Updated : November 25th, 2015
H1B Visa 2016 Filing Season Complete, Cap reached on April 7th, 2015.
Planning for next H1B season, Check out H1B Visa 2017 FAQs
As many of you know, H1B Visa 2015 quota was over in the first week and a whopping 172,500 H1B petitions were received in first week by USCIS. H1B Lottery / random selection was held by USCIS to select 85,000 H1B petitions to fulfil the work permit cap. Many of the unlucky ones are already wondering about next year H1B Visa quota. Also, some of you are planning for H1B visa for next year, you also would be wondering regarding the same. This article addresses many of the common questions, it will be updated constantly, whenever any changes to info. Bookmark this page ! To start with, firstly the news updates on this season, followed by many commonly asked questions.
Official & Unofficial USCIS News Updates Regarding H1B 2016 Season
- November 25th, 2015 : There is no special news as such, but we have our readers reporting that their H1Bs are still being approved that were under regular processing. So, if your status is stuck at one status, there is still some hope…
- July 14th, 2015 : USCIS released a note saying that they have returned all the petitions that were not selected in lottery for FY 2016. If you do not hear back from USCIS by July 20th, then you can contact them. Check Press note
- May 4th, 2015 : Data Entry for Selected H1B Petitions Completed
- April 14th, 2015 : Premium Processing H1B 2016 starts from April 27th
- April 13th, 2015: USCIS receives 233,000 for FY 2016 Lottery complete.
- April 7th, 2015: H1B Cap Reached for FY 2016. Summary of USCIS News
- April 6th, 2015: Guidance to file Second Petition, if Delivery Service Errors
When will the H1B season for fiscal 2016 begin ?
USCIS will accept petitions for H1B Visa 2016 season starting from April 1st, 2015. USCIS did a press release on March 12th outlining the details. Read summary of press release by USCIS on H1B 2016 .
Will there be lottery again for H1B Visa 2016 ? Predictions ?
We had lottery for FY 2015 and FY 2014. The total number of petitions filed for FY 14 were about 125,000 and for FY 2015, there were about 172,500 petitions… As H1B Quota did not increase for FY 2016, and the demand does not seem to decrease, we would very likely have lottery for FY 2016. Read H1B Visa 2016 Lottery Predictions, Dates, Results
What is the H1B Visa quota Cap Count ? Would there be any changes to H1B 2016 count ?
H1B Visa quota cap count is the total number of petitions that USCIS will accept for a fiscal year to provide temporary work permit for highly skilled workers. For the 2016 fiscal year, the cap count is as below :
- Regular H1B Quota : 65,000
- H1B Masters Degree Quota ( only US Degrees) : 20,000
- Out of the above, a total of 6,800 is usually set aside for Singapore and Chile citizens as part of the free trade agreement between them.
As per the press release in March 2015, the quota did not increase. To give some background, as per the Obama executive action in Nov 2014, no changes were announced to the H1B Cap count. There was proposal in 2013 to increase H1B cap from 65,000 to 110,000 and Masters quota to increase from 20,000 to 25,000 did not go through as of March 2015. At least, for this FY 2016 season, the quota is fixed and it will be as above and no changes.
When should I start planning for H1B Visa 2016 ? What are the steps ?
It depends on your situation. Below are few scenarios and your plan.
- If you are a student on F1 Visa in USA, you need to plan for your internship/ CPT or OPT employment at a company that can sponsor your H1B Visa for FY 2016. In my view, you should start now to find something for the fall 2014 and continue that for next spring so that you can file for FY 2016
- If you are in other country and planning for H1B, it is good to start your process around the end of this year 2014. It will give you enough time to find sponsors, search for job, etc.
- If you are on H4, L1 or other visa in USA and planning for H1B for FY 2016, you also should consider looking around end of this year i.e. December 2014.
We have published step by step plan, you can read the article How to plan for H1B Visa 2016 ?Step by Step Guide
Most asked Question – How do I Find H1B Sponsors for FY 2016 ?
