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 ?
Any AD/RP got approval notices ?? after getting picked in lottery.
TCSers…its out guys…chk ur mail.
Got the confirmation from RMG
dude, u got a mail from RMG or your superviser got a consolidated email?
TCS banglore ..had mailed about the status to ISU RMG/FDFU..got the reply as u have been selected…nothing more
Just mail them guys
U from which branch? Got anyone mail?pls respond
When is it out ? I checked the mail at 7 pm .
VTS gone into Maintenance mode till 11PM IST. Check mail regularly .
Waiting for results.. I have been told by my employer that the results may be out by 15thMay.
Trying Second time ..
All the Best to everyone.
Whats chance for AD/RP?
I am worried and praying badly.
Plz all pray for me, i am in Us with family and its my last chance.
Anyone status got updated in AIM’s? Infosys
Did any1 get packet return????????????? share info plz
My colleague sent mail to ISU RMG seeking update. Once I hear back, will notify you. Thanks !!!
Did any1 get back their packet, AD or NON-AD or PP or NON-PP, please post. Also share the information you have abt uscis returning packets. Thanks!!!
Last year we received our packages back on 12th June. Our cases were NonAD/RP/VT.
Hi All,
Can someone tell ..wht shl be d last date/time upto which we can anticipate H1 receipt…
Just tired 🙁 awaiting the loong wait
Can’t agree with you more !!
this is my second attempt 🙁
Same pinch:(
There will be considerable amount of receipts sending this week and also a few number of receipts next week is the good news.This based on my employer’s idea being an H1 b company for years. Bad news is it may not be as many as receipts sent during last couple of weeks.I know it’s very tough situation.Don’t forget to work on a plan B meantime.
Is there any chance for nonad/pp/cal.this is my second time and till now no update…please reply…
Any updates from Fragomen. AD/RP still waiting
GM All…still waiting for mine..Non AD/RP/Vermont.
Are we still getting the RP receipts?
If yes, till when we can keep hope..any pointers based on previous years’ experience….thanks!
Finally my check got cashed after a long wait..AD/RP/CA.. Any idea how long it would take to receive the receipt number after the checks getting cashed? And can we upgrade to Premium at this point, is that advisable?
Congratulations!!! when did it get cashed?
Yes, you can request for premium. But, whats the use? at best you will get it approved/RFE within 15 days. I wont advise it unless you are expected to leave the country before Oct if you dont get H1B.
May i know the first letter of your last name?? Just checking whether they are processing in alphabetical order.
Regular or premium?
Any one here from Zensar? Any update from Travel Team ??
Hi Guys,
It’s gonna be the end of the day. Any Updates for TCS under Regular Processing… ??
No updates from TCS
I am from CTS Hyd and i got my recipt notice at 6.49 PM . An end to the frustrating wait and i know how difficult it is. All the best guys . My case is filed in Vermont and Recipt number is EAC15144*****
congrats raju
Thank you
Hi raju,
Any of your friends got it today as well? bcoz many here in chennai didn’t get any updates after thursday evening.
OMG.i got receipt today at 7.33 PM.it’s raining receipt for CTS. Congrats to all for support and updates.
Which centre?
non-AD/RP/VT.1st attempt
Congrats man it seems all is thrugh Vermont..
TickTickTick…nothing there for me, please let us know if those who got receipt this week, at lease this means there is till hope. Thank you.
AD/RP/VT
+1
Based on what I hear from people,They said lottery is random but they spread the visas to different employers.Most of my friends got their reciepts because they were the only one who applied for H1B in their company.So Seems Like if you are the only employee in your company,The chances are high for you to be selected.I have Single application, Mechanical Engineer.First Year.
I believe that every company gets some %, my employer applied only one application.hope things work out.
Please let me know if you are the only one in your company.
Non-ad/Rp/VT
I heard many people saying the same. I’m the only one applying at my company as well, non-ad/rp/ca. I’ll let you know if I hit the lottery. Please let me know if you get picked. Best of luck.
