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 ?
only find stupid Indian comments..US should stop giving h1b to these morons#!!
smelly Indian people don’t come here..stay out!
First be intelligent enough to replcae indians, then we wont come , till then middle finger for you 😛
how do you smell bro :p
Dont forget , we’re skilled and have enough reasons to be as stupid as possible in reasoning lucks. If you’re so smart and brilliant, why would you come here then and read our stupid comment.
You dont belong here or anywhere. Since, we are morons. What you call your self ?? a HUMAN being.. Really is it so ????
Think of through your words and thoughts well before expressing in a forum. It will defame china as well because of your one irrelevant comment.
Take care. Good Luck 🙂
Mr. holachinna..
Open your eyes and read it..
“It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get.”
Trying my luck with this name.non_ad rp .applied 2nd time.did not hear from employer either on check encashment or receipt…
Accenture guys, any update from RMS team?? Really getting anxious… other companies have started getting notifications , dunno when we will receive..
Guys, did anybody filed through GEMINI IT LABS and got receipts. Please let me know…Please
did any one got Receipt today from CTS ?
Did anyone from Infy got updates today?
May this name change my fortune….
Cognizant Guys,
When you receive any email/update, kindly post a comment here with below details, ASAP. It will help many. We have only few days to test our “luck”. Thank you all. 🙂
Work Location,AD / NonAD, RP/PP, EAC/WAC, Receipt Date, Email received datetime..etc
As you know how many applied vs got receipts in you circle.
Guys, did anybody filed through GEMINI IT LABS and got receipts. Please let me know…
“did anybody fileD”. First learn basic English and then go to the fake consultancies like Gemini, Maa or Udaya IT Labs.
No Other Go..
I had to use this name to check my luck..
Any update for IBM India?
Hi CTS people and Analysts,
Is game over for NON AD/RP/CA. Lot of people got receipts in CTS and around the world.
CTS internal team asked us to wait till May 15. I dont think as they consider as the laaaast day to confirm.
Can we have hopes still ?
Hi Guys,
I work for a mediocre IT company (Company A) in India. Company A has initiated my H1B and I got the receipt number (WAC1514******) today 🙂
However, currently I have an offer from a very large MNC (Company B , Location: India) and they are ready to give me 60% hike. I really want to join Company B as it has better growth prospect. Can Company B buy back my H1B petition from Company A? Is it Legal?
Is there any other way I can join Company B and also get my H1B. BTW mine is Non-AD/RP/CSC. Please advice.
I guess you will be able to transfer your h-1b after you get approved your current h-1b petition.
You cannot change company until your H1B is stamped.
Hi Guys, Thanks for the Advice.
Could you please tell what is the criteria for H1B transfer?
(i) You can transfer once H1B is approved
or
(ii) You can transfer only after H1B stamping is done
or
(iii) Any other scenario. Please explain.
Waiting for my luck…..
My luck is going to give me peanuts..and the worst part is I know that…
checking for My luck too
Accenture Guys… any updates?? seems like RMS team is sleeping…. 🙁
No updates …
checking my luck…
My employer doesn’t even bother to take my call or call me back as he promises through mesaages…I would like to hear from him whether I have any hope left or not….he never answers for it..he doesn’t even care…I hate when I think why I applied through him#!!####
Checking my luck with the name ….. loosing hopes day by day 🙁
Got my receipt from the employer\consultancy on 4th May. This is the first time I’ve applied and feeling lucky. Out of 6 friends (including me), 5 applications are selected in lottery (All are first time applicants under regular processing). Got my receipt number too, application received date is mentioned as 13th Apr 2015 and Notice date as 28th Apr 2015.
I know it is tough & frustrating time for the people who haven’t received any update yet.
If you don’t get any updates before mid of next week, then I would say…….better luck next time. I feel USICS will complete sending the receipt numbers by this Friday and then 2-3 days for your attorney\employer to inform you.
But till then, I wish you best of luck guys.
Can you give first two words of your employeer/ consultant
I hope this name brings me luck, I am also waiting, nonad/rp/vt.
got the receipt today from cts chennai from VT.notice date is 29th April.
at what time?
Congrats, what time you got the mail from GIT?
around 10am
so the processing was done in vermont center and the receipt is date on 29th? (processing nearly 7 days from the date of receipt).. If that is so then its a ray of positive hope for all VT center applicants…
Yes, there were 2 more working Days [30th Apr and 1st May] for VT center to process the selected petitions. so we can wait till this weekend or maximum mid next week ! Correct ?
Any update from CTS bangalore?
Hi all H1B visa Seekers !!!!
Any updates for recipet number from NON-ADV/RP/CAL , who processed there H1B visa petition through Invogixs Inc
Sorry its Involgixs Inc
Hi Friends,
Anyone from Infy here got the receipt number,Can you pls tell up to which date we shall hold the hope 🙁
Loosing patience day by day……….
Hello all from Wipro,
I just spoke to my DM and as per him Wipro has been getting receipts since last couple of weeks and GIMS is planning to release consolidated list on 11th or 12th May.
It is also possible that DMs may get selection list specific to their account this week itself. If thats the case then they will share update even before GIMS.
Keep the hope alive.
We will all get it.
