We will look at the some of the common FAQs that are tied to H1B work visa for fiscal year 2019. This article will be updated with latest info as we get more info.
- H1B 2019 Season Start Date ?
- H1B Visa 2019 Quota ?
- Will there be lottery for H1B 2019 ?
- H1B 2019 Lottery date ?
- How to find H1B 2019 Sponsors ?
- H1B visa 2019 fees ?
- H1B 2019 Latest News
Update : H1B 2019, 2020 Seasons are over, H1B 2021 Season is the upcoming season. Read all details at H1B Visa 2021 – Start Date, Fee, Lottery, Registration – FAQs
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What is the H1B Visa 2019 season start date ?
Update : USCIS will start accepting H1B Petitions starting from April 2nd, 2018 as per their official update on their website. In general, USCIS starts accepting applications for the next fiscal year exactly 6 months before the start of the next fiscal year. USCIS fiscal year for 2019 starts from 1st October 2018, which means they should accept applications for FY 2019 from April 1st, 2018. As April 1st is a Sunday, USCIS should accept applications for H1B 2019 season from April 2nd, 2019.
What is H1B visa 2019 Quota for Regular and Masters filings ?
As of the date of writing of article, the H1B quota is as below. This is also called the H1B Visa Cap. You can read more at What is H1B Cap ? Regular vs Masters quota ?
- H1B Regular Quota : 65,000 visas
- H1B Master’s Quota : 20,000 visas. ( only US Masters eligible)
Also, of the overall 85,000 visa cap, every year 6,800 visas are set aside for the citizens of Singapore and Chile as part of the Free Trade Agreement with them. There were few bills part of Comprehensive Immigration Reform that are not active in Senate that were proposed from Obama administration days to change the cap count to 110,000 and Masters to 25,000, including potential to make H1B cap extend up to 180,000. But nothing has moved and all are dormant. Nothing new has been proposed by the new Trump Administration regarding changing cap count. To get a glimpse of historical cap count changes, you may check H1B visa cap count history from 1990 to 2017
Will there be Lottery for H1B 2019 season ? Lottery Predictions ? Filing Numbers ?
Update : USCIS had lottery for FY 2019 quota and received 190,098 petitions.
Looking at the historical trend of H1B filings, cap reach dates, it is quite possible that we would have lottery for FY 2019 quota. We have written a detail article looking at historical data, Trump administration new policies like ‘Buy American, Hire American’, students on OPT, H4 EAD removal rule, etc. factors. To know the prediction numbers and details, read the article: H1B Visa 2019 Lottery Predictions – Analysis, Graphs .
When is H1B Visa 2019 Lottery Date ?
Update : USCIS Conducted Lottery for FY 2019 on April 11, 2018.
There are two things, one is when the H1B petitions are accepted for the lottery and second is when the actual lottery is done. H1B visa petitions for next fiscal year would be accepted by USCIS from April 2nd, 2018 for 5 working days until April 6th, 2018 to be part of the lottery. Now, the actual lottery date depends on various factors depending the volume of petitions and USCIS load. It can be anywhere in second week of April. For FY 2018, the actual H1B Lottery was done on April 11th, 2017 . We can expect anywhere around the same date like April 11th or April 13th.
How to find H1B visa 2019 Sponsors ?
It can be very hard to find a good employer and convince them to sponsor H1B to work in US with major unknown like H1B Visa lottery. Anyways, you would be in one of the three scenarios, if you are seeking a H1B Sponsor.
- F1 Student in US : You can find an internship or co-op at an employer who can sponsor H1B visa and ask them to sponsor your H1B. You can continue to work on OPT once you graduate as well. You find the list of H1B Sponsoring companies using the tool
- International Professionals : If you are outside of US, it can be tricky with all the latest rules by Trump administration. Your best bet is to find an multi-national company ( MNC) and work through them to sponsor H1B visa. You may have hurdles inside the company with all the internal process, many waiting, etc. But, it is up to you to negotiate and ask them to take a chance. Many try the IT body shop route, where they ask them to file H1B. Rules have changed in the last few years and it is very risky move and can jeopardize your US hopes. Read comments on this H1B Companies Reviews article to get an idea and beware of such consulting companies to avoid fraud.
- Important Note : We, as RedBu2US, DO NOT Provide any H1B sponsorship or guide anyone using professional services or fee. If anyone approaches you by saying our name, it is pure FRAUD…beware !
If you are looking for more details, check out Guide on How to Find H1B Visa Sponsors 2019
What is H1B 2019 Filing Fee ?