This is a million dollar question ! One of the biggest challenges is to find a good sponsor that can offer you a job and wait for you to start work after 6 months of filing your petition. You should review the detail article on How to find H1B Sponsors for FY 2015. Your first place of start is to find the H1B Sponsors in an area or by company. Use our H1B Visa Sponsors Database to search and filter. Read this article on details on how to search in our H1B Sponsor database. We keep the database updated as DOL publishes data. Do NOT share your email or phone number on our website as comments, there are many people do H1B Sponsorship fraud by requesting money using your contact info. RedBus2US.com never provides personal guidance on H1B sponsors or seeks money from anyone, we only display publicly available data on our H1B Sponsors Database page. We DO NOT sponsor H1Bs or guide anyone. Beware of H1B sponsorship Fraud !
What about Comprehensive Immigration Reform ( CIR) – H1B Visa Changes ? What are they ?
There have been some proposed changes to the H1B Visa program to cater to the demand in the US economy as part of the Comprehensive Immigration reform. Below are some of the proposed changes.
- H1B Cap to be increased from 65,000 to 110,000 per year. Also have provisions to have it up to 180,000 in case of extreme demand.
- Advanced degree from US cap quota to increase from 20,000 to 25,000
- The Filing fee for H1B could go up to 10,000 USD
- Additional H1B rules to avoid H1B Visa fraud by employers
- Mandatory LCA posting for 30 days before it is certified.
These were proposed in 2013, but nothing has moved significantly and all the above are just proposed rules. We are not sure when they will be implemented. You can read Summary of CIR – Immigration reform – H1B Visa and Green Card to get an idea. The latest update is that Obama has taken executive action on Immigration in Nov 2014 and none of the below are included as part of that. Stay tuned for updates.
H1B Visa 2016 Fees – Any changes ? How much does it cost ?
There are various components of the fee. The H1B Application filing fee could range anywhere from $1,600 USD to $4,400 depending on the size of the company. The attorney fee can range from $500 to $3000 depending on the attorney. If you apply for premium processing that is another $1,225. The fees has not changed in the past couple of years for FY 2014 and FY 2015. Unless USCIS revises fee based on immigration reform, it should be same. We will keep you all posted. For complete details of the fee by components and break up, read the article H1B Visa Fees and Who Pays for What ?
H4 Visa EAD rule impact on H1B Visa 2016 Season ?
As you know, certain H4 visa holders are now eligible for EAD. The H4 Visa EAD Rule Passed earlier in 2015 and is effective from May 26, 2015. USCIS will start accepting applications for EAD from those eligible H4 visa holders starting from May 26th. The question is that will that have an impact on number of H1B petitions for this fiscal year ? It very likely will have certain impact on the number of H1B applications that are filed for this year 2016 quota. Many of the H4 holders, who would now be eligible for EAD, may not apply for H1B visa, just because it gives them more flexibility to work and more choices to work as well. We would have to wait and see, how much of an impact that would have, but it is very straightforward and no brainer for eligible H4 visa holder to avoid the H1B processing.
H1B visa Premium Processing Changes to H1B Visa 2016 quota ?
USCIS updated in their press release that the premium processing will be accepted for FY 2016 quota and they will only begin that “no later than May 11, 2015”. What it means for the petitioners is that the official 15 day premium processing clock starts from May 11th, 2015 and their petition could be adjudicated within 15 days from May 11th, which would be May 26th, 2015. USCIS can process them earlier as well, but their new timeline is just indication for setting the right expectations to meet the stipulated time frame for premium processing.
Track H1B Visa 2016 Cap Count updates ?
As in previous years, we have created a page, where would track the cap count updates for FY 2016. You may check out H1B visa 2016 Cap Count Tracker.
While you wait, you can check out April 1st – USCIS H1B Visa 2016 Season Starts Today, When to expect Lottery ?
H1B Lottery Completed – Official Tweet and Press Release
USCIS Completes the H-1B Cap Random Selection Process for FY 2016 http://t.co/fQ6EPUb8Y4
— USCIS (@USCIS) April 13, 2015
H1B Cap Reached – Official USCIS Tweet and Link to Press release :
We have reached the congressionally mandated H-1B cap for FY 2016 http://t.co/RTja7POWYY — USCIS (@USCIS) April 7, 2015
Any other questions ?
got an email from Wipro – GIMS at 4:10pm
We appreciate your patience and time and we shall revert back to you with status update of your application by 1st week of June.
Any updates from cognizant GIT?
Hey People,
How long generally does it take to process the petition.
