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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. I had applied for f1 and status is still pending. Status shows “Case Received”. I applied for h1b and my name got picked in lottery this year. As f1 is pending , so hope it will not effect h1b. As decision is not taken by USCIS on f1.

    Reply

    • My F1 got approved today. Now waiting for H1 as we need to start the Green Card process because my spouses H1 will maxize next year.

      Reply

  3. Hi Saurav,

    My name has been picked in lottery and waiting for approval. However, a situation has come that my Company wants to convert RP to PP and wants me to travel for another client in another location. Would these two changes impact my Visa Approval and stamping or it does not matter.

    Reply

    • You H1B petition is tied to the labor certification for that location. Changing the location is not correct. Get a legal opinion from an immi lawyer. I assume that, it will make getting visa tough.

      Reply

      • Thanks for your reply.
        I assumed the client change is very common case which eventually changes the location as well. I wanted to know the risk of getting H1B approved for the client/location change along with the visa processing type (RP to PP) change.

        Reply

        • H1B,

          Location change is easy once the original petition has been approved. However, if the original petition is still pending, location change is very difficult. I don’t know of any success stories for the same.

          USCIS is enforcing new LCA with every location change (it became a must in Jan 2016), and this is the first year employers will face this difficulty w/ cap-subject petitions.

          This is what you should do. Upgrade to PP. If USCIS asks for client/project documents then submit the ones related to old client location. Once approved, file for new LCA and amendment and then travel to work at the new location.

          In any case, H-1 stamping dates are backlogged heavily in India. So you won’t be able to travel until almost end of the year.

          Reply

    • Hello cg,

      I am also from CG. What is mentioned in the RFE? What sort of documents they are asking?

      50% of the time people get RFE if they have filed visa through some consultancy Who asks you to pay money for visa processing and sends resource on Contract to other companies and get commission. Capgemini, Accenture, Deloitte people do not get RFE due to company issue.

      Forum correct me if my understanding is wrong.

      Thanks,

      Reply

  8. Please help me out !!!
    Hey all,
    I have completed my masters and i have got h-1 approved .So, When i was applying for F-1 visa , I have filled put ds -160 form with experience in India . In usa , I got job without using that experience , Cause i wanted to have a fresh start . now tat i got my h-1 approved . Now my present ds-160 will be different than the previous ds-160. Will that create ant problem during interview, If so how to avoid it ?
    Please help me out

    Reply

  10. Can anyone please tell me if i get selected in Lottery then does that mean the Amount/Cheque gets encashed which was submitted in my name? My employer didnt reveal any information after that?
    1. How much time would it take to process my application?
    2. How will i know which SC?
    3. Is there a way to get Receipt #?
    4. What if i leave the current Job? can i ask USCIS for receipt #? in this case?

    Please suggest

    Reply

    • all these questions you asked are basic questions which any h1 petitioner is aware of these things, how did you filed your visa without having basic knowledge on h1b.

      Reply

    • SMS,

      Once you have been selected in lottery, USCIS will cash the checks submitted by the employer.
      1. Typical processing time is 2-6 months. But there is no SLA
      2. Through the receipt number. It would either start with EAC (Vermont) or WAC (California)
      3. You can only get it from your employer
      4. Nopes. USCIS will only deal w/ your employer and their attorney.

      Reply

  11. Can anyone please tell me if i get selected in Lottery then does that mean the Amount/Cheque gets encashed which was submitted in my name?

    Reply

  12. Yesterday one of my friend got approval. It was regular processing at vermont. His file number is just 250 numbers ahead of mine. This means files are not processed in series.

    Reply

  13. Hi Admin,

    Yesterday one of my friend got approval. It was regular processing at vermont. His file number is just 250 numbers ahead of mine. This means files are not processed in series.

    Reply

    • Yes, Its not in some series or order. Your file might be already under processing. But you will get to know updates only after their final decision.

      Reply

  14. Hi Admin,

    I applied through a consultancy, got picked up and got a Receipt Number but this consultancy failed to apply for premium as they promised, anything to be suspicious about it.

    Status is still “case was transferred… ”

    When i asked them they are saying that we applied for premium so wait..

    i know PP does not take more than 15 days for outcome.

    Thanks for the support to everyone here

    Reply

    • Suresh,

      If applied in PP, it should have been processed by now. So most likely it is RP. Did you ask your employer if it is RP or PP, and why it is not getting processed if PP?

      Reply

  15. It looks like in EAC center they have finished the first level of processing (approved, RFE sent and on..) until EAC137, because there is no further movement in those series cased. The remaining cases from EAC138- EAC149 is getting processed at the rate of ~350 cases per day. Further 23516 cases pending for first level of processing. Hope 90% of the cased would be cleared by 31st of August.

