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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. since from April 11 my status was same ,non-ad/RP.
    This is vermont.

    “On April 11, 2016, we received your Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, Receipt Number EAC16XXXXXXX, and sent you the receipt notice that describes how we will process your case. Please follow the instructions in the notice. “

    Reply

  2. Hi Saurabh,

    Even though my H1 file is still under review under RP, I had to book my trip to India for Start of November due to personal reason. As I haven’t got any update from USCIS, can I still apply for premium processing to expedite this whole process?

    Thank you!

    Reply

  4. Hello Admin,

    I’ve received an RFE and my company immigration team has asked for the following documents
    Client Letter
    SoW
    MSA

    Previously during filing, MSA was submitted as done for other resources (one of them got approved too – same client, project), for some reason my petition has gone to RFE.

    Please let me know if client letter is mandatory or if I can provide SoW and MSA alone. Since I am not in that client currently my manager is unable to obtain a client letter.

    Please help clarify.

    Regards

    Reply

  6. Hello,

    On USCIS website, it shows processing cases as of December 15, 2015. It means that the cases before it have been processed.

    Now, my question is what is the latest date for which there is status change? Can the guys who have got approval or RFE, post their date of H1B application please?

    Thanks

    Reply

  8. Hi Guys,

    If my petition is approved till March ’18 . Can I still travel after that if Visa isn’t stamped even once till the approved date ?

    In other words is it necessary to travel at least once before the initial approved date gets expired.

    Any help would be appreciated.

    Thanks

    Reply

    • If petition is approved till March 18, your visa’s expire date will also be the same. You can travel any time before that. If you didnt travel as per your petition, you must have a strong reason to explain at POE immg officer. You can’t travel after that.

      Reply

    • H1b Query,

      It is not mandatory to travel at least once prior to expiration date. You can get cap-exempt petition even after the current petition has expired, and then travel to US. Yes, you may be asked at PoE about it, but it should be ok w/ the truthful response.

      Reply

  10. @lnt infotech : did anybody receive receipt number ? Only last updated status on internal portal is “Case Selected under USCIS Lottery System” That is on end of April. After that no any update ??

    Reply

  14. Hi,

    My employer received two receipt numbers on behalf of my name.
    So, I am confuse which receipt will be approve.

    Could you please tell me as per your previous experience in my case what will happen?

    Both receipt will be rejected by USCIS or one receipt select and one reject?

    Thanks in advance 🙂

    Reply

  15. Hello Infosys Folks,

    My case also now changed to Request for Additional Evidence, Can you please let me know what to do from our end or GICS team will contact us?

    Reply

    • GI team will handle it. If they require any inputs from you they will contact you. So don’t worry.

      Reply

    • Same here .. Waiting for GI team update.

      It seems that infy is getting many rfe especially from California center.

      All the best.

      Reply

  16. Hi ,

    I have a case like am engineering graduate which should be complete in from 2007 to 2011. but due to arrears i got passed out in 2013. but i was working in IT from 2012 to dill date, changed job company thrice.

    Here my question ?

    My case got picked in lottery, so there would be any issues with my education and work experience to get case approved.

    Thanks

    Reply

  18. Hi Saurabh,

    The validity of VISA stamped in passport,what is it depend on,does this has anything to do with the passport expiry?

    My Case: My passport will expire by May 2018,so will i get stamped only till expiry (i.e 18 to 24 months)

    Reply

    • H1BCaseApproved,

      The requirement is to have passport valid for at least 6 months when appearing for stamping. If that is satisfied, then they issue visa stamp on the basis of 797 and not passport expiration date.

      Reply

  20. Hi Saurabh,

    Kindly let me know Is it mandatory to add the spouse name in both the passports for H1B dependent travel ? Actually my wife has recently taken the passport with spouse name added in it but my passport has spouse name as blank. Do I need to renew my passport with spouse name added for her travel ?

    Thanks In Advance

    Reply

  21. Hi,

    I am still waiting for the lottery result as the consultancy which filed my H1, didn’t receive any update from the USCIS.

    Reply

  22. Hi Saurabh,

    I recently got promoted and working for IBM ..so there should be a salary revise in my LCA ..any idea if it is a risky process to reapprove LCA from the same client or it is a simple non risk task?

    Reply

    • @IBMer_Pune,
      LCA is based on the wage you would receive in US. Are you sure your US package would increase drastically after this promotion? Check with your project mates who are already in US, to know the bitter truth.

