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
- Applying for H1B 2015 ? Read : Step by Step Plan to Apply for H1B 2015
- How to find H1B Visa 2015 Sponsors ? Various Options
- H1B Visa 2015 Lottery Prediction – USCIS Data, Trend, Analysis
- USCIS Official News Release : H1B FY 2015 Petitions Accepted from April 1st. Summary
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.
Cant we get a no objection letter from home country?
there is a home rule requirement .. If we can get a waiver before applying to J1..
It may be hard.. Any one here has done this? Please comment!
Right now i am placing my bets on L1B..
How can you get sponsorship for a J-1 visa in the first place?
Private sectors can sponsor you for J1..
They can hire you as an “intern”
What are some good plan b’s and c’s? If OPT is going to get over..
is F1->J1>H1b risky?
or trying L1b?
or F1 + cpt?
or PHD?
Jobs in Canada/UK/India?
When is a good time to sell your car etc?
As soon you get the rejection?
F*** have a rented lease too..
While we wait AD guys wait for miracle to happen, lets work on plan b’s and c’s
good idea.
Can you request your manager/HR for internal transfer to Canada or the UK? Canadian and British work visas are a lot easier/faster to attain with none of this lottery non-sense.
You can only apply for L1 if you have worked for the same company abroad for more than one year. If you do qualify, then L1 is a great alternative and much better option than H-1B.
Ph.D. is also great, if you can get into a program within the next few months. Ph.D.s also have the benefit of doing post-docs, which allow them to apply for Green Card without sponsorship (though very stringent research and published work requirements… about 15 published works in highly reputable journals and citations). This option is great if you already have a Ph.D.
Again, there are many many alternatives.
*J-1*
What are your thoughts
Not a great option… especially if you want to transfer back to H-1B/Green Card in the near future:
Upon their departure from the United States, J-1 visa holders are required to complete a mandatory two-year home-country physical presence prior to re-entry into the United States under dual intent visas, such as H1-B. You can NOT transfer from J-1 to H-1B directly, unless there is a national interest waiver.
Cant we get a no objection letter from home country?
Yes that is possible. You need to inquire your home country consulate first for their policy (e.g. Chinese Consulates require that you be on the J-1 program for more than one year before issuing the waiver).
Obviously there is no guarantee because it is based on each individual country/embassy’s policies.
Mueller,
Do you know how the Canadian work visa system works? My company does not have a branch there so I can not get an intra company transfer. However, I was doing some research online and it seems like the have a point based system where you can qualify for a visa without having a job offer. That seemed a little surprising to me, or I am just not reading between the lines here and missing something obvious. Anyone have input/experience on this?
Does your company have a branch in the UK or the EU? They are also good options.
Yes, that is correct. It is based on a point system.
Yes we have a branch in the UK and I did bring it up to my manager but did not get much of an answer. Specifically said its not impossible but there is a small chance. I dont know whether I sit here waiting for that small chance.
So regarding the Canadian visa, would I be able to get the temporary work visa, move to Canada and then look for a job once I am there?
Btw, your help and input is much appreciated.
I am Non AD/RP so still hoping and praying…
@Canadian Work Visa – I don’t think you are eligible to get a temporary work visa unless you have a written job offer in hand. Even if the job offer is for a temporary position, you are still eligible to apply online. You are however, eligible to apply for a visitor/tourist visa that allows more than 6+ months of stay (1-2 years), and use that time to interview at various jobs in-person.
The temporary work permit application Canada is actually very simple, in that you can submit the application online at anytime or with a local visa office. Of course, a job offer, even a temporary one, will make things a lot easier.
Use this site to determine your elibigility: http://onlineservices-servicesenligne.cic.gc.ca/eapp/comeToCanadaResult.do
@Canadian Work Visa – I don’t think you are eligible to get a temporary work visa unless you have a written job offer in hand. Even if the job offer is for a temporary position, you are still eligible to apply online. You are however, eligible to apply for a visitor/tourist visa that allows more than 6+ months of stay (1-2 years), and use that time to interview at various jobs in-person.
