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H1B Visa 2017 News Updates, Fees , Lottery Predictions, LCA - Processing Times, FAQs.

H1B Visa 2017 – News, Quota, Cap, Predictions, Lottery, FAQs

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If you were one of the unlucky ones not picked in whopping 233,000 H1B 2016 Lottery Applications , you might be already wondering when is the next H1B season going to start.  Also, some of you may be studying in US and some working abroad and planning to work in US next year. This page will be constantly updated with the latest details and commonly asked questions around the next upcoming H1B Visa fiscal year of 2017 season news and updates.
[alert type=”warning” close=”false” heading=”H1B Visa Cap reached for FY 2017, Lottery Done “]  On April 7th, H1B Cap for FY 2017 was reached. Lottery was done on April 9th. Read News Summary – Over 236,000 Petitions for FY2017 [/alert]

When will the H1B visa 2017 season start ? Date ?

Short answer April 1st 2016. Typically, USCIS will start to accept petitions for the next fiscal year starting from April 1st of the previous fiscal year. USCIS fiscal year is from October 1st to September 30th. So, for H1B quota of fiscal year 2017, which starts from October 1st, 2017, USCIS would typically accept applications from April 1st, 2016.  The H1B Visa 2016 season started on April 1st of 2015.  Also, in the H1B Rejected Notices of 2016, USCIS mentioned that, the non-selected candidates can file H1B petitions for FY 2017 on or after April 1st, 2016.

USCIS announced on March 16th, 2016 that they will accept FY 2017 petitions from April 1st, 2016. Read Summary of USCIS press release FY 2017 .
Also, we have written an article summarizing on What to expect in H1B FY 2017 Season 

What is H1B 2017 Cap ? What are the H1B 2017 Quota numbers ? Regular vs Masters ?
If you new to H1B, I suggest you read All about H1B Visa Cap- Regular vs Masters. In simple terms H1B cap is a congressional mandated maximum number of petitions that USCIS can accept in a year.  As of now, below are the H1B cap number for fiscal year 2017.  The below numbers are confirmed in press release by USCIS on Mar 16, 2016.

  • Regular H1B Quota : 65,000
  • H1B Master’s Degree Quota ( only US Master 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.

There have been many discussions around change in H1B cap numbers by Obama administration since 2013. The planned proposal was to increase the regular quota cap to 110,000 and Masters quota to 25,000.  No changes for FY 2017, the above numbers of 65,000 and 20,000 are officially confirmed by USCIS in their press release.

What is H1B Visa 2017 Prediction? Will there be Lottery again for FY 2017

Update :  USCIS Updated on April 12th, 2016 that they have received over 236,000 petitions for FY 2017 quota and the lottery was completed on April 9th.

Looking at the past trend of H1B season in the past three years, we could very likely have lottery for FY 2017. Last year for FY 2016 quota, there were 233,000 applications. We have done a detail analysis with the H4 Visa EAD rule in place considering the economy, students graduating, OPT news, etc.  You should read  article H1B Visa 2017 Lottery Prediction News, results, Date .

If H1B lottery, will there be any preference in lottery for Large companies ? Premium Processing 
Well, no preference for anyone, all are treated equally, including premium processing. There are many such misconceptions about lottery process, we have compiled a list of such myths and criteria, you should read Myths of H1B Lottery, Criteria

When to plan for H1B visa 2017 Application ? How soon ? What should be the strategy ?
It is never too late to start planning for your H1B 2017 season. If you plan to work in US on H1B visa in the next coming fiscal year, below are some suggestions based on your situation.