H1B visa petition filing involves USCIS fee towards certain things and attorney fees, which varies by company size, and attorney involved for the case. As of FY 2018 season, it can range anywhere from $1,600 USD to $7,400 USD + Attorney Fee. In year 2016, for FY 2018, the H1B base filing fees, increased from $325 to $460. Below table is a high level summary from FY 2018 quota as of writing, it maybe subject to change as we approach towards the filing date. If any changes, we will update this accordingly. Also, you can Read Summary of H1B Filing Fee – Who pays for What ? .
| H1B Fee – Paid Towards | Amount in USD |
| Base filing fee | $460 |
| 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 |
H1B 2019 Case Tracker :
Did you work with attorney and sent all documents to apply for FY 2019 ? It is quite hard for applicants to know the general status of everyone to understand their situation. 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 !
- Add your case at H1B Visa Tracker
What’s the latest news on H1B Visa 2019 ?
Below are some of the major news updates on H1B 2019 season. You can check H1B Visa 2019 Cap Count Tracker – Latest News Updates for full details
- Jan 25, 2019 ( Official News ) : USCIS did a press release that Premium Processing Resumed for H1B 2019 Cap Petitions
- July 30th, 2018 ( Official News ) : USCIS announced that they have returned all the H1B 2019 petitions that were not selected in lottery. They gave guidance that, if you have filed for FY 2019 and has not received a receipt notice or rejected package by August 13th, 2018, they can contact USCIS. More info at USCIS News Alert
- May 15, 2018 ( Official News ) : USCIS Completed Data Entry for H1B 2019 Lottery Selected Petitions
- April 12, 2018 ( Official News ) : USCIS announces H1B Lottery Completed, 190K petitions filed.
- April 6, 2018 ( Official News ) : Press alert saying that USCIS Reached Cap for FY 2019 Quota
- March 23, 2018 ( Official News ) USICS announces new policy memo with guidance on Related entities for H1B Duplicate petitions
- March 20, 2018 ( Official News) : USCIS accepts H1B 2019 petitions from April 2nd, Premium Process Suspended till Sept 10, 2018.
- Feb 22, 2018 ( Official News ): USCIS released a new memo with additional requirements for H1B petitions filed for third party worksite locations. These new rules are very extensive asking for work orders, contracts, client letter itinerary, etc. and will have huge impact on H1B 2019 quota filings. Read completed details with impact info at New Policy Memo Third Party worksite H1B Petitions – Requirements, Impact.
- January 25,2018 : (Unofficial News) : AILA updated to their members that there will NOT be any procedural changes for FY 2019 season. You can read more details at AILA News USCIS – No Procedural Changes for FY 2019
- December 2017 : There are many speculations floating around based on the proposals and bills in senate and house by Trump administration. We just have to wait and see what happens. We will track all the news and update here for everyone’s update.
You can bookmark this page and check this page for updates on H1B FY 2019 season.
Do you have any questions on next H1B 2019 season ?
FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Raids.
http://www.rnlawgroup.com/immigration-news/589-fbi-and-immigration-and-customs-enforcement-ice-raids
Great..now fake consultancies of usa raided and fake ones of Andhra etc reported to uscis .
Only genuine applicants shall get h1b.
Fake ones pack up time!!
Seriously?? Article was published on 8th March and raid was conducted on 7th March.. which is technically one month before filing of petitions and they raided based on H1B filings…. Umm.. that’s interesting time journey!!
@ Concerned, all the best and happy journey!! LOL
Hi Admin, Friends,
I had very unique experience @Chennai consulate. despite having all genuine documents my VISA was not issued.
I got 221g Blue slip for H1B Visa stamping @Chennai consulate mentioning they need todo administration processing.
VO asks for following documents and took copies of all of them:
– All Passports
– i797 petition
– Client letter
– Employer verification letter
– LCA
– i129
VO asked following questions.
VO: Who is your petitioner?
ME: Answered
VO: Who is your client ? Is there any vendor in between ?.
ME: Answered
VO: What is the work location?
ME: Answered
VO: What is your highest education ?
ME: Answered
VO: What if your salary ?
ME: Answered
Questions to my spouse:
VO : How long you been married? : Answered
VO : What is your highest level of edcucation? : Answered
VO : What is your daughter’s age ? : Answered
Despite giving all answers, VO gave me yellow slip which he mentioned it will allow me to remain in the building and I can wait in the waiting area while he checks my documents. I waited there for around 15-20 minutes.
After that one Indian lady called me on one of the VISA counter and asked my project documents. She said she dont want anything but LCA and i-129 copy. They scanned all my documents and made a copy. And she asked me to wait again in the waiting area.
After around 20 minutes, same VO comes back to same window and called me there. He handed me 221(g) blue slip(With administration processing option ticked) and told me that they are refusing my application for administrative processing and need more time to make decision on my application. They said they have all documents and I will be contacted if they need anymore documents/information.
He returned my all documents and passports and ask me to leave for the day.
Status on the CAES state department site shows “Administrative processing”.
