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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. i had applied for Regular processing..Is any one petition selected in the lottery, if yes plz lemme know. Eagerly waiting here………..

    Reply
    • Lots of receipts received for Regular/AD.

      What is you? AD/NON-AD in regular processing.

      If NON-AD not yet. If AD, Yes receipts received by so many H1bers.
      All the Best!!!

      Reply
  2. Hi all, I received my receipt # last week. I didn’t apply for my wife and kid since we are in our home country. If the H1b is approved is there enough time to apply for them? Is it typical to apply for H4 along with H1b? Didn’t know and so checking with you guys.

    Good luck to all those waiting. Keep the faith.

    Reply
  3. AD/RP/VT

    My employer informed me that they received my receipt today. I also received my wife’s change of status receipt.

    Good luck to all. Thanks God

    Reply
    • US is not the end of the world. Why get depressed, I interviewed with an MNC and now heading to Luxembourg, Belgium. Its a 35 hr week there and I get to draw twice the compensation I would get here in US. Au Revoir!

      Reply
  4. Guys,

    thank you for all the updates. I was following this website for some time now to get updates.

    I received my NIV receipt notice on IHP website. EAC14136xxxxx is the NIV number. I have applied under Regular Processing/ AD from Vermont centre
    However I tried searching it on USCIS website and case is not updated yet.

    Best of luck to everyone who are waiting.

    Feel free to leave a comment and I will reply. I know how stressed I was in last few days. I will try my best to answer any questions that you guys might have.

    Reply
  5. Hi,

    I have not get any update from my attorney.
    But today my wife got the receipt of her H4 application, and told her that her status was turn to be pending. Does that mean that I was selected? (my company filed our application together, mine-h1b, hers-h4)

    Does anyone know about that?

    Thanks,
    Kurt

    Reply
    • Kurt,

      If your wife has got the H4 receipt, that means your petition has been picked up in lottery. Good news is on its way. Just wait for few days and I am sure your lawyer or employer will update you soon.

      Reply
      • Thank you, MastersRP2015.

        I feel so good now. Thank you for your information.

        I will share my good news when I get the selected notification.

        Then strange is why my wife got the H4 receipt even earlier than me……

        Thank you again.

        God bless everybody.

        Reply
  6. Got the EAC receipt no. today from attorney in email with attached copy from USCIS.
    AD/Non-PP/Vermont. Received date April 10, Notice date April 17

    Hopefully by end of this week all AD/Non-PP should be getting EAC receipt no. good luck guys. Be patience and wait up-to end of this week.

    Reply
  7. AD/RP/VT
    selected in the lottery. HR (not the attorney) got the receipt and emailed me in the evening. I had even checked with the university, no update.
    Good Luck everyone

    Reply
  8. Hallelujah!!

    Today morning, I contacted my school DSO and found that my SEVIS status has changed to pending. Today evening, my attorney emailed me the receipt number. What a day!! 🙂

    AD/RP/Vermont
    Work Location – DC
    Attorney Location – California
    Received Date – April 10
    Notice Date – April 16
    Attorney got receipt via USPS today i.e. April 21
    Receipt number – EAC-14-136-5XXXX

    Reply
  9. Hi, did any one received a receipt number for NON-AD/PP/CA today ?
    This wait is really brutal. My employer has so far received receipt # for only 1 person. Reading others comments gives a little hope that notifications from USCIS are not employer dependent in-fact its person basis.

    Reply
    • Hi,
      Still waiting, also NON-AD/PP/CA. I contacted my attorney today, he said many PP receipts came in last week, and that some should still come this week. We (PP) still have a chance, at least until the end of the week.

      Reply
  10. Advanced Degree/Regular Processing/Vermont
    Office Location – Virginia
    Lawyer location – Washington DC
    Received Date – April 10, 2014
    Notice Date – April 17, 2014
    Lawyer informed me at around 5:30PM (EST).
    Was not selected in the lottery last year. All the very best to everyone who is waiting.

    Reply
  11. Well, I am in the waiting game too. All these people posting numbers about number of applications processed etc (check posts from moleculaire, MM) – how are you getting to know all these numbers? How do you know if your application is 500** or if 3300 applications have been processed as of today? People like me are still waiting to hear from USCIS and out of desperation we do check the forums day in/day out. But I wonder how many of these numbers are facts..

    Reply
    • I know my number is 500** because that’s the number on the receipt mailed to my employer with my name, dob and employer name on it. There are no doubts as to it’s veracity.
      The only speculation I indulged in was that AD/PPs had a better chance of benefitting from the wait list than RQ/PP, and that’s based on the laws of probability.
      I understand you’re under stress, but please refrain from casting aspertions on others. This is a forum that’s helped many, and it’s been fairly cordial.

      Reply
    • Google “USCIS dashboard”.

      Then type WAC1414153000 for example. 141 is the day code for 21 April. The last five digits are the serial count, which begins at 50000 each day. If WAC141413000 gives a result, it means 3000 petitions have been processed. Keep increasing the serial number until you get “petition not found.”

      Reply
      • WAC1414153000, not WAC141413000.

        WAC = Western Adjudication Centre
        14 = year 2014
        141= day code for 21 April
        53000 = 3000th petition

        Reply
        • MM,
          Wow.. That’s a lot of work.. Thanks for the updates..

          Moleculaire,
          Thanks.. Well, I was not doubting the people, not in this forum at least. I was only questioning the logic. No offense meant!
          Again, I am glad it worked out for you guys and hoping the same too with fingers crossed!