  • F1 Student in USA : If you are studying on F1 visa and about to graduate in next one year, you should seriously look at finding an internship or co-op at companies that can sponsor your H1B visa. You can search for H1B Sponsors in a particular area using our H1B Sponsors Search Tool and try to get an internship to work there on CPT or OPT after you graduate. This is a strategic move and will require sometime, so plan well.
  • Professional from outside USA : If you are a working professional outside US, planning to work in US on H1B, your best bet is to find Multinational companies that have major US presence and secure a job there, so that you can position internally for applying to H1B visa, when the season starts. This is a very strategic decision, you need to carefully assess your options, speak to the company if such options exist and then only choose it.
  • Other H4, L1 Visas : If you are on these visas, your best bet is to find companies just like I mentioned for F1 students that sponsor H1B visas and start interviewing and keeping the conversation going so that you can ask them to file H1B when the season starts.

We have put together a Step by Step Plan on How to apply for H1B 2017 Quota

How do I find a H1B Visa Sponsor – The most asked million dollar question ?
If you are student in the US, it is very straight forward, you find the list of H1B Sponsoring companies using the tool in an area as I mentioned above and get an internship in one of them so that they can sponsor your H1B visa.   Unlike, if you are coming from outside US, it can be tricky.  If you work for an Multinational company ( MNC), then they will have some internal process to pick the candidates and then process H1B visa for them…The other option that has been used and abused is the consulting companies route…Many a times, the H1B aspirants approach a body shop IT consulting company to file H1B for them and they apply for the same. It gets nasty with the body shop consulting companies.  The comments on this H1B Companies Reviews article are quite eye opening. I advise, you beware of the consulting companies and avoid fraud.  Also, WE as RedBus2US do NOT provide any guidance or assistance or sponsor anything. If someone claims that, it is pure fraud and they are trying to trick you, we are not responsible for that. Please be careful. Anyways, for various other options , You may read article How to find H1B 2017 Sponsors

What is the H1B visa 2017 filing fee ? Is it same or any changes ?
It changed slightly this year with the Omnibus Bill passed in December 2015, that will increase the H1B filing fee by $4000 for FY 2017, until 2025 for certain companies that have over 50 employees and have more than 50% of their employees as H1B or L1 visa holders in USA.  Check USCIS Guidelines on H1B Fee increase. Depending on the size of the company, the H1B filing fee can vary anywhere from $1,600 USD to $7,400 USD + Attorney Fee. There are various fees components that make up this number range, for more details Read Summary of H1B Filing Fee 2017 – Who pays for What ? . Below is a high level summary. Also, one key change is that,  there was $2000 USD additional filing fee as per Public Law 111-230, this law expired on Sep 30, 2015 and that is not included anymore.

H1B Fee Component Fee in USD
 Base filing fee $325
AICWA Fee $750  or $1,500
Fraud prevent & detection fee $500
Fee based on Public Law 114-113 ( if applicable) $4000
Premium processing fee (Optional) $1,225
Immigration Attorney Fee Varies from $500 to $3000

What about Comprehensive Immigration Reform(CIR) and Obama Executive Actions for H1B 2017 Quota Increase ? 
There has been many articles and discussions since 2013 around immigration reform by President Obama and changes around and some like below have been discussed in the last couple of years, nothing moved significantly.

  • 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  ( Part of this came up as the fee increase in Omnibus Bill )
  • Additional H1B rules to avoid H1B Visa fraud by employers
  • Mandatory LCA posting for 30 days before it is certified.

The current status on all of the above are basically “No updates”,  there are no set deadlines for any of them and none of these are happening for FY 2017. You may read Summary of CIR Changes to H1B . Officially as per press release on March 16, 2016, the H1B cap is confirmed to be 65,000 for regular and 20,000 for masters…hence, no changes.

What is LCA for H1B Visa ? Processing times ?
LCA is a form that has to be filed with US Dept of Labor and get it certified before filing H1B petition with USCIS. It has to be sent along with H1B Package to USCIS.  It has all the relevant information about the job position like wage, location, title, etc. It takes about 7 working days for processing of the LCA by US Dept of Labor (DOL). You can read complete details at Why is LCA Needed for H1B – Processing Time, Salary 

H1B Visa 2017 Premium Processing Time :

USCIS Updated in their original press release on March 16, 2016 that the premium processing will begin no later than May 16, 2016.  But, on April 22nd, they updated that the premium processing for FY 2017 will begin on May 12th, 2016. What it means is that the official 15 calendar day SLA for premium processing petitions will be starting from 12th.  USCIS may process the petitions early as well, but officially their clock starts on that day.