Any one got the same 221(g) blue slip experience or in the same boat ? Any information on this topic will be highly appreciated.
Cheers!.
I m sorry to hear that Jack. But if it is a genuine client letter you will get approval for sure but I know quite a few people who applied through fake consultants n were carrying fake client letter got 221g.
Genuine ones need not worry but fake ones ….no more approvals !!
Hi Jayasri,
I have all legit documents and papers. Issue is my client might not waiting after 2 weeks and may go ahead with other candidates.
If it is so easy for your client to find another candidate in US in 2 weeks time , then it means that yours is not a specialty occupation. The consulate officer has taken the right decision of issuing you a 221G blue slip.
@Jack
I had been in the same scenario in the year of 2014. Everything same except giving 221(g) blue slip with administrative processing option ticked. I was at Hyderabad consulate. So this is not anything new or changed after new rules. Now its all in your employer’s hands to give answers from USCIS. Good Luck!
@Kumar How many applications can we expect for this year? Any predictions?
Stay tuned for an article to be published in couple of days on H1B Predictions.
Any update on this Admin?
Hi Kumar., any update on predicitions!!
heena,
It is on my list, should be posted in couple of days, sorry !
Kumar.. Did u publish the mentioned article
My indian passport expires in may 2018 and i just received my petition approved. Should i renew my passport and go for stamping . Will it be a problem of petition has my old passport number .
Just renew and go for stamping with your new and old passport.. shouldn’t be a issue.
It should not be a problem, you just need to carry both passports. You can apply for re-issue of passport and go for stamping with New Passport.
To All aspiring to apply for H1B this fiscal year (2019), please note that USCIS has increased their scrutiny like never before and there are lots of RFEs, RFIs, Site Visits and Rejections.
Petitions from major Indian IT firms too got rejected in last years processing after RFEs. From the contacts I know (may or may not be true), Reliable/well known consultancies are refraining from applying new petitions this year and are working on only existing petition transfers. When USCIS introduced the mailbox to reports H1B abuses last year, many people (atleast from my circle) have reported desi consultancies. Most desi consultancies if they offer to apply H1 for you, make sure you do thorough research on them, if not there are instances where these people get the money and cheat you, you never know if they have actually applied.. most of my friends were not refunded money back from the consultancies even after their petitions didn’t go thru lottery.
Avoid the consultancies at any cost, and if they are specifically Andhra/Hyderabad based, stay away for sure all of them are fraud rings, you’ll never get your money back and they won;t apply too.
Even if you apply thru consultancies and get thru lottery, chances are less to have your petition approved, which means you wont get your money back.
USCIS does site visits and review all docs and issues RFEs/RFIs in most cases before approving/rejecting. Consultancies offer short term projects and 90% of those will be rejected even if gets thru lottery. And since these are short term, even if approved, visas will be only for 6 month or a year period time based on the time mentioned in client letter. Beware that many clients will not even give detailed client letter.
And moreover if it gets rejected after going thru lottery, you’ll lose money and if you apply next year thru a genuine employer, you’ll have to report the prior rejections in I-129, which might be a drawback.
Check the results of previous year H1B processing, most of them were denied after not one but two RFEs unless you have a very strong case from a genuine employer.
At the end, even if your petition gets approved, getting job is the next challenge as many companies do not prefer H1Bs.
These are the facts and not saying to freak people out, please do thorough analysis before applying thru consultancies so that you don’t waste your money.. ask for their success rates and available project/client details before you start processing.
All the Best!!!
This is very depressing.
Hi Kumar,
If you are suggesting not to go through consultancy, Indian IT firms, we are left with only US product companies. They hire very few people.
Last month our company moved something like 20 TCS contractors in our open space. All Indians, no exception. I had chance to glance on their screens all the time. What they were doing:
1. Reading email
2. Opening some xls
3. Browsing Amazon deals.
I guess most of them are on H1s.
I see no value in these individuals taking H1s. Actually, a hiring manager I know told me that he risked and hired few out-of-high-school Americans, no degrees or technical college. To his surprised they were hard-wording, diligent and always able to do the job (contrary to most of the contractors). He said he will never hire contractors again.
So I guess no one (other than the IT slaves and visa abusers) will lose if USCIS cracks down on these low-skilled individuals. Decent candidates with good skills have no reasons to worry.
So sad that low skilled are getting H1s. But thats the way H1 works, lottery.
Unfortunately this is the bitter truth anyone would agree and nothing is exaggerated here.
You shuld be able to find a job directly with the client, not with the consultancy or your IT company, if you are really qualified for that position.
That’s what all other H1-B petitioners are doing.
We are finally getting rid of these consultancies. That is excellent news – both for qualified immigrants who suffered all these years because consultancies clogged the system with their cheap labor, and for the country.