The temporary work permit application Canada is actually very simple, in that you can submit the application online at anytime or with a local visa office. Of course, a job offer, even a temporary one, will make things a lot easier.
same here my company also doesn’t have a branch there..
But the work permit in canada seems achievable..
Get a canada vist visa first (so that you can go onsite for interviews)
Maybe you can try applying online for jobs in Canada? Once you have a job offer it seems to be easier..
good idea.
Can you request your manager/HR for internal transfer to Canada or the UK? Canadian and British work visas are a lot easier/faster to attain with none of this lottery non-sense.
You can only apply for L1 if you have worked for the same company abroad for more than one year. If you do qualify, then L1 is a great alternative and much better option than H-1B.
Ph.D. is also great, if you can get into a program within the next few months. Ph.D.s also have the benefit of doing post-docs, which allow them to apply for Green Card without sponsorship (though very stringent research and published work requirements… about 15 published works in highly reputable journals and citations). This option is great if you already have a Ph.D.
Again, there are many many alternatives
Any good CPT offering university in east coast. My job is in FL
AD/pp
Did any one get receipt for non- Ad / RP/ VT…… Any idea When did they start sending mail? Did any one in this category got mail ? Plz keep updating
Some of them got receipt today…
Got notification from employer. Got selected in lottery. Vermont RQ RP.
Silent reader for 2 years.Finally sharing good news. All the best everyone !!
Congratulations !
Congrats!!! I am also waiting for my Husband’s receipt number to come RQ/RP/VT.
What date your receipt was sent from Vermont center to your Attorney?
Congrats….
They started approving even regular processing…check out WAC1413652498
Dude even before 141 series, check WAC141385XXXX series.
Those are too for RP/RQ
Yeah it seems they are all done with the receipts and they started making decisions !
Hi Guys, I applied under RC/PP/CA. I am still waiting, do you know when they are going to start sending back the application package for those that were not selected in lottery?
Sometime within the next 2-3 weeks, or longer. There is no pattern in this, so it’s better not to wait but rather use that time to prepare for your Plan B/C 🙂
Hi Guys, Is H4 to H1 considered as normal (i.e. should be selected through lottery) or it is a different process?
Thanks,
same process! No different….need to get thru the lottery,…
Commenting to watch the comments
USCIS Will start approving premium processing on 28th April. So can we see few approvals on 28 th april? Any idea how it was happened last year?
Should be done by this weekend…. So tomorrow is probably the last day for PP after which am not sure if anyone regards to PP would get any notifications.. Not being Harsh but probably that’s the reality…
Count me also in as am NON AD / PP .. Still waiting ?
Anyone else
As for the approvals … They have a window for 2 weeks I believe ALL PP’s should be done by 15h of May or might probably extend another week.
Same case here… I am expecting receive my application package back in next couple of weeks.. 🙁
Mine AD/RP/CA still waiting to hear back from my attorney.
Few of other employees in same company already received it. Should I expect to hear something after this?
AD/RP/CA – You have time for this…. Probably can wait for another 3-4 weeks atleast to get to know your result…. To make a decision if you are through or not… Hoping to see you get through.. All the Best.
I am in the same situation as your’s… Don’t know what to do except waiting
AD/RP/CA… Same here. Don’t loose any hope before getting rejection. Snail mail takes time. Or you are just selected in RG pool and that good news is still on its way 🙂
Hi Guys,
Finaly received the receipt from Attorney now… 🙂 Lucky after 3rd time…..
Mine is Non-AD/Non-PP/ California (WAC-14-139-5xxxx).
I can see the notice date as April 18th.
Thank you god for your blessings…
Don’t worry guys you all will get… dont loose hope… god bless us all.
From which company you have applied in last 3-4 attempts? You response will help us evaluating our changes. Thanks in advance.
It means ur is in regular …right….then USCIS has started regular processing as well.
Lucky 3rd time, lottery started happended this and last year (April 13 and April 14), In 2012 there was no lottery.
@DP : Yes am in regular only. And my notice date states 18th April. However i received the receipt yesterday only. Guess they started to send receipts for Regular Processing.