H1B 2017 Case Tracker  :
Did you apply for FY 2017 ?  We have put together a tracker along with good graphs for analysis. It is completely anonymous as we do not capture your case number or any personal information. It is community contributed data, the more you add, the better for everyone, including  You !

[prompt type=”left” title=”Track your H1B Case” message=” Anonymously Track your H1B Case – Share and Get updated from Community.” button_text=”H1B 2017 Case Tracker” href=”https://redbus2us.com/trackers/h1b-visa-tracker/”]

Most Recent News of FY 2017 H1B
Below is the most recent news regarding H1B 2017 season. You can check the updates page as indicated below for the full history and details.

  • July 8th, 2016 ( Official ) : USCIS released a press note today indicating that they have completed returning all the petitions that were not selected in the H1B lottery for FY 2017. Read More details here 
  • May 2nd, 2016 ( Official Update ) : USCIS updated that data entry is complete for selected petitions in lottery. if you were selected, you should receive receipt notices in 2 to three weeks. If not, the chances are very slim to get selected. You should look at your plan B.  Read H1B Data Entry Complete Article for full details
  • April 22nd, 2016 : (Official Update) USCIS Updated that they will start premium processing from May 12th, instead of May 16th.
  • April 12th, 2016 – 6:30 PM EST : Official Update :  USCIS released a press note that H1B lottery was completed on April 9th and they received over 236,000 petitions for FY 2017 quota. Read Press Release Summary  
  • April 12th, 2016 – 11:50 AM CST ( Unofficial Update ) : It is reported on blog by attorney ( immigrationgirl ) that they have received about 40 email receipts of Premium Processing. What it means is that USCIS has already conducted lottery. We will keep you posted with updates. If I am not wrong, they are just drafting the press release now.

[prompt type=”left” title=”H1B 2017 – Latest News Updates” message=” Most recent and complete history of all latest breaking news updates from Official sources like USCIS and Unofficial sources for FY 2017 Season.” button_text=”Latest H1B 2017 News” href=”https://redbus2us.com/h1b-visa-2017-cap-count-updates-tracker-news/”]

When is the next H1B Season ?

The next H1B season starts on April 1st, 2017.  Wondering about your next chance for H1B and various details about the next H1B season, check out H1B Visa 2018 FAQs

Sample H1B Reject Notices for FY 2017 ?

USCIS has started to mail out the reject notices for FY 2017 petitions that were not picked in lottery. It says that the start date for next year H1B season is April 1, 2017. You can check out the Sample Reject Notice for FY 2017, Details

We have many more FAQs around H1B Visa 2017. We will continue to keep updating the page with latest news and updates regarding FY 2017. Bookmark this page and keep checking for updates.

Photo of author
Satheesh Kumar Ilu, commonly known as Kumar, is the founder of RedBus2US.com. He is an Immigration and Study Abroad expert. He holds an MS from the University of Houston–Clear Lake and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. He studied, lived, and worked in the U.S. and Singapore for nearly two decades, and has traveled to over 25 countries.

   

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23,619 Comments

  1. Hi Saurabh,

    Thanks for the helping others(including me) in this forum.

    At present I am on F1 (OPT) with expiry of Jan 3rd 2017.
    My H1 visa approved with Consular Notification.

    As I recently(not even 1 month) traveled to India for some reason, I am thinking of scheduling the visa interview as late as possible.

    As per my understanding, I need to enter on or before Jan 3rd 2017 with H1 visa to continue the current job without interruption. Is it?
    ( LCA start date mentioned is 7 th of Sep 2016. So I am allowed to attend visa interview from?)