I am on h4….my petition got picked under RP.
Thanks in advance
Can you please share the receipt date and when did you come to know this?
I got the receipt on may 2nd..
The case was received on 13th april and receipt was sent on 27th april to my employer
Im also waiting for updates…
received date: 13th April
notice date 27th april.
Do you know the nomal processing time of california center
There is no correct answer to this question. The answer to this question depends on the case and location. Every case in unique and every location has its own processing times. The typical duration for processing any H1B visa application can take anywhere from 2 to 6 months. The best case scenario is : H1B visa approval decision can take less than 2 months. The worst case scenario for the decision from USCIS can be as long as 6 months or more.
If you apply using Premium service the processing time will be less. Because decision was expected by May 15. For RP the processing will be anytime before Oct 1st.
Anyone from IBM kolkata got the receipt?
Many of us received waiting status mail from Accenture mobility team today..
I asked last year’s applicants, they say now the chances are very low..
is it true? if yes then I will begin my hunt for new job now.. 😀
hi, what was the content of the email?
Mine is non AD RP…my employer said that there is no updates on my application…so is it over for me…or still can I wait for some more days..
Hope this name brings luck for me……
Guyz…does anyone know if H1B Cap Exempt Employers pay you at all?…
Do they have jobs for IT like developers/testers/ba etc…
Does anyone have any pointers…
An exempt H-1B nonimmigrant is an H-1B worker who meets one of the following statutory standards:
• Receives $60,000 annual wages; or
• Has attained a master’s or higher degree (or its equivalent) in a specialty related to the intended H-1B employment.
The H-1B nonimmigrant, whether full-time or part-time, must actually receive hourly wages or an annual salary totaling at least $60,000 in the calendar year. The salary must be paid “cash in hand” and “free and clear.” It must also be paid when due. Cash bonuses and similar compensation may be counted or credited toward the $60,000 only if payment is assured.
Thanks a ton !…some hope atleast…
Accenture Folks started getting Updates from People Mobility.My Colleague got selected in Lottery.Mine still waiting ..Fingeres Crossed.Bangalore Location
Same status buddy.. My college got selected and my status is still waiting. Fingers Crossed
Location : Gurgoan
Ohh awesome which college you are passed out from, seems like ur college got H1B 😛 do u still think u deserve H1b 😛
Mine is waiting too and I checked with other people who got the same mail last year they said waiting=rejected. :'(
Hi,
Any updates from Infy?
Do we still have a hope..
No one got updates in my unit as far as I know.
Still waiting…..even in my unit no one got any updates so far..
Dnt understand why infy is so slow this yr…
Please look for Plan B..am 99% confident..Game over,guys! 🙁
Last yr people got updates till end of may n few got in the first week of june also…..so be positive n pray…
Infy had updated the next batch. Next updated will be on next friday(US time). After that i don’t expect any updates other than rejection.
I think from testing side nobody has received the receipt, infosys is very slow no doubt about that but mostly game is over. call to helpdesk and check, if it is received they will tell if not they will tell to wait for two weeks which means it is rejected.
This time GI has asked us to wait till Mid July in an official communication. So I think we have pretty good chances till atleast 2nd week of June.
In my unit also very few people have got updates. Lets hope for the best 🙂
My Receipt is on the way 🙂 can get an email from GIT team at any time from now 🙂
How do u say this??
Wake up my friend… you’re dreaming…..
HOW DO U SAY??
Hi,just now received mail from GIMS, saying my status yet to receive from USCIS & appreciated my patience. ?
Wipro guys,
Pls. Update.
I also got the same update email from GIMS.
My luck, pls favor me 🙁
Can we expect mail from CTS-GIT this evening?
Even GIT dont know… 🙂
Expect a mail in June end if you wish to rely on GIT 🙂 they dont tell until unless they get the package back from USICS and it takes a long time, yes indeed it will help your hope to be alive till they reply.. Dil ko khush rakhne ki Gali-e-Khayaal achcha hai..
waiting…
Me too waiting and this wait us killing me… om shivayah namah
Hello fellow Wiproites, Just got an email from GIMS stating they are almost done receiving all Visa confirmations and have no update on my application. I think its a generic mail being sent out to all those who have not got either acceptance/rejection mails. So I guess its over for this year. Gud luck Guys. tc 🙂
Hey buddy that smile at the end is what all matter.. 🙂 all of you who are losing heart remember its not the end something better is waiting for you
Hello fellow Wiproites,
I think we should call GIMS and check –
1) How many selection receipts they are expecting to receive from USCIS and update employees in coming days?