    Reply

    • i pity all the people from TCS . rest of the people atleast have some status either rejected or selected. For the system shows awaiting since 3 months. and going on.
      i dont think they will reveal the status anytime before october.

      Reply

      • I am not working at TCS but am still waiting. Case got transferred is the last update in May. Doubt if company has anything to do with the processing times. Its all random!

        Reply

  17. Dear Saurabh,
    I was residing in US through a L1B Visa and the max out date was April 2016. Before the max out I tried L1 A blanket as well as individual but ended in vain. USCIS denied both. I came back to India in April 2016. My H1 B 2017 was selected in lottery and currently in case received status
    Question 1: Would L1 denials impact my H1 B processing?
    Question 2: Is there a problem if a supervisor manager apply for H1? Am a supervisor manager and all my H1 B documents will say the same. Manager letter states that I play a managerial role/integration test lead.

    Please let me know

    Reply

    • No Name,

      1. No issue
      2. It should be ok as long the position requires specialized knowledge. I know technical managers who are in US on H-1.

      BTW, your clock is not reset. So you would receive only 1 year on H-1 as you left in April 2016 and H-1 was applied soon after.

      Reply

      • Thanks much Saurabh. That makes sense. Quick follow up question: My I 140 is approved now. Would that be considered for duration extension by Visa officer? i.e, is there a possibility I would get more than 1 year based on approved I 140.

        Reply

        • No Name,

          You can get H-1 for extended time once I-140 is approved. It may happen w/ current petition itself or with future extensions. Did you submit I-140 approval w/ current petition?

          Reply

  19. Hi,

    I still haven’t received any rejection letter. When asked with my employer he said that out 30 rejection packages he is expecting, he received only 13. Still he hasn’t got 17. I feel the employer is trustworthy as my sister’s husband is working under him as an h1 employee. Is anyone there sailing in the same boat without getting rejection package???

    Reply

  20. Hello Admin,

    My Mother along with siblings want to visit US. They are not my dependents. They earn well in India. My spouse is on H1b and I am on H4 visa. Currently we don’t have a good amount in our bank account & neither we have good credit score. They will sponsor all their expenses themselves. Should we apply their tourist visa in few months or should we wait for another year for clearing our dues? Due to some personal stuff they want to visit this year itself. Next year it may not be possible for them.

    Thanks

    Reply

  21. I thought cases were transferred to the California center from Vermont to distribute the load and speed up things. It surely doesn’t feel that way.
    Anyways i am in the waiting boat like so many others EAC16147*****.
    Hopefully the good news comes soon for all those waiting.

    Reply

  22. Hi Saurabh/kumar,
    H1b petition got thru lottery… case status is ‘case was received’. Waiting for that to change to Rfe as de consultancy didn’t submit client letter. My h4 visa expires on October 31. Can I apply for h4 extension or does it impact my h1 approval?

    Reply

    • Hi ,

      I am in the same state . Do you feel our H4 extension period would override H1B’s period if applied for extension before H1B approval? I was told so by one of my friends.

      Reply

      • I was told by my consultancy that applying h4 extension during this time might affect h1b s approval… But we are not sure… So thought of checking in this forum

        Reply

        • Yea I guess it is bit risky if we apply for extension before H1B approval . Anyways lets get the answer from admin .

          Reply

          • Kumar,

            It is not required in all cases. However, if the petition has been filed through small consulting company then having client letter is very beneficial. Big consulting companies like TCS etc may not need as they are much more reputed and financially stable.

    • H4- Non ad/RP/Vt,

      Your options:
      1. Upgrade to PP, so that you know the decision quickly and can then decide whether to apply for H-4 extension or not.
      2. Don’t upgrade and just apply for H-4 extension. If H-1 gets approved first, then withdraw H-4 extension.

      Reply

  23. All over for infoscions.. Only rejected petitions started flowing. There is no more single petition is selected after bulk update on May 18th. I got my rejection update in GICS today..

    Guys start thinking for next and keep moving on.. All the best to all of you. Thank you Saurabh and others for keep this forum always active.

    Reply

  24. Guys,
    Could someone give the link for the google docs which was specifying the count per day. My WAC16147***** and it shows the status as case was received. Did anyone around this figure receive any update.
    Thanks,
    sai

    Reply

  25. Hi,

    Anyone from ACN, whose Case has been approved, or received any communication/RFE?
    Called PMSD team and they said to wait till Sept :/

    Thank you

    Reply

  26. mine is nonead/rp eac1614XXXXXX, i just checked above and below 30 numbers in my series, only 2 got approved who are near to me

    Reply

  27. As per the h1b process stat shared by someone in google docs indicates that there are 14706 WAC cases and 24873 EAC cases, a total of 39579 cases to be processed and the process rate is approximately 350 + 350 = 700 per day. Hence, approximately 39579/700 = 56 working days i.e. 3 more months required to complete. On the other hand 1/3 are getting RFE and 3 months waiting time to schedule interview. So set your mind to travel by next year.