    Just to be on safer side, if something goes wrong (Hope should not get to this situation), I need to enter with the current F1 (OPT visa) and apply for OPT extension (24 months).

    Is my understanding correct?
    Based on this situation what is the best time/month/period to attend the visa interview?

    Question 2:
    ————–

    I am also planning to schedule the tourist visa for my parents.

    Is it wise enough to schedule for them at the same time when I am attending interview (as they are not well- educated, I can able to guide them easily) ?

    else

    do you recommend it now (on OPT) or after H1 visa stamped or after I entered into USA with H1?

    Thanks

    Reply

    • Suresh,

      1. Yes, that is correct. You can appear for H-1 visa interview anytime now. If approved, you can enter US on this H-1 anytime after Oct 1 and start working on H-1. If H-1 is denied, and F-1 is not touched, then you can return on F-1 visa stamp and apply for OPT extension; or apply for COS from F-1 to H-1 after returning to US.

      2. You may not be able to attend the interview along w/ them as they are not your dependents. Even if you go on same date, you will end up going to different windows. I would recommend appearing for interview after you have moved to H-1.

      Reply

      • Hi Saurabh,

        Thanks for reply..

        You also mentioned that “you can appear for visa interview anytime now”, is it the case? Or I allowed only 10 days prior to Oct 1st (i.e., ~ Sep 20)

        Is it possible to raise COS now for Consular Notification??

        My immigration team is telling that you should travel outside for sure and telling it is not possible to raise COS for Consular Notification application

        Thanks

        Reply

        • Suresh,

          You can appear for stamping at most 90 days in advance i.e. after Jul 1 for Oct 1 start date. That’s why I said you can appear for stamping anytime now. However, you can enter US on H-1 only 10 days prior to H-1 start date.

          IMO, they can file an amendment to get COS approval. But if the immigration team is suggesting visa stamping, then that’s what you should do as they are the legal experts.

          Reply

  3. Anyone got approval from Vermont Service Center?
    I see the approvals only from California Center…

    Reply

  4. Folks, no more selection list from Infy GICS? Lot of people told, that few petitions are in hold, bla bla… where are those people?
    Please help me out.. any GI insiders here??
    We would like to know whether this waiting would be productive??
    It’s being hard time.. in waiting for this application.. i know loads of people are in same situation. very hard time guys…

    Reply

  5. http://m.timesofindia.com/tech/tech/20-companies-barred-from-applying-for-h-1b-visas/itslideshow/53144229.cms

    20 companies barred from h1

    Reply

    • This is an old news, it was circulating in media during 2015 May i guess. TOI was in a deep sleep and waken now to create a panic. Dont worry, stay calm and refresh USCIS check status page every hour.

      Reply

  8. Hi,
    I hv applied H1b thru consultant who is in US. till date, i didn’t receive any information reg my application they r saying tht thy haven’t received receipt or rejection letter of my application.
    even thy don’t hv any clue abt my chq whether its encash or not.

    pls guide ,

    Thanks

    Reply

    • Since USCIS released press note regarding issuance if rejection letters, you can wait for 2 more weeks to receive the rejection letter if they really filed your H1B petition.

      Reply

  9. Hi Saurabh,

    My H1B was filed by one of the Big 4 Software Cos from India. This is my third time and I was lucky this time to get thru the lottery. Your comments and information had been tremendously helpful. My question is – From the Date I recieved the Receipt Number i.e May first week till today, the status is “Case is Recieved” in USCIS MyCase status. Recently, I have came across an option in USCIS portal where you can create a username and your receipt number on the portal and if there is change in status for your petition USCIS will notify you on the designated email address or mobile number. So the question is, even if my application has been filed by my employer,can I go ahead and create an account add my receipt number so as to recieve updates if there is a status change? Also if there are additional steps in between lottery selection till Approval,will I be notified of the same. Want you to share your experiences with this portal and if it is ok to create an username even if your petiotion has been filed by your employer. Sorry for being so long

    Reply

    • H1BCTS3rdtime,

      Agree w/ Sharu’s response. All selected applicants should create an account for themselves and add current, past and future petitions to it and subscribe for email updates. This way you are always informed about the changes to any of the petitions.

