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 ?
Hope this names work for me..
Hello guys ,
Please use this name for you. Upto today morning I am also depressed . I used this name and have given one comment. Now I just got mail from my employer about I was selected. My receipt number is WAC1514653555.
I am also using ‘H1BSlaughteragain’ let me check my luck.
pls god help me, I am also using this name. This is my 3 rd time for H1b
Congrats. By the way what is your first alphabet in your actual firstname and receipt notice date?
Hi san….is h1b lottery results reciepts are sending based on the first name alphabet?…. It mean that from A to R letters are conpleted? Anyone knows about this…if so reply please
Anybody from other country where May 1 is not holiday, did you people received any Receipts from CSC (California). To know whether they have released or not. Please update guys.
Hi ragav,
My h1 got selected from California . Receipt number is WAC1514653555
Thank you Rajesh.
Non-AD/RP/VT. Till now cheque is not encashed. Is there any chance ?
Lot of chances are there upto 10th of May.. from 10th May to 15th May the chances will be 5% only.. after May 15th the chances are 0.1% up to end of June..
Me to waiting.. Don’t lose hope.. 🙂
Hope for me too
Come on little people, what makes the difference with the name? If you change your name to Barrack Obama, you will not become President of USA. God knows to give to the deserved one. Hope all of you believe in him, he gives what we deserve. Congratulations for all those who got selected. I am also waiting for mine. Let me see how much I deserve this time.
Hope that this name works for me too…
Anyone heard from Chugh Firm, USA ??
Hope this name works for my boyfriend too… Still waiting
I hope I get this time.
Any luck for infy guys?….have heard anything good?….
Please searc in google and know about infy
infosys whistleblower h1b
i wont bother abt the company…and what it does…i will bother abt my career and my skills….if you have skill… you can work anywhere …. If your father is a thief…that doen’t mean you are a thief….just you will be a sob of thief…..Try to attain your identity instead of inheriting your father(Company)
what is about ur father company?
Nothing yet ! Eagerly waiting for updates from AIMS .
Anyone from ibmgit reciept in Thursday or Friday???till when v can keep hope??
Last year I know in our account people got approx. till May 10th. This year I guess it could go up to May 15th or 20th since the number of applications increased which would be more work for USCIS. One of my colleague got yesterday but I can tell you for sure that the main week where majority of the receipts will come would be coming week…is what I feel from last year’s exp.
Number of applications does not matter. The number of accepted petitions is the same. The ones that were not selected are not opened, they are just lying around in a storage room, waiting for their time to go back in June.
Thanks bro – though diminishing but keeping candle alive for 10-12 more days…
My L1 was rejected in 2013, then my passport renewal took 3 months & I couldn’t apply last year… Applied 1 genuine petition this year… Seems like it is taking an eternity…
hey Ibmer..your colleague was Nonad/RP who got receipt no..I dont see any update on INSzoom after h1b on hold till march 31st.i am a NonAd/RP hope to get a mail from IBM US coming week
Yes, my colleague is non-AD/RP. But I am pretty sure that in the next week and after that people will get more receipts than what came in the gone by weeks.
Hoping the best for next week, fingers crossed, Any Idea how many apps was applied by IBM this year?
Is any one got receipt number form zslinc?
I got receipt number and when I check status it say ‘Case Received’. This is the status from last 4 days. I understand that PP will take priority over RP, but can someone please tell me the various stages involved in petition processing till approval. And also please let me know by when normally on an average the petition processing ends for Non-AD/RP. Thanks.
Got my receipt number- NonAD/RP/CA
WAC-15-143-XXXXX.
Lucky H1BSlaughteragain works for me.
I got it in first attempt with single application.
Best luck guys don’t loose your hope.
Is any one got receipt number from ZSL inc ?
Feeling very terrible. .. Don’t know when the next set of email will be floating. Definitely USCIS should improve the process and transparency. If lottery is over by apr 13 why people have to wait this long, doesn’t make any sense to me. ..
if it doeesn’t make sense to you , shut the f–k up and dont apply for next year.
Atleast one count from your stupid MNC’s will be reduced.
Any1 from Infy got update?? No news yet.!!
Are there any chances for Non-AD/RP/California??
Plz anyone update me…
Thanks in advance.
Chances for non-ad/rp/can…?
Update from last night: sent email requesting updates about me from Internal Visa Cell. They came back ..The latest updates will be shared to corresponding ISU RMG, We TCSer need to check with ISU RMG. However, notification will be available from 4th may onwards till June.
Thanks for the info… Will they rollout the list on 4th or do we need to contact our respective RMG’s …
Desperately waiting for some good news next week. I only have one genuine application (Direct company hire).
This is really disheartening, my employer said that out of 10 they have only got one receipt till now. and they expect another couple of applicants to get through. Hope I am one of them.
My future depends on this opportunity, and I really want it. I wish I hear something early next week, else it will be all over.
High probability till May 10th .. is what I saw last year.
Non-Ad/RP/VT – Still waiting..!! My employer said..we can still have hopes till end of May..Hoping for Best..!!whenever there is a gmail notification on my mobile, thinking that it will be mail from my employer..!! 🙁 Mind is not stable.. !!
Me too.. when getting a mail…. sleepless nights.. 🙁
Me too in the same situation. Not able to concentrate on any other work..
Mine is Non-AD/RP/California.
Anyone please suggest me till what time I can wait for some good news..
thanks in advance.
Guys.. Got informed By my global IT firm, from Upcoming week i.e. from 4th may till end of may, all will be getting final status.Dnot worry guys. We can do hope ,nothing else.
Even I am worried.. Lets hope for some luck next week, else I think its almost over.