@ Waiting – 3rd time lucky?? : Yes, 2012 in employer initiated very late and on the day my attorney submited my petition, cap closed (My bad luck).
Last year lottery and finally by god’s grace i got this time.
fragomen regular any1?
+1 RQ/RP/CA
Is this last EAC1413254030? Can any know tell what is the last number in Vermont and when they update ?
Seems like ppl who got the receipt no’s in last 2 days are able to track , but not the one which got it last
week like me.
16th April
April 13, still can’t track, it sucks.
is your(Waiting4H1B)’s premium petition?
Yeah, it premium.
PP applications are getting issued with Receipt #s not updating status in status tracker in USCIS site, mostly will get the direct approval notice because of the application needs to process in PP.
Wait for May 10th You will have final update with approval.
mine from 16th April and can’t track
I have a question. can you tell me if the applications are processed in any order?
Make sure u dont keep space betweenEAC and 1413****
Coz if u keep its not visible at all and it says can not found.mine is EAC14138508** (AD/RP/VT) but its trackable and dated on 17th.it was not trackable till yesterday noon but 1 pm it started and i saw my status as initial review.interesting thing is i haven’t received receipt yet,i mean my employer or attorney till today but check was cashed yesterday and i found out SEVIS change from DSO with my receipt number.so please guys try to check with DSO.its very easy to say for them.it took one minute for my DSO to reply me back my email with good news.
Beat of luck to all of u guys…
Hi,
I don’t think there is any order in processing the cases. My friend’s receipt# is eac1413252xxx which is pretty clear that it was generated before EAC1413254030.
is this(eac1413252xxx) PP application?
I had received my receipt for Non-AD\PP on 15th April, till day there is no progress in case status on USCIS state. Its still in Acceptance state. Can people with PP, share their experience after receiving the receipt?
Anyone here from microsoft still waiting? Ad/pp
Me. Screwed.
Just got an email from my attorney with my Receipt Number
AD/RP/VT
Good luck everyone!
Can you please let us know the notice Date of your Receipt?
Yes can you please let us know the receipt notice …. as we are waiting to get our receipts
I don’t know the date of the receipt.
All the email said was my #EAC
If your are PP and if you dnt ghit the lottery? do they sent 1225$ back as weel or just processing fees?
All fees will be returned.
Any RQ/PP today?? or should i consider my self not selected (second time)!!
U will recieve something next week…
Same here bro..second time for me too..evryone rcvd receipt in my company whom i know except me..all are REG/PP
R u guys from Cali center or vermount?
Mine is vermont..
We all are from Vermont Center.
I am also waiting for my Husbands receipt number to come , applied as Non-AD/RP/VT..
GOD CAN ONLY SPEED UP THE PROCESS NOW!!!!
Cali. and lets see what i recieve next week in the mail!
Today my consultant sent a mail as follows..
The premium processing cases selected, ideally should get receipt numbers by May 12th ( April 28th+ 15 calendar days) as they are bound by 15 calendar day time limit. For regular processing, ideally, you would receive the receipt numbers a little later. Last year, we have seen receipt numbers sent until late June. This year, we can expect it to be around the same or maybe a little late like early July, as the USCIS load has increased slightly ( Denying and returning more petitions
Do you mean receipt numbers or approval?
I think he means the petition approval..
•Premium Processing – Advanced Degree – Notification complete or almost complete (email notification)
•Premium Processing – General Cap – Notification complete or almost complete (email notification)
•Regular Processing – Advanced Degree – Receipt coming via snail mail
•Regular Processing – General Cap – No Updates
Above is my observation based on receipt notices updates posted by readers.
I agree with your observation
Yes, me too. Directly copied from Raghu’s post on happyschools.com
Good job copy paste expert!
Premium Processing:
I have not received any update on my application till now. In case if I do not get any update regarding my lottery before 28-April(PP), Will my application then be put under regular processing(RP) window which has time till 12/15 -May?
If this is the case, then I can still hope that my file would be picked before May 12th.
Please let me know.
Thanks/Roy.
Roy,
Even if your case is selected under regular lottery it should come before 28, since your case is premium.But there is always some hope left as yours can be on wait list.