      Reply

      • I have an small doubt on this Saurabh. If we create an account and update our email id, will that going to effect the updates that reaches the employers mail box?
        I mean if I update my email id, will that going to override any of the email that my employer had already provided?
        Confused whether to create an account or not on this note.
        Please advise
        Regards,
        yaswanth

        Reply

  13. Hi Saurabh,
    What is your thoughts on the new H1b restriction bill introduced ? Will it be passed ? If passed what are the merits and demerits ?

    Reply

  16. anyone from EAC16147**** series got approval or rfe or not?
    Also i cant see single comment of those whose status was transferred to new office and they got approval or rfe.

    Only I can see WAC series getting approved.

    Reply

  17. Finally , My case approved on july 5th !! Im following this forum since 2 months and it really helped me to get latest updates on lottery selection till approval process. Thanks a lot to Saurabh and team for the good work. Keep up the momentum.

    Reply

  18. Cts folks ,Checked the status in USCIS ,its says July 7th we approved your form I-129 .i have not yet received any mail from global mobility team reg this approval

    WAC16144****

    Reply

  21. getting “503 Service Temporarily Unavailable” when trying to check status of my case..

    Reply

  22. Just election rhetoric or serious one?

    http://thewire.in/50277/us-introduces-bill-to-bar-indian-companies-from-hiring-on-h-1b-visas/

    http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/us-lawmakers-introduce-bill-to-prevent-indian-companies-from-hiring-h-1b-employees-2902561/

    Reply

    • It doesn’t target India specifically, it targets huge bodyshop agencies like Infosys, which I agree should be banned from taking all visa quota, it should instead go to legitimate companies. I really hope congress passes this bill and become a law.

      Reply

    • Twenty companies barred. Anybody applied through the consultancies as mentioned? Please check
      http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/20-companies-barred-from-applying-for-h-1b-visas/itslideshow/53144229.cms

      Reply

  23. Hi Saurabh,

    Urgent Help…!!!!!!

    Hello everyone,

    can some one help me on the below RFE Query i have received from my Employer. How will i get a Expert Evaluation done please help me:

    As Priya Jalakam degree is not in the tech field USCIS has asked we get an expert evaluation done on his case. This will cost $550. Alternatively we can get a letter stating the same from our credential evaluation company (technically a non-expert) for $90;

    Thanks in Advance,

    Reply

    • This is a strange thing am getting to know. Your company/consultancy should have shared your experience letter and details about your expertise. Also, your resume should have been shared with them. Just check with your employer or consultancy who filed your case.

      Reply

    • Hello Priya J,

      Normally USCIS looks for Professional degree (4 Yrs) for skilled visas. If we are holding 3 years degree or irrelevant professional degree and applied for H1B, USCIS will ask us to evaluate the degree with experts like Attorney (I guess). 3yrs of exp. considered as 1yr Academic year.

      One of my friend had same problem and sorted it out by evaluation.

      No need to worry about this RFE but you have to pay some money to get evaluation done by firm or company.

      Excuse me if I am wrong 🙂

      Cheers!

      Reply

      • Thanks a lot for the response….

        I am checking with my Employer as well. You are correct I have 3 Year Degree and 6 Years of Experience. Hope my RFE will get sorted out.

        Thanks,
        PJ

        Reply

    • TRUSTFORTE among others have been used for this purpose. If possible let us know what was the agency that your attorney used for your case.

      Reply

  24. Hi,
    My employer has informed me that, I have been selected in lottery 2016-17, but saying that it will take a month or so to get the approval. In the mean time I have been assigned for a UK assignment. May be I will be back from UK sometime in Jan-Feb 2017. My question is, is there any time frame by which I must go for stamping?