What does it mean
That means, check was encashed.. Your application got selected in random selection.. Congrats.. 🙂
I am waiting to hear such good news for mine NON AD/RP..
Any new approvals for CTS
Non AD RP VT waiting ……….
??
Got information from my consultant, that I am picked in lottery… Still no updates on receipt number from consultant… What does that mean??
Anyone from Accenture received any updates ….? …. Looks like CTS is the only one that has a stream lined process for notifying selected people with minimum fuss 🙂
IBM as well. They notify employees with in max 5 days after receiving the receipt number. This is what I saw last year and this year.
Still waiting Non-AD/RP/CA.
If using this names gives a lucky chance then why not try.. I know this is very silly but I’m just doing this 🙂 I’m non AD/RP and only 1 genuine application. This is the first time I have applied for H1 in my last 10 yrs of career.. Though I’m Non AD for US but I’m holding the Masters degree from IIT..
Using this name..if luck works for me…Not sure about TCS,but in IBM even if the employer would receive hard mail from USCIS on may 1st..IBM would take around 10days to send out notification to selected Employees.i am from Ibm Pune..NONAD/RP..ONE more thing can we check which center was our application filed at?cali,vert?
Waiting !!! Believing in God
CTS, Non Advanced Degree, Regular Processing, California Processing Center received the receipt number on Wednesday. Heard that only less number of the selected AD/RP applications received receipts from CA. Good luck, stay positive.
CTS Dangamari, you could have kept this info with you itself, instead of panicking people here. Share positive info’s alone, keep negatives with you itself.
Well Said Bro, I am not sure why and how people will get fun by creating fuss and uncertainty comments.
received receipt yesterday. NonAD/RP/VT.
Hi all,
I am applying second time. Still did not hear good news?. Mine is non-ad/rp/vt. Let’s hope this name bring luck for me. May I know upto when we can have hopes?
So many members got reciepts.feeling like why only me.looks like game over for nonad rp.unlucky for 2nd time.feeling depressed… Sad..
Single applicant
Bro, US is not the end of the world. Don’t worry, can’t we be happy here? just that you tried at least and now it is not in your hands. We are all in the same boat, let us wish good luck for selected candidates.
Waiting
Guys.. this is really paining….can we expect any more from this centre… Non AD/RP/VT… please advise based on your past experience…..
Dont worry man… My coworker just got this receipt on thursday. he is AD/RP/VT..I am keeping my hope another two weeks. I am also AD/RP/VT
Anybody on CPT got an Approval or RFE?
Using this name … Hope look turns in my favour !! Waiting waiting , haven’t heard any news yet 🙁
Look or Luck?
Anyone from CTS Hyderabad, CA center got receipt?
looks like our GM people not yet updated even though they got receipts from USCIS, because of holidays.
Anyone from Capgemini got receipt Non AD/Regular
Still awaiting an email from immigration team.
Can somebody explain what AD/RP/VT means?
also all of the AD/PP…I mean al the acronysm used in the forum..
thank you in advance
AD: Advance Degree : Masters from USA
non AD: Bachelors degree ( india or usa / world) or even masters ( not from USA )
PP: premium processing , for faster service by paying extra 1250 USD as fees
RP: Regular processing , normal speed
VSC/ VT: Vermont Centre
CSC : California centre
Tons of Non-AD/RP/VT folks on this blog have received their receipts already! It almost feels like they’re moving quicker instead of slower this year. Receiving a receipt around the end of May or beginning of June sounds so unlikely at this point… I’m starting to lose hope.
Mine is Non-ad/PP/CA
I got my receipt number on Apr 16th.
I don’t see any update on status tracker. And it’s more than 15 calendar days.
So is that normal?
Thanks!
For ALL premium processing cases the 15 day clock started on April 27. So the adjudication can come anytime until May 11.
this is the 2nd time I apply and finally I got it ! last year I was not picked though, only applied for one single petition through the company I work for, this was my last chance otherwise I would have had to go back to my home country , thank god I was picked!
Good luck to all the legitimate applicants! stay strong!
WAC151435XXXX
Receipt date April 13th
Notice Date April 24th
Congrats !
I got one too this year , 2nd attempt
only 1 application was filed
nonAD/RP/VT
I have got my receipt but I seek your help in this one thing.
A good way to gain attention towards h1b visa abuse and other multiple filing issues would be to write an “Open Letter”.
An unbiased opinion on the abuse of h1b visa. There are several ways h1b is abused (legally and unethically)
1. A US Master can only work in the specific field on OPT and then apply for h1b for job in his field. But, as we all know people from all fields are trained and taken into IT by these desi consultancies. eg. A friend of mine did finance and now is working on an IT tool called informatica(Abuse)
2. People filing multiple applications only to gain advantage to win the lottery. They do not have genuine jobs for that matter. So they pay and gain h1b jobs.(Abuse)
3. Consultancies filing h1b petitions for client sites that does not exist or require h1b worker.(Abuse)
Can you guys suggest more ways or correct me if i m wrong.
Anyone from Sigmaways got updates for Non-AD/RP/CA ?
Non AD-RP-VT. My lawyer just gave me the good news!!!!! 🙂 It is my second year trying and I actually had to leave the states last year. I really thought I wasn´t going to make it …So HAPPY!!!
Good luck to you all! This is a really painful and stressful process, I hope one day it will be squeezed into a couple of days and they´ll eliminate the lottery!
My prayers for all who haven´t heard yet from uscis!!!!
I really want this name to work for me too… Non AD/RP/VT. Single genuine petition 2nd time…
Non AD/RP/VT, Hope this name works for my Wife’s H1. Waiting for good news!!!
All the best , you will get it
My Wife got today nonAD/RP/VT ( this was 2nd year of attemp)
only 1 application filed!
Let’s hope that this name works for me as well