      Reply

    • See if it is a Band Progression than, IBM will itself take care of your US wage hike.
      If its a Market correction or a PBC based hike than US salary wont change.

      Reply

      • Thanks IBMer_NCR,

        Yes my band got promoted.Any Idea will ibm send me an updated LCA.or how would i know if it is taken care of?

        @TimeIsUp,

        Even if not drastic any amount in Dollars do matter ..it would make a difference of $12k yearly..and that is a big amount if u convert to rupees.. 🙂

        Reply

    • IBMer_Pune,

      LCA is revised if there is more than 50% change in duties. In my experience, LCA is not update for simple promotions like MTS -> SMTS etc.

      Reply

  23. So, how many approved till date?
    And all of them from one office or different offices and locations?
    Can some one pls gather that info?

    Reply

  25. Hi All,

    I got approval today, WAC161445***** , Thanks every one.
    This portal helps a lot , got better understanding of H1-B process.

    Post help to get up to date news. Thanks everyone 🙂

    Reply

  26. Hi Saurabh,

    My lottery acknowledgement receipt has a spelling mistake in my Name. Is this a matter of concern ? . If my approval notice has my right name is that ok?

    Reply

    • H1b_second_timer,

      As long as the eventual approval notice has correct name, it should be fine. Go through I-129 document to see if it had spelling mistake. If not, ask attorney to contact USCIS to fix the typo on USCIS side.

      Reply

  27. Thanks, Saurabh.
    It’s hard to stay logical 🙂 🙁 and not awfulize everything that happens or does not.
    Cheers!
    Nitu

    Reply

    • TCS_chennai_first_timer

      If your company is fooling you how can you expect answer from Saurabh. The status “Awaiting lottery results” is something specific to your company as there is such no such status for USCIS. For USCIS, its either Selected or Not Selected. And the one who all got selceted, got their receipt number by May 15.

      Reply

      • “And the one who all got selceted, got their receipt number by May 15” – Definitely not true for the company in picture.Before using words like “fooling” please learn how big multinational IT firms function.

        Agree to one point though – There is no point in bothering Saurabh with matters /practices that are internal/specific to any particular firm / organisation .

        Reply

        • TCS will never share the Receipt no. with employees till petition is not approved.

          I got to know from my manager during first week of June that I got selected in lottery, but till now there is no update or email FDFU.

          Reply

          • Mine status is still showing as “Awaiting lottery in internal portal”.

            Also , No update received from FDFU.

  29. Got my rejection notice today i.e., 13th July from Kellton Tech
    Date – June 21 2016 as per the rejection notice
    NonAD/Regular/Vermont

    Reply

  30. Hi Saurabh
    No updates for anyone from Vermont center in RP!! Does this mean they have not started the processing or they haven’t given an update for the cases?

    Reply

      • In my organisation nobody got an update from Vermont, but some ppl got updates from California. Also tried update for random nos from like EAC16xxxxxxxx..

        Reply

    • H1B_2016,

      I think they have started. It is possible that the circle of people you know haven’t received anything on their cases.

      Reply

        • Hi ZA

          How you came to know that your case has been transferred to CA service center. Actually same is my case , my receipt starts from EAC161XXXX that means Vermont and few months back I have got the status that case has been transferred but dont know whee it got transferred. I have asked from my employer but they r not replying..

          Reply

          • There are only two service centres. EAC is Vermont and WAC is California. So it is transferred from one, it can only go to the other.

          • I believe there are four –

            LIN – Nebraska Service Center (LIN refers to Lincoln, Nebraska).

            EAC – Vermont Service Center (old name: Eastern Adjudication Center).

            SRC – Texas Service Center (old name: Southern Regional Center).

            WAC – California Service Center (old name: Western Adjudication Center).

          • There are 4 Service centres. But California and Vermont are the only two centres that process H1s. All the 50 states fall into either of these two Service centre Zones. So all the receipt numbers will be either EAC or WAC. You won’t find any with the rest two centres.

          • OK thanks Denny for the explanation. As my receipt number starts number starts from EAC** and got the transfer status so it means it is with California service center..i heard that these guys are little bit proactive than Vermont one..Do u also think that California service center would take the transfer cases on second priority as it completes their direct cases first?

          • NJ,

            You should have got a transfer receipt post the original one explaining why your case was transferred. You could actually check the USCIS website too. My status as of now is “Case was transferred and a new office has jurisdiction.”