– ad/pp waiting!
They should have better way to tell ppl that they picked up or not in lottery…especially to PP guys
Roy,
Your application is PP, so that will not have RP window.
I have applied last year and i was not lucky… I received my application back during last week of May..
Many of my friends whose applications were picked have received notifications until mid of May. Non-AD/RP notifications will only begun during last week of April… So friends do not get panicked…
For Non-AD/RP/VT people , it is heights of Frustration since, there has been no updates uptill now from Vermont at all.
Are there any receipts being generated for Non-AD/RP/VT or not?
Or it’s all over?
This week all expected Non-AD/RP/VT receipts to come but Vermont is silent on that.
Is it all over for Non-AD/RP/VT ?
Please some one tell about this thing?
Folks
Non-AD/RP/VT has just started in today. But very few. We can wait
until Mid of May. Don’t worry….
I am in very low mood today. I don’t know how many people already got the receipt of AD/RP/VT. I am still waiting. Who are in same situation.
Me 🙁 AD/RP..
which area are you at? I am in South.
Employer, attorney both located in Ohio 🙁
Me too. AD/RP/VT… Waiting！
Advanced Degree / Regular Processing / Vermong – located in Maine
Still waiting! Good luck everyone…
Me to AD/RP still waiting … all other folks for whom my employer applied for got their receipts except for me … am feeling super low …
Hi Admin,
Could you please get the cache issue corrected. Most of us are not able to see previous comment because of which we are bound to post multiple comments.
AD/RP/VT
Just received my wife h1b receipt notice.
EAC-14-137-XXXXX through regular mail.
mail to your home address or lawyer or employer?
Which area are you at?
Lawyer scanned the copy and sent. East.
Am waiting on mine AD/PP/VT
What is the notice date mentioned on the receipt for your wife ?
17th April
I tried to contact my lawyer again. Response:
Hi – that is possible, but we can’t be sure that we won’t still get any more receipts until after we get back the rejected cases.
I don’t fully understand what does it mean apart of confirming there are not many chances left. But each case is different. Keep your hopes.
means there’s no way of him/her knowing what is yet to come until they actually receive your rejection package. some receipts could still be coming but he/she wouldn’t know for sure.
does anybody know anybody applying for Green card directly from OPT?
EB1 maybe.
Yes You can file Green Card EB1 from OPT No Problem at all if you qualify.
May I know What ‘s your qualification? I can tell you how much chance you have for EB 1 green card.
Ph.d ECE analog circuit design from U of Maryland, (2 journals and 10 conference proceedings.)
working in Freescale semiconductor.
Also, you can have your employer sponsor for EB2 or EB3 even on OPT, if you have enough time left on your OPT, especially for non-Indian born folks.
Anybody applied through CTS and heard of receiving receipt for non-AD/RP ?
Just read that ppl have started getting receipts for non-AD/RP. Any idea how many receipts do both the centers send each day ?
Yeah, this is a very helpful blog to help guys like us want to hear from others but this site also reminds me the early days of Twitter when some of our tweets were being disappeared all of a sudden!
Any updates on non AD/ PP/ EAC…
haven’t heard anything yet today
If you find any PP getting receipt now:
ask them when their lawyers got the email. This delay is usually with the lawyers, HRs and the likes. ASK THEM FOR THE DATE EMAIL WAS SENT FROM USICS
Exactly!
I don’t think it’s the delay with lawyers/attorneys.
I have already inquired my attorney three times within the last three days to check specifically for my AD/PP/Vermont case. They have confirmed that they have not received my PP receipt, and that I should perhaps prepare for alternative visas.
I emailed my attorney. He said that he did not get any PP email receipts recently. He said that he is getting paper receipts only. He has a big firm and I am assuming that he has filed more than 200 cases.
I requested him to verify whether my check has been en-cashed or not.
PP applicants can retain hope till Apr 28 or May 12 or until we get our application back. But, I think it will be wise to look out for other options from Apr 29. If you get H1B in the mean time , it is not going to hurt anyone. I feel that by the end of May, those who were not selected may get their application back.