Thanks Buddy,Good luck.
Anything?
My case Non-ad/Rp/VT:
As you are asking the question , my case as well. I got receipt on 29/05/15. from my employer. So Hope fully you will receive your receipt very soon.
I am only the H1B Applicant form my employer like you guys. Finally i got receipt. Hope for the best.
I wish you good luck. All The best.
Thanks
Am on the same boat. Only one from my organisation
Hi I am from L&T Infotech, wanted to check if any one from L&T received receipts? And what will be the last date for USIS to stop sending receipts? Do I have chance until USIS stops sending receipts.
Thanks
can anyone mention who got reciepts ,please tell their firstname starting letter
Any AD/PP/VT’s waiting?
+1
Waiting and hopeful
Praying for all , including me..
Y hcltech guys are so silent
Yes, why ISG is so silent? Just had a chat with my friend who got H1B last year, he said “in between May mid to June mid, we might get further details”, probably HCL should adapt CTS way (which will not happen though), if you get any updates, please post here. All the best for you.
Hi Is anyone from infy got the result. Till what date we could keep the hope?
Hcltech -You will get to know the results of the lottery only in 3rd week of May.. until then stay tuned.
Boss y so late??
Got an email from my employer that my check was encashed on Friday. Don’t loose hopes!
In my project three people got receipt, when i checked the application tracker for them, it was in the same center and at same date and time the application was filed.
Does that means its over for me? Can any of the experts here help?
when did u friend got receipt? and what was the centre? How many people filed from ur team?
You never know how USCIS works, but yes I think less chances.
I assume u r Non-AD/RP. There is no time mentioned on the receipt. Only date is mentioned and it really has no significance. So eventually I would say the game is not totally over for u but changes r decreasing with every passing day.
Center is vermont. Total 7 were filed. I think they got on thursday evening.
any update guys from cts., last week I think many got their receipts from csc and vsc
Any hope for AD/RP guys ?
dont know ,some say yes ,some say no .. I am waiting too
Ca?? Or VT
VT?
AD/RP/VT Waiting here too, this is my last chance…
Same boat!
Folks whoever waiting out there , you can keep your hope alive.There will be considerable amount of receipts sending this week and also a few number of receipts next week is the good news.This based on my employer’s idea being an H1 b company for years. Bad news is it may not be as many as receipts sent during last couple of weeks.I know it’s very tough situation.Don’t forget to work on a plan B meantime.
Just wanted to mention this as some idiots are trolling here and playing with your emotions.
Pray hard for a good news!
I got mine by the way, wanted say all the best to you!
Non-AD or AD
when did you get your receipt? which service center?
Non Ad-RG-Vermont, I got it on 1st of May
Me and my friend are awaiting the lottery status. Would test out our luck on today’s results….
Feeling tensed…!!
Anyone filed through BAL got an update for RP/NAD?
Hi Guys,
Any one received recipt from California center for RP/Non-AD?
RP / california / Non AD
upto what time we should not loose hope ?Any idea…
Any CTS guys got their receipts today??
Nope. None, I know have received the receipt.
in my project 2 already got
RP/NonAD/VT .. processing has been completed for VT and no more receipts will be sent out. I got my receipt.. those of you who haven’t got yet.. Bye.. C ya next year.. dont wait now.. hard luck.. better luck next time..
Are you THAT officer from VT?
Very funny )))
How come you know that VT processed all NON AD reg petitions?
…..feeling like looser……
I wish someone who really needs the visa to get it EXPECT YOU!!!
You are trolling all the time and people here having tough time.
Is not appropriate to just play with the psychology of those people who havent received something yet but they STILL HAVE HOPES.
Why are you crushing the dreams of these people.
If you have some ethics you have to stop writing in this blog.
If you continue is disrespectful not only for the others but for you also. If you have some ethics stop lying.
Thank you.
I have received nothing yet and I’m PP. Is there any hope still? When should I keep waiting till?
I should have received a notice of receipt at least right?
