 1 st 2014?

    Reply

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