    Reply

    • Waiting,

      You can go for stamping anytime during petition validity period. In case there is a delay, make sure you have recently date and most up-to-date documents when you appear for interview.

      Reply

      • Hi Surabh,

        I am in similar situation. I am travelling to UK next month through my current employer but my H1B (filed by a consultancy) approval has not yet come. Once I starting working from UK, can I get my H1B visa stamped from UK itself and fly to USA to through the consultancy? OR should I travel back to India for my H1B stamping? I am really confused right now about which approach will be safest. Please help.

        Reply

        • Sim,

          If you become a resident of UK and have been working there for few months, you may be able to appear for H-1 stamping there. However, if the stamping runs into issues, then you will have to return to home country for visa stamping.

          However, they should be willing to accept your visa interview request provided you are working there and not present in UK for tourism.

          Reply

  25. Anybody with Vermont Service Centre got RFE? If yes, what was your “Case Received” date? Mine is April 11, still in received status.
    EAC161455***

    Reply

  26. Hi anyone from TCS got any update after lottery results, seems FDFU is playing with people whenever i call them they said they dont have any more info wait till sept .

    Reply

      • Already all lottery selected petetions updated . within 7 days (15th July2016) will get the rejection updation in GICS to all those who wait lottery result(Receipt Number).

        Reply

    • Trust me, H1B is just a slavery visa. It is not as it was like a decade before. Don’t be so upset. better next time or try EU/Aus. All the best.

      Reply

    • Any one from TCS got approval/RFE ? I haven’t heard a single person RFE/Approvals at all.Its high time to know.

      Reply

      • Got an email from FDFU regarding my lottery selection….
        do you know the next steps whom do i need to follow up ??

        Reply

  31. all petitions which are not selected in lottery were returned, check with your employer if anyone didnt received any update.

    Reply

  32. USCIS Returns Unselected Fiscal Year 2017 H-1B Cap-Subject Petitions

    USCIS announced on July 8, 2016, that it has returned all fiscal year 2017 H-1B cap-subject petitions that were not selected in our computer-generated random selection process.

    USCIS previously announced on May 2, 2016, that it completed data entry of all selected cap-subject petitions.

    If you submitted an H-1B cap-subject petition between April 1 and April 7, 2016 and have not received a receipt notice or a returned petition by July 8, 2016, you may contact USCIS for assistance.

    Link: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-returns-unselected-fiscal-year-2017-h-1b-cap-subject-petitions

    Reply

  33. Hi Saurabh,

    I have filed my H1 from another consultancy which is picked and approved. However, I would like to transfer it to my current employer. One more thing, I am in India. so I have following questions.can my current employer able to file transfer before Oct? or need to wait for Oct? do i need pay slip of that another consultancy to file transfer?

    Reply

    • I think you can very well do it. Few of my friends did that when their companies delayed their travel.no one got rfe. If you new employer is good then you can go ahead.

      Reply

    • H1B NonAD/RP/VT,

      As you have never been to US, there is no payslip requirement. It is present only when you have ever worked in US on H-1B and then payslips show that you maintained legal status in US on H-1B.

      The current employer should be able to file cap-exempt petition for you. I have read mixed opinion about the timing. Some say only after Oct, while others say even before Oct is possible. Your employer’s attorney can guide better on this.

      Reply

      • Thank you Saurabh for your inputs.

        Just wanted to give you little more details. I was in USA from current employer through L1B and completed the 5 year. Also, my current employer has filed my Green Card in EB2 and my I140 got approved in last March. Will there be any change to your opinion?

        Thanks

        Reply

        • H1B NonAD/RP/VT,

          It should still be possible. You may be asked about your L-1 details to show that you maintained legal status on L-1, but if you have employment letter and those L-1 payslips, then it should be fine.