Me also waiting, I guess very slim chances
I am also waiting. NON-AD/PP
I thnk PP is over way long back.I received my receipt on Aug 16th.Mine is PP/NON-AD
Any H1b update from Techm folks here ?
+1. No updates yet. Any idea when do we get to hear from visa team?
I am RP/Non-AD. how about you?
Probably from 2nd week May. Not even any friend got any update from nonad/RP yet.
I came to know, Visa Cell has got first batch results…They didn’t officially share with managers yet…They are planning to share after receiving all the batch updates and share altogether…If you know any1 from visa cell personally…we can get the status…
Any updates from Mphasis , India
One of my friend from CTS Pune got mail on Friday saying that his case has been picked in lottery …So CTS guys should expect more this week… all the best Guys…
Anyone from Infy got the receipt number updated on AIMS portal?
not for me…
I heard that today some ppl have received confirmation in AIMS today.
any update from Wipro?
every company except Wipro has shared the results?
Buddy.. Not even a single receipt received from TCS side..
There is no update from GIMS/OOC, will let u know if i get any news(chennai)
olllaaaaa laaaaaa…..yipeee
Any one from jean martin here?
RP / Vermont / Non AD .
upto what time we should not loose hope ?
until this week..
Till May end
Any updates from GIMS Wipro?
No …………. 🙁
Yes. My name is not in first list .
GIMS person told me 🙁
are you sure.. ? names come as list by list ???
Yes Sir . He told me that my name is not in first batch .
How many such lists we can expect ???
He told that tonight 2nd list may come .tomorrow wipro will send mails.
Same old story from GIMS as ” Sir, please wait for 2nd or 3rd week of MAY. “
Guys, there is no list published by GIMS as of now.
Lets pray for our selection.
JMD!!!
Btw, any idea if result will be updated in GIMS website first or they will notify thru email?
For me, filing status was updated in the webpage before the email notification.
Hello TCS !!! Fires up with emails as usual
Has TCS started?
Nope. Got inform from Internal Visa cell that all details have been shared to respective ISU RMG. Awaiting
This is like our band release.So keep check VTS and Email,
So can we expect anything today?a huge number. Any update about that.
Got the same update from visa cell.. Wonder y they dont communicate the result it with the employee as well, like in other companies..!!
Only we people are actually more eager and not ISU RMG.. Always these guys play around with employees..!!
Same Circumstances !! communicated with Project PMO about this. Came back that yet to receive ,He had that last sheet by 23rd April . But Storm is waiting guys !!!!
How funny the FDFU guys or the SSG guys in TCS answer when you go to them on a query about your H1b visa receipt. Saying the details are shared with ISU RMG Head, Kindly contact them. Why will the RMG Head even bother about my visa. He being at such a big position.
Silly FDFU illiterate fellows. Sometimes its funny i keep laughing remembering this..
Definitely not today.. Everyone knows well about the management team..
But in case, if anyone get any update, pls do post it here..
Any idea for how many people H1B has been raised from TCS side? and any rough calculation, from which how many will get through..!!
Could not able to determine the whole structure .Lets say, at previous year, from my project ,people applied 35 ,RFE-5,Selection:18.
RFE means?
If you don’t know what is RFE, you don’t deserve a H1B. When you apply for something, try understanding the procedures involved in it.
I wonder what exactly people like you will do in the US when you don’t try to think beyond a small circle.
At least before asking the question, you could have searched on the internet to know what is RFE. Just blindly putting a question like this!!!!!
no_H1B_for_u: boss i like your reply to the earlier post..!!
hahaha..!!!
@no_H1B_for_u…Hahaha..Thats my boy!!
Hi, please don’t just copy and paste contents from other site. At the very least, please credit the original author of the post.
Can i know,from where you get this update
Any Update from UST associates?
Hello UST frnds, Many of the associates received the receipts. As per my knowledge one person today received.
Till when we should wait?
Any updates from Capgemini ? Any one received any receipt no ?
Nothing yet. I have been asked to wait for 3 weeks.
Any chances for Non-Ad/RP/VT?