JAI MATA DI !!!
Thanks for the update.
Hope I will get selection result this week itself.
JMD!!!
I will get my H1B approved this year for sure.
Jai Mata Di!!!
don’t be over optimistic..i know some people who didn’t get selected 3 years in a row!
yes I am. this is my 3 rd time. still now don’t get any news
Thanks JMD for the update.
Jai Mata Di 🙂
applying for h1 b
Changed my name! So, Luck will come soon 🙂
Hi Guys,
Any news from wipro GIMS??
Looks like a lot of people are getting receipt numbers (though a lot more are waiting). Everyone I know who has applied for H1 either got thru the lottery or are hopeful of getting thru. May be USCIS selected much more than 85000 applications and will weed out undeserving candidates in the actual review of the application/visa interviews.
Why are u blabbering. As if u r working in USCIS. Stop spreading rumors.
Working in USCIS? Dude, what are you talking about?
I said “May be USCIS selected…” that means I am speculating, not spreading rumors. We are all here for the same reason. Do not take your frustration on others, at the end of the day the only one that gets hurt is you ! I really hope you get your receipt sooner rather than later (just for the sake of people who have to take the best of your frustration).
Anyone from cts got any updates today? please let me know… thanks!!!
Any one from AITC got receipt or got any info regarding check encash?
Please let me know here..
Sleepless nights 🙁
commenting with this name to see if Luck favors.
Me too checking my luck with this name….:)
Checking my luck….
Dear TCS’ers,
Any update?? I would be happy if atleast any one gets an update from Visa Cell..
Please post it here if anyone gets picked in lott..
Did any one receive EAC receipts today..If so pls update so that the ones from this center can breathe easy and wait for few more days….
Lets see how does the luck works. It is really a pin to wait..
Till which date work to wait for receipt from Vermont mine is under Non AD /RP/VT
Pls Post here immediately if you receive any receipt numbers…it will bring tremendous relief for us who are waiting …plsssss…
Oh Ya this is really a Lucky Name! Just posted yesterday with this name !!
WAC1514350***
Got through ! NON -AD/RP
Pl wish us luck too!
wish you Luck My friend,
I have lost hopes since seeing the message yesterday from USCIS , but my manager said to wait as the reciept comes through till may end , though I was not completely satisfied and was trying all other options like other Countries PR , it came like a surprise to my mail showing that I got picked and provided me with the receipt number today morning!!
Lucky me and Lucky all those whose receipt numbers are in the mail and with employers!!! Just hold on to your Hopes and wait , get through this!!
Folks, CTS is sending receipts to employees after 7 days of receipt generation. In RP case, it takes about 5-6 for mail and 1 day for internal processing.
Considering USCIS statement on May4 th, we hardly have another 1 week of time. After that chances are very slim. All the best. Waiting for receipt from VT (NonAD/RP).
But from what we see, the ones updated for the past two days are of a different service center. So my understanding is that Vermont Center batch has been received fully? Any confirmation from the GIT team?
Today we have seen confirmation from VT center….i know its time to panic but don’t loose hope. Even i’m very nervous. But thats not going to help in anyway
PS: Im at the verge of outburst, but we can’t do nothing… just kill the time
you guys are over desirous.
At the end of the day, you need both INDIA payroll as well as US H1 payroll.
get lost!!! you morons.
you guys deserve this.
Thanks my dear AD. Hope your furstration will be over. God bless you 🙂
you talk like it’s your birth right to work in the states..don’t bring your filth here bunch of towel heads!
In Immigration Girl it was mentioned that Vermont is not yet over.. Till Yester only 22 %(RP/NON AD) was sent from vermont. Keep ur hopes alive for 3 more days.
Hi Guys,
Wanna let you guys that my case was picked. Till yesterday all my hopes were shattered because people are repeatedly telling no more chances of getting it. I spoke to employer him on Monday he told me to wait for two more weeks.So personally I feel receipts are still coming so please don’t loose Ur hopes . I know its not that easy to take it but I even went through the same guys.
ALL THE BEST GUYS..
Hope for the best
Did any one hear from 8KMiles?
Even I am waiting . Sos you calm them? They say they already got 55 receipts
Any further Updates
Any update for IBM Kolkata?
Hi Guys,
Can anyone please let me know what is the next process once H1B is approved?
pesama odi poidu, sema adi vaanguva
Pinna enna, avan avan receipt varalanu mukittu irukkan, nee vandhu What is the procedure to change the room nu ketta 🙂 cool..
Congrats on getting receipt 😀
Had the same question, but thanks to Google went and search the steps for the H1b visa and it says once it’s approved you will need to get your documents in order and schedule an interview to the embassy, that of course if you are out of States. If you are in the States, I’m not sure. Hope this helps!
@marian: Thanks bro!
Friend
Go and get your H1B stamped and live your dreams 😀
Brother,
I have my H1B selected in lottery. So the same process applies for me or any background verification kinda things will happen before interview and stamping?
Accenturites,
Just an update for RES IG resources,H1B POC for RES not yet got the update from RMG team.This is expected in May end or June 1st week 🙁
Any one from AITC got receipt or got any info regarding check encash?
Please let me know here..
Sleepless nights..
Hey me too, waiting for update from AITC