          Reply
  12. Can anyone pls lemme know how many days the petition will be valid once approved and within how many days I should go for stamping???

    Reply
    • @Krish

      I think Visa stamping get started 3 month prior to H1B effective date. So I believe it should be 1st July.

      If you are staying in USA then you don’t need that stamping until you visit your home country.

      You will definitely need VISA stamping when you are planning to come back to USA for your employment from your home country.

      Reply
      • Krish / Smith,
        Actually it is 90 days. As some months have 31 days, July 1 is little on the edge.

        The petition validity period is typically 3 years but USCIS can approve it for a shorter duration based on employer’s request or their own discretion based on submitted documents and information.

        Reply
  13. Hello,

    I checked with our HR this morning if the check was cashed and got the reply that the receipt had arrived in the mail over the weekend. Mine was an advanced degree quota, regular processing petition, filed at the WAC. The receipt was generated on April 16 and number is 500**.

    I think if you are in AD quota/Premium processing there’s a good chance you’re on the wait list if you have not heard — AD/PPs will fill in any rejected RQ/PP (since the mechanism gives ADs higher chance).

    Thank you to everyone who updated their statuses, it helped keep track of the process. All the best to everyone waiting.

    Reply
  14. If SEVIS is modified to show that OPT has been extended to 30 September (originally OPT was until mid-May)–is that proof that the petition was selected in the lottery?

    Reply
  15. A couple of my colleagues got their receipts today. They have the exact same position as me. Also, there h1 petition was done exactly at the same time as me.
    So same employer, lawyer and position for us. Since I haven’t recieved a receipt, does that mean its game over for me?

    Reply
    • No.. It does not mean its all over for you. Last year I applied for H1b along with my colleagues in RP. I got mine earlier than others, but they eventually got picked up. So hang in there, and hope for the best.

      Reply
  16. 3300 petitions have already been processed by the CA center today. There’s still a long way to go before this process is over.

    Reply
  17. Hey I have a question. So will the lawyer get a confirmation that the h1b petition actually received by USCIS? I just want to know how we will know that our petition arrived at USCIS.
    Thank you and best luck to everyone!!!

    Reply
    • @Susan

      Most of the time lawyer send application by FedEx or UPS kinda of fast service. They get tracking number which gives us information that when your application got received and by whom. Ask your lawyer about method of service they used.

      My lawyer used FedEx and forwarded me the tracking number. My application was received on April 1st.

      Good Luck…

      Reply
  18. My lawyer just informed that the check has
    Not been cashed yet. I am PP and from what I Read PP
    Should be done by April 28.
    Since the check is usually cashed a few days before getting the receipt I feel
    Pretty hopeless ? Does that mean I’m
    Out?

    Reply
  19. AD/PP/CA

    Just got the e-mail from the lawyer that my case has been selected. I was anxious too. This means that there is still lots of hope for PP. There is hope until you receive the rejection package.

    Reply
  20. WAC generated more than 3000 receipts most of them are dated APRIL 10th.
    So guys more receipts to come. Best of luck too all

    Reply
  21. Got home from work saw the USCIS envelope (H4 receipt notice) right in front of me which my wife picked up from mailbox . After reading got some hope that my H1b would have made through the lottery, contacted attorney immediately and guess what I was right. Selected!!!

    Thank you God!!!

    Guys don’t loose hope. God will listen to everyone.

    AD/RP/ California
    work location – Indiana
    Notice date- 15th April

    Reply
  22. My lawyer Ogletree deakins had applied AD/RP/CSC. I have not received the receipt yet. I can see a number of people receiving the receipts today. Is there still hope for AD/RP applicants? I heard last year people had received receipts till mid May 2013. Please someone help.

    Reply
    • @Anxious

      Yes don’t loose hope yet. There is still a chance. Like I have replied to others before. One friend of mine got his receipt around April end last year. He was in AD/PP/CA.

      Another friend of mine was in AD/RP/CA who got his receipt around mid May.

      So just loose hope until you received your packet back from USCIS.

      Good Luck my friend. I hope best for everyone who are patiently waiting.

      Reply
  23. Hi,

    A couple of my colleagues got their receipts today. They have the exact same position as me. Also, there h1 petition was done exactly at the same time as me.
    So same employer, lawyer and position for us. Since I haven’t recieved a receipt, does that mean its game over for me?

    Reply
      • All were AD/PP. It was just us 3. Literally same everything. I don’t know what can be a possible reason besides not being picked. But anyways, I’m always hard on luck.

        Reply
        • Hi Abhi,

          Which Service center is this?

          Last year my employer had applied for 5 people, and one of the guys got his notice in Mid May.
          All were RP though.

          This year my employer has applied through PP.
          2 guys got their receipts 1 week ago..

          Dont worry , keep your faith and you will get it 🙂
          I am sailing in the same boat.

          Reply
  24. Its really been hard time waiting for the confirmation and still the wait continues.
    Tried checking with univ on SEVIS update and no luck.

    AD/RP/VT.

    Reply
  25. AD/PP still waiting for confirmation.
    anyone with AD/PP still getting receipts..? Are they still sending out PP ..? or have they also doing REG..

    Reply
  26. Ad/pp stilll waiting.

    Guys, what are the options if rejected in lottery. I heard that we can continue work on CPT. Does any one knows any university/program that offers full time CPT?

    Reply
  27. AD/RP/VT

    Just got an email from my lawyer with receipt. Number is EAC141375XXXX and had a notice date of April 17, 2014.

    Reply

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