2)When we should expect the next announcement?
I see around 10-15 from Wipro active on this blog at present. If even 6-7 of us can get update from them, we will then have a rough idea about the numbers and time.
Thanks.
Good luck.
Jai Mata Di !!!
I tried asking this questions. They told me they dont have numbers
For those who wait…
Quote from Movie (The Shawshank Redemption)
Andy Dufresne: Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.
Update from Immigration girl.
***UPDATE 5/15/15 – Unfortnately for those who have not received a receipt notice yet, I think the time has come to an end. We have not received any since Tuesday. I will continue to update when we start receiving returned petitions, any RFE trends, and approval processing times. I wish everyone the best of luck with the next phase of your immigration journey! ***
whether it is from CTS?
Nope. Its generic update from an attorney
Yes, Immigration girl is girl from CTS…
ROLF
It is actually LOL and ROFL*
Anybody from Smartplay got selected in the Lottery ?
Any updates today infy guys?
Any idea if anyone from Infosys got updates in last 4-5 days.
So that we could keep our hopes alive.
Some of them got status updated on Friday.
Anyone got receipt today from GIMS?
Can we expect more receipts ?
I called GIMS in the morning. They informed that some status might come by Thursday
what is RFE ??
Request for Evidence !!! More info surf it as H1b RFE you will get more detailed information on this
All, I am from CTS – is there any hopes still left? I know many have asked GIT and they say wait till end of May/first week of June.
I heard that in TCS the managers get to know the results of their reportees in the beginning of May itself but formally the mail comes in towards the end of May only.
Likewise in CTS does our managers know if our case has been selected earlier itself? Any idea folks?
No. Managers will came to know once mail is triggered. They’re CC’ed
came??really….ROFL
:”{}
As per Accenture People Mobility Team they will be sending out a mass mailer on or before 22nd May 15.
It would be send to all who have been selected or not.
Fingers Crossed… Best of Luck 🙂 :>
This is the reply i got from RMS Team today on my query today.
Greetings from PMSD
People Mobility Service Delivery (PMSD) will keep you updated about the lottery status as soon as we hear from USCIS. We expect to receive the information about the application status by next week
Okay after receiving the mail i called up the Mobility guys, they said they’ll be sending out mails by end of this week. Fingers crossed….
anyone from infobean got update?
i think its game over now 🙁
OHH god… i did all kinds of pooja….my dear luck please embrace me….and embrace all the people who r waiting for this…be positive guys…i hope by end of this weekend we will get…..om namashivaiah…
God cannot help everyone at the same time man. Sorry to say that.
Any update from Wipro GIMS.
No update yet.
I don’t think we will hear anything today. May be tomorrow as even last Tuesday they informed many about selection result. (This is just a silly childish assumption to keep the hope)
when will TCS start sending receipt notices ??? All other Indian MNCs have pretty much started the process except for TCS.
Persistent Systems is also on the same track. Not even a single receipt received yet. Just want to hold resources for some more time. So they don;t leave the company.
Is there a bond in TCS for which they have filed H1B?
There is no bond as such. But the intention looks to be the same..Just hiding the results to curb attrition for some time..atleast they can start sending for the people who are through. they can hide for the ones who didnt make it 😛
Hope we will be notified soon by this week ,month end or till july. Sometimes TCS informed not only receipt no, but the approved petition to all. Even our manager yet to have details with them!!!
Ya, but for lot of us its a do or die situation because PSL don;t share any receipt numbers, only approval or rejection is informed. So we are sort of hand-cuffed here can;t leave the company until rejection comes, chances of which are quite high based on past approval data.
CTS guys please wait till this month end or probably this week. Cognizant is still receiving receipts and one more batch with good count is expected. After May 29 your chances are 0.01% or Game Over.
The above news is an official confirmation (to my Delivery Head) from a senior GIT official.
Thanks for the update.
Good man. Keep post if you get any new update. Thanks
Thanks for the update..