    Reply

  28. The unluckiest people are whose petitions transferred to another center.

    It seems they are going to look into those petitions at last.

    Reply

    • No Shiva, my case(NonAD-RD) was also transferred and got approved on 6thJuly. Still time is there for the approval.
      my rcept no. starts with EAC161425XXXX

      Reply

      • Hi Shan

        Thanks for update. Can you please let us know as your petition is now approved so which interview date your are getting as the earliest?

        Thanks,
        NJ

        Reply

  29. My case approved today.
    NON-AD/RP/EAC161495XXXX,

    Great Thanks to this forum and all the best for those who are awaiting for approvals.

    Reply

  30. Dear Saurabh,
    I was residing in US through a L1B Visa and the max out date was April 2016. Before the max out I tried L1 A blanket as well as individual but ended in vain. USCIS denied both. I came back to India in April 2016. My H1 B 2017 was selected in lottery and currently in case received status
    Question 1: Would L1 denials impact my H1 B processing?
    Question 2: Is there a problem if a supervisor manager apply for H1? Am a supervisor manager and all my H1 B documents will say the same. Manager letter states that I play a managerial role/integration test lead.

    Please let me know

    Reply

    • There should be no impact. However consulates are known to act weird. Please re-confirm with your attorney. Yes, managers can apply H1.

      Reply

    • Dear No Name,
      Am sorry to say this, you may end-up with an RFE and… The reason is you have returned to India in April 2016 and you must be under cool-off period for 365 days before you apply for any non-immigrant work Visa. There is another member (in this same thread) who’s situation was similar to yours and the employer withdraw the petition post RFE. *** Please not am not an attorney, am just sharing my thoughts***

      Reply

      • @ Dear PC,

        Can you explain a more please? I don’t see any problem with cooling period or anything however my main concern was earlier L1 denials and my role as a manager. Thanks

        Reply

  32. Hello Infy, TCS, TechM, Wipro etc .Approved candidates,

    1) You got the approval, but how long it takes to get the hard copy of approved petition (Specially people waitig in India)
    2) I believe it might take atleast a months time (USCIS will release to US office , then US office will share to India Office), Anyone got hard copy yet?
    3) Then our VISA team will take their own sweet time to arrange DS160, other visa docs etc.
    4) Again current waiting time for appoitment is minimum 3 months 🙁
    Looks these all process might take 5-8 months
    5) Please share your opinion/views.
    Thanks

    Reply

    • Even if visa approved, stamped, it is only valid from October 1st. So prepare yourself to work from next year January and not before that. Cheers!

      Reply

  33. Hi Guys,

    I have a question and i am in a fix, my 12 Month Opt expired on January 19th, 2016 and i applied for a 17 month stem extension. I received an RFE on my 17 Month STEM Extension around the last week of March and they asked to to provide some documents before the due date which was June 25th, 2016. I submitted my documents to them and it reached USCIS on the June 6th, 2016. The application still shows pending till today.

    On the side i received another RFE in the last week of May, 2016 stating the rules since have been changed my application will now be changed from 17 to 24 months and there is a bunch of documents they asked me to send before August 18th, 2016.

    My Employer filed for my H1B too this year in March as usual and i got picked in the lottery and approved too and i have the original I-797 with me stating my H1B will start from October 1st, 2016. I got a CAP-GAP I20 from my school too so that i stay in status. Now my question is what should i do with the RFE i received for the 24 Months, i have also passed the 180 days post 12 month OPT which allows students to work provided their application is in process with USCIS. My case is very unique and i really don’t know weather i should wait for them to respond to my RFE Documents i sent for the 17 Month or send them all the documents for the 24 month RFE also.

    Also i cannot work post the 180 day period that has expired, what should i do?

    Reply

    • As far as I know, you get the H1B stamped and forget about the OPT and RFE. If you cannot get H1B stamped then take action on the RFE on OPT.

      Reply

    • You should send the documentation to USCIS for 24 months or you will be OOS starting Aug 18-Sept 30th and if you do not send they will mark the application denied. Its difficult but you have as I am think Out of Status is not a good option.

      Thanks.