            BTW – Mine was moved for faster processing, and its stuck at the same status for the past 2 months 😀

            Cheers,
            ZK

  34. Time for Visa Fridays! Post your visa-related questions in the comments box below and our visa officer will answer your queries starting 2PM this Friday (July 15, 2016). #VisaFriday

    Reply

  35. Hi Admin,
    My H1B petition was approved on 07/11. I got promoted recently (on 07/01) in my organization and of-course my designation and package will be changed. At this point, do I need to work with my Immigration team to have the new Salary package updated and new LCA generated? If yes, will they require to file any amendment for this or Can I got for stamping with new LCA directly?

    I’m pretty new to this process, so your response in this regard will be highly appreciated.

    Reply

  36. Hi Sourabh,

    Just wanted to know if there is any separate post regarding RFE related queries or if you are planning to start one.

    This would help folks who have got RFE to get understanding and ensure that the Petitioner responds to the RFE appropriately.

    Thank you!

    Reply

  37. Hi Saurabh,

    I got an RFE(WAC1614XXXXXX) for below two reasons:
    – Specialty Occupation
    – Employer-Employee Relationship

    Details:
    NonAD/RP
    RFE was updated on Jun4th
    Last date to respond is on Aug 28

    Few Questions:
    – How common these RFE questions are and what is the possibility of getting the approval?
    – How long does it usually take USCIS to review the RFE response?

    Reply

    • CGNA RFE

      Even I got an RFE for the similar receipt number. It was updated on 8-July but I am still to receive the RFE copy.

      Could you please share when did you receive the RFE copy after change in USCIS site? Did you apply through an Indian IT company / Consultancy?

      Reply

      • @H1_RFE

        i got to know on Jul 11. My employer has not confirmed when did they receive the RFE.

        I applied through Capgemini NA.

        Reply

        • Thanks man. In USCIS site, what it the day mentioned that they have issued RFE.
          Trying to get an idea by when my employer will get the post and update me.

          Reply

    • CGNA RFE,

      These are 2 of most common RFE reasons. Chances of approval depend upon the response submitted and officer’s review of the same. There is no specific timeframe as this is RP.

      Reply

  38. I received notification that my visa was picked in the lottery on April 27. Masters/ Regular Processing/ California center. Have not heard any news about approval yet. Someone commented that delays mean a RFE/Rejection is on the way…is that true?

    Reply

    • Nitu,

      On the contrary delay doesn’t mean RFE or denial. There are thousands of petitions still pending including some filed by top US employers. Just b/c they are delayed doesn’t mean they will get RFE.

      Reply

  39. I received notification that my visa was picked in the lottery in April 27. Masters/ Regular Processing/ California center. Have not heard any news about approval yet. Someone commented that delays mean a RFE/Rejection is in the way…is that true?

    Reply

  40. From the forum, it looks like California Processing Center(WAC) is issuing petition approvals earlier than Vermont(EAC). Is this the case every year ?

    Reply

  42. Delayed status change means RFE .. How true is this ??
    In 2015, i know people got approvals by july first week.
    Any idea, by when can we expect Status change ???

    Reply

  43. EAC 16 148 XXXXX

    Any one with 148 got approval ??
    Tooo much wait man.. Not sure when to celebrate..!!

    Any one from IBM got approval ??

    Reply

    • Hello IBMer_H1B,

      I too got my petition picked from IBM..waiting for approval..series EAC16248******* ..I dont think there is an order in which approval/Rfe results are shared ..like Approvals first and then RFE petitions..its all random..Still compared to Infy,Tcs we IBMers are lucky since IBM is pretty transparent related to H1B process.Waiting is the only option for approval.Hope for the best

      Reply

  44. TCSers ….Any update received from FDFU ? I haven’t heard anything about the H1B application status for anyone in TCS.

    Reply

  47. Hello Saurabh, I hold PhD degree from US. Used up my OPT-STEM while working for a private employer. H1B didn’t go through this year. Can I get CPT if enrol in MBA? If yes, how soon can I enrol if my employer wants to have me asap? Appreciate your response. Thank you.

    Reply

  50. Hello Guys,

    As I found from this forum that the people having petitions starting with WAC**** (California Service Center ) is getting the status update changes very frequently while with EAC161** (Vermont Service Centre ) no updates other than case received. So can I say that WAC** is the one with premium processing or there are also cases of regular processing as well? Any idea when the guys with Vermont Service Centre can except the status change?

    Thanks..

    Reply

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