Thanks for the update 🙂
thanks a lot!!! for the update…..
USCIS Status just say “Case Was Received” from April 13th. No update.
Does it mean i need to worry.
its WAC center. My recipt number +1 got approved. and -1 got RFE. 🙁
Hey it is too early. I suggest you dont check random receipt numbers. It will only make you tensed for no reason.
There could be several reasons, usually it can take up to 3 months so hold on.
Any receipt received today from global mobility team(cognizant)?
Cog GIT is still asking to wait till 1st week of June as Cog US office is still receiving receipts and US office is sending to Chennai office in batches.
They no need to send it to Chennai. Its scan -> upload -> Mail trigger.
But I believe they send the hard copy
Waiting for the status , are there any chances left ?
Dont think so..
Game over
YEn boss ipdi? apo inime chance eh ilaya?
Ennama ippadi panurangaleh ma!!! Elarukum chance iruku thala. Varutha padatheenge Wipro romba slova irupange. Avnagaluku vanthalum takkunu solla matange!!! Hara hara mahadeviki… Guru gee huh nambunge!!! 🙂
Looks like for CTS guys its over,
I did not see single since from 3 days
Hi
My employer didn’t received any denial or selected lottery result or cash en-cashed , what does it mean ?
Meaning that you are not selected this year.Sorry
any update from Cognizant GIT?
Hi..Last Date For Lottery Confirmation…
Up to my knowledge there is no such thing called last date. But chances will be very slim from next weekend!
Hi All,
Any updates today??
My employer said they received a notification from USCIS that “Due Receipt and allocation will be confirmed.” Am unable to figure it our what does it mean. Hoping for the best!
Any updates in AIMS????
You must the girl from Aetna Account.. 😛 😛 😛 :P..Its Over now…It hurts I know…But that’s the reality..
How can u say its over??? There is no such confirmation from GIMS.
Dnt make ur own assumptions if u r nt confirmed..
Its the Immigration team which is delaying the response as I think the communication from USCIS has already been made for selected case.
I don’t know even a single guy who got confirmation in AIMS. Let me know if you know any.
Hey Infy guys we still have time. Even many of them are yet to receive confirmation. One of my friend got it on Friday. So still have time. My friend works in Bangalore location. Pray Pray and pray.
U all r right….v still hve time even in my team no one hve received any updates till nw…..i think v all shd wait for few more weeks…
God Bless all of us…
+ve attitude. Good luck man.
Hi Hatingtheuncertainty, Atleast you know the result that your case has been picked up by the lottery then it is certain…. Relax… why again hating the uncertainty
You are right, my friend, I am thankful I got thru. The only issue is I am supposed to travel to India in 2 weeks time, and I am not supposed to leave the country without getting the approval papers. Fingers crossed that I get them this week. Good luck to everyone who is waiting!
My petition was filed AD/PP at Vermont, and picked in the lottery. The USCIS case status online shows that my petition was approved on Apr 29. However, my employer has not received the physical approval documents yet. Anyone else in the same boat?
Yes, I am waiting for physical copy of notice too.Mine was approved on April 30th. AD/PP/VT
Btw only H1transfers/ CAP Exempt PP cases are approved within 15 days including mailing of I797. For any PP H1 CAPs/ new H1s 15 days PP window means approvals of cases only which does not necessary include sending of approval notices. In this case USCIS has luxury of lazing around as new H1s are any ways valid starting October of that year.
I am waiting for the results.. did anyone from Accenture receive the result ?
Intzaar…all good things to those who wait…..but dnt knw kab tak wait
No one I knw….sailing in same boat
pls do share if anyone has received anything! would be helpful to others too!
Anyone from Cognizant received any update in last 3 days? Or is it over for cognizant? Please comment…
Nope…. No updates in last 3 days… Waiting like you…
I tried this name since a couple of days ago, but nothing happened.Hope God brings me luck on next week, this is my last ray of hope, bless,bless,bless!!!
Good Morning, another fresh week started today(18/05). Last whole week gone in waiting and waiting. Please update if you anyone gets any update from GIMS(Wipro).
Anybody got receipt from infomerica inc.Please let me know.
Just trying my luck with this name.
Hoping for some miracle to happen tomorrow.. :p This wait is horrible 🙁