          Having approved I-140 allows you to get H-1 even beyond the 6th year, as your clock has not been reset.

          Reply

  35. Got status changed to RFE in USCIS site. Case number starts with WAC16146*****.

    Any one else from Infy on the same boat?

    Reply

    • Yes, mine is RFE too . Called GI team, They stated ,it will take 20 days for them to receive in mail .
      Pls keep posting the updates on your case

      Reply

  36. The H1B Tracker on the site showing the Filing Dates running into June also. And in some cases, the entry creation (on this site) is earlier than filing date. Are these entries correct?

    Reply

  37. My status shows that Case Received on April 11. Is that sitting at the tail end of the application stack? Will there be any chance of rejection due to cap already getting filled though it is selected in lottery? Should I go for premium processing to avoid such possibility?

    Sorry for too many questions 🙂

    Reply

    • @ Sri , I don’t understand your posts ” Since Cap already getting filled will there be any rejection” . You hav been already picked up in lottery right..u r one among 65k candidates then y u r worrying” & even I’m from ur series only & my status also received status only..

      Reply

  38. Hi Saurabh, My employer told that they have not received the application rejection packet yet; we have applied from NJ. What could be the reason?

    Reply

    • Ram,

      USCIS made the announcement on 8th that all rejection notices have been sent. So the employer should receive it within 2 weeks.

      Reply

  43. Hi ,

    My H1B picked up and I had a RFE. I had 17 months stem opt extension

    My question was:

    1. After submitting RFE for my H1B and if it got denied (Not withdrawn) before October 1st can I use my stem opt to continue my work?
    2. If it get denied after October 1st can I still use my Stem opt extension to continue my work?

    If I can continue my work after H1B denial do I need to get any approval from my school DSO?

    Please help me out!!

    Reply

    • 9 AM local time sharp !! Depending on your processing center’s timezone you can check your updated status at 9:01 AM everyday.

      Reply

  45. Hello Saurabh,

    I am waiting for my selected petition (filed by a consulting company) for approval. I currently work for another company for whom I need to travel on business visa in a couple of weeks. Should I carry an invite letter for the immigration officer to look at ? I am told the officer can see on the system there is a pending H1B application and be questioned. Please advise.

    Reply

  46. Hi Saurabh,

    My receipt number is EAC16138*****. I dont see any one with this series . Is there any thing that i have to worry about. When i checked with my consultancy , they gave me this number .

    Reply

    • It depends upon your consultancy. a very few are genuine in this line of business.

      Ask them to send physical receipt.

      Reply

    • @Rajesh,

      My recipt number also starts with EAC16138****. But I guess as long as you see the status of your case on USCIS website sayin they received your petition on April xx,2016, you should be good.

      Reply

  49. My application has been picked in the lottery. Awaiting approval notice. Some of my friends told me that it may take till October/December for approval notice! Is that true?
    Infy guys, usually companies cheat people by not giving them any information. Big companies use H1B as a bait to keep/retain employees for longer periods of time.

    Reply

  50. Hi Saurabh,

    Firstly ,Thank you for all the useful updates.

    I got an RFE on june 30th ,Regular processing. WAC16142*****

    1. My surname is different in my educational certificates and the passport .I am born before 1989 and so I assume they consider my 10th certificate for DOB proof
    In my passport – Surname is Kasiraju , it is KSV in my Educational certificates .However My middle and First Names are same in all documents. Could this have resulted in RFE?

    2. If yes, what evidence should be produced to prove both names belong to the same person .I have read somewhere that USCID doesn’t accept affidavits?

    3. FYI- My employer must have used my name as per passport in the petition documents. should this be fine? I am sure the other documents wrt employment and employer-employee relationship should be pretty clear

    Reply

    • H1bRFE,

      1. No issues
      2. I think it would be ok. They are not very concerned about 10th and 12th. They would be more concerned about your graduation degree and experience letters. What do they have?
      3. Should be fine

      Reply

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