True. It is good to be optimistic. But also keep your plan B ready. I hope you get it
Waiting on receipts for Non-AD/RP/VT for my Husband, Is there any hope?
lots of hope…those are only now starting to come out so no need to panic
Question –
If someone is out of the country, do you think that the law firm applies premium processing still or they would do regular since there is no OPT expiration etc to deal with? Thoughts?
@ Holding on to hope
Well it depends upon employer most of the time. Better you ask this to your lawyer/ Employer how they proceeded.
According to me it doesn’t make any sense to go for PP, if you are out of USA and don’t have OPT to work, cuz in any case you wont be able to start your work until October 1st. So its better option to go for RP.
Yeah I definitely agree with you and that’s why I am reconsidering that my app was done PP. However, I’m scared to ask my law firm (Fragomen) since they’re acting kind of cold when people check in for status updates.
Any updates on receipts for Non-AD/RP/VT?
Where were you coming from Shiva ?
Any receipts for Non-AD/RP/VT?
got the receipt yesterday, employer HQ in NJ and lawyer in MA,
EAC14138*****
congrats!!!! Has anybody got receipts for Non-AD/RP/VT? Any Idea?
No. still waiting…
not yet
non ad/regular/fragomen atlanta
anybody got receipt?
Has anybody got receipts for Non-AD/RP/VT?
Premium Processing – Advanced Degree – Notification complete or almost complete (email notification)
Premium Processing – General Cap – Notification complete or almost complete (email notification)
Regular Processing – Advanced Degree – Receipt coming via snail mail
Regular Processing – General Cap – No Updates
Above is my observation based on receipt notices updates posted by readers.
When will Non-AD/RP/VT receipts come?
Please post if some body has got receipts today for Non-AD/RP/VT.
NON-AD/RP got to know today. not sure it is VT or not. Thanks
Any one selected from Syntel Nod-AD/RP.
I have seen only Non-Ad/RP/CA receipts came yesterday.. A few only..
Are Non-AD/RP/VT receipts come in soon? If so, How Soon?
Do you guys know of any big company or law firm that is posting their H1B success rate statistics? I wonder what chance AD folks had this year. I believe it was above 50% for the AD cap lottery. Now if that was ~50% and regular was ~40% then the proabability of not making it in either is ~30%. For instance I have 3 AD friends who all got receipts. I’m the only one who didn’t get it. What do you guys think? How many AD people you know got the receipt and how many didn’t?
I am in the same boat … employer applied for 8 AD all 7 got except mine … but keeping my hopes until I receive my package back …
All my colleagues and classmates that I know have got it-(6 of them), except me. I’m yet to find anybody that I personally know who hasn’t.
Wow that is a success rate of 87.5%. Much higher than my estimated 70%. Good luck!
nobody really knows how the lottery works….its all guess…..million dollar question….but AD really have a great chance in the lottery and what if it is based on employer or location based…:-)
Any non Ad/RP/VT recieved receipt today?
Is anyone able to track the EACxxxxxxxx receipt’s from last week , seems like the latest one are trackable , but not the one’s from
last week.
The latest trackable receipt # from VA is EAC-1413254030.
I dont see any further #s trackable.
Actually not true , for ex- I see EAC1413752848 which is trackable , seems like the ones issues last few days are trackable , but not the ones which got issued last week
Do anyone know the reason why previous receipts are not trackable?
Any updates?
My friend got his receipt number yesterday. His receipt was issued 6 days ago but he got it yesterday. So I hope I still have a chance … 🙁
what’s the stats on your friend? AD/PP?
AD/PP/VT
I guess . we can still have some hope on H1B .
as there is no PP for lottery picking process. It might take some time for then to mail the receipts all the selected people.
PP is only processed when your application is being processed.
So, hang on guys . We all will receive receipts and one more thing couple of guys who has applied 2petitions using AD program . some of them had 2 receipts so they are pulling of one of the petetion . so nothing to worry. have some faith and keep moving
Well but you get an email compare to snail mail…so thats way it is faster!!!
I hope what you are saying turns true! Non AD/PP/VT.. waiting:(
Please people post, if you have received receipts for RQ/RP/VT.