      Reply

  34. Hi Guys,

    My case was approved on Jul 25 2015 and my receipt no start with EAC161445****, NON-AD/RP. Thanks for this forum to know H1B related information’s with varies stage. all the best for those who are awaiting approvals. Thanks.

    Reply

  35. I have submitted DS-160 and received confirmation letter. Also my employer has blocked the PAI and biometerics on november. Thanks to this forum will keep me updating 🙂

    Reply

    • When was your approval date and when the approval hard copy got uploaded in the post processing application ?

      I guess you must have received 1 email triggered from the application.

      I am wondering how much time it takes to get the hard copy of the approval.
      Thanks!

      Reply

  36. Dear Admin/Friend

    I have applied for H1B visa in 2015 and mine case is still pending

    I got ref in the month of June 2015 and my attorney has replied on 16 Oct 2015 since then there is no update in mine application.

    I’m still hopeful nd I will pray for ll those whose case are still pending

    Reply

    • It seems struck in the security check. You should have applied for this year.

      Finding an MNC Sponsor and apply for next year. I am saying this because i saw some case like this for more than 2 years.

      Reply

  39. Why is Vermont center so slow in processing cases.The speed at which they are processing i dont think we will get our petition approved before december for sure.Plus they dont work on weekends.Yeh to hamaare government employees se bhi gaye guzre hai..inki bkc

    Reply

  41. Hi Saurabh,

    Hope you are doing well . My H1B petition got selected in lottery and I am waiting for approval . I am currently in the US in H4 visa and my H4 is expiring this November . Should I proceed with my H4 extension or wait for my H1B approval ? Please advise

    Reply

    • H1BApprovalWaitinngggg,

      If I were you, I would wait until Aug-Sep to see if petition gets approved. If not, then upgrade it to PP so that the decision comes before H-4 expiration date. You don’t need H-4 extension if H-1 was filed w/ COS, and eventually gets approved.

      Reply

  45. Early this morning I saw my status changed to “Case was Approved”, But I have not received any details for further steps from my organization.

    Please suggest!

    Reply

    • Vinay,

      It would take a while for the physical approval notice to reach them. Attorneys and employer usually start the next step once they have the physical document in hand.

      Reply

      • Thanks Sarah for Detail.

        From now how much more time left(generally) for me till stamping. I need to apply for my dependents as well.

        Reply

        • Vinay,

          I will wait for Sarah to respond to you.

          I at times wonder why it is so difficult to use my name correctly. Americans have put in more effort in correctly speaking/writing my name than some of the posters on this blog.

          Reply

          • Hey Saurabh,

            Cool Man…. Was a Typo. Don’t go in details of the American and Indian… At last we are human only and can do TYPOs ;).

            Thanks Saurabh for this entire setup… we must appreciate you effort.

            Thanks,
            Vinay

      • Saurabh,

        Yesterday one of my friend got approval. It was regular processing at vermont. His file number is just 250 numbers ahead of mine. This means files are not processed in series.

        Reply

  46. Hi Saurabh

    Thanks for this forum . This site is great for all of us to have open discussion on VISA related questions.

    I have a question of you or anyone could answer.

    I am in L1. My H1B petition got picked this year and i am waiting for my approval to get L1 to H1B transfer.
    My Dependent is planning to travel by September . I am hoping to get my H1B approved before Sep, if not can my Dependent travel to India during I-539 for Change of status in Progress ?
    I don’t have idea to travel until my H1b gets approved , i think that’s safer but what about dependent ?

    Thank you so much !!!

    Reply

    • Hey Shan !!

      Your dependent cannot travel when you i539 is in process. If they travel the petition gets abandoned.. However she can get stamped at consulate I guess.. Consult your attorney for more info

      Reply

    • Hi Saurabh,

      Hope you are doing well . I have a query . My H1B petition for selected in lottery . I am currently in the US in H4 visa and my H4 visa is expiring this Novemeber . Should I wait for my H1B approval or proceed with my H4 extension meanwhile ? Please advise.

      Thank You

      Reply

    • Shan,

      If your dependents leave US while COS is pending, then the same would be abandoned.

      1. They would have to enter again on L-2 (provided you are still on L-1 and your COS to H-1 hasn’t been approved yet). They would have to apply for COS to H-4 soon after your H-1 gets approved.

      2. They would have to appear for H-4 visa stamping if you have already moved to H-1 through COS etc.

      Reply

  48. My case is showing “Name has updated” since April. Can somebody please share what this status means? I googled about this status, but don’t see any exact answer.

    Reply

    • Rajesh,

      My status was also same and it got approved. It could be just a name change or someone has touched your application and hopefully it will get approved soon don’t worry about that.

      Reply

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