@KUMAR,
HOW MANY APPLICATION CAN BE EXPECTED THIS YEAR 2019 H1B?
Around 190,000.
Did anyone get H1B initiation from TCS? When did you get it?
Based on the current trend of RFE and denials, all big Indian it firms are reducing their dependency on h1b. They are hiring GC/citizens
Guys pls don’t apply from fake consultancies and body shops .
Most of them have been reported to the uscis as frauds and you you will jeopardise your chances for ever .
Also most of these fake body shops are now just taking money n not really applying due to fear of being caught!!
Does any one applying for H1B visa for FY2019 from intellitro inc, consultancy located in las vegas?
Is that a genuine employer who files fresh H1b petetiond
As mentioned earlier, don’t apply from desi consultancies as you will loose your hard earned money. They won’t apply and will charge you 5 to 6 thousand dollars. Eventhough they apply for you, USCIS will reject that
Applying through consultancies will only lead to rejections! Not trying to scare but thats the fact.
BiSoft , anyone applying via BiSoft . It seems they don’t have prior experience as No petition details available on MyVisa or similar sites.
Me too got call from BiSoft I am not sure about it.are u applying?
Not sure. They don’t have prior experience but claim to have Govt. projects.
Maybe we can connect ?
i also got a call. but no news about the company/
Beware, USCIS is denying H1B for candidates who are not employees of company (that is applying h1b on candidate behalf) at the time of visa apply (April). So if you plan to join the consultancy after h1b is approved, most likely it will be denied as you are not the employee at the time of applying.
Is this true or just made up?
This is true. This year small consultancies are being targeted heavily.
If you can find ppl. whose h1b is rejected after being picked up in lottery, you will find this to be one of the reason of rejection.
Apart from regular scrutiny (work, pay), consultancies are seeing rejection for below reason also
1. Does consultancy has proper office in US. Some small ones operate from small office/home. These are getting rejected.
2. If applied for s/w post and candidate has non CS degree. Not just fresh h1b, but even extensions are getting rejected.
3. If you are not the employee of the company at the time of visa apply, this is also getting rejected.
Beware!!. Seems like Fraudulent Andhra company. They are here to make money.
Read below link: They are inviting people in Hyderabad, India for applying new H1B on NAUKIRI.COM.
https://www.naukri.com/job-listings-Inviting-Applicants-for-Fresh-H1B-Pek-systems-Hyderabad-Secunderabad-5-to-10-years-160218009027
But this is the way(through naukri) that a consultancy can be found.
Thanks!!
Dear All,
Anyone know about the company people systems? Any H1B filed from this company? Can I trust them? Looking forward for your replies.
Thanks,
Peksystem
Even I got call from them.
Not sure, whether to go for it or not.
Checked it in here but not present.
https://www.dol.gov/whd/immigration/H1BDebarment.htm
Hey guys, does any body is applying through Pek systems?
I did through PEK System for H1 transfer. Till now no issues, i got my LCA approved and now transfer is in progress. I got prompt response from the team, till now no issues faced. Hope things goes fine for me.
There are no new rules. Its the same rule that is there for long time, As US economy is doing good , there will be more number of applications this year
Economy looks good because unemployment rate is down.. It is down because more GC holders and Citizens are preferred for Jobs.. H1 holders are still in grave.. even if you are lucky enough to get get H1 approved after all this crazy denials going around, looking for an employer who will take is another big challenge if you are looking thru consultancies. And the chances are very tough..
Don’t mistake things with economy..
With new rule if company is filing H-1B, for internal project and giving my home address as work location, will that be ok?
And USCIS will visit your home to inspect your work.
Any prediction on the expected number of petitions this year?
I’m guessing 170-190k petitions
I am guessing 100-120 k.
There will be plenty of visas available this year. The new rule will make it almost impossible for consultancies to apply – they need to secure contract first with precise job functions, etc. USCIS is going to end “benching” practice.
@Peter , There are no new rules. Its the same rule that is there for long time, As US economy is doing good , there will be more number of applications this year
It’s going to be insane this year.
http://immigrationgirl.com/uscis-puts-h-1b-third-party-placement-employers-on-notice/
All,
Check this latest news published today on H1B by USCIS… probably this targets those applying thru consultancies. Take a note guys!!! Beware of applying thru consultancies, per this news, Visas/approvals may not be issued for 3 years at one go and the scrutiny will be more. And everytime it’ll be the wait and watch game once you are up for extension.
https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-strengthens-protections-combat-h-1b-abuses-clarifies-policy-requirements-third-party-worksite-h-1b-petitions
Yes Ram.. it’s not worth applying thru consultancies. Last year too there are lot of denials and now they are even strengthening their process ?
Ram,
Will this impact petitions from Indian IT companies? I believe almost everyone work on third party worksite model..
Can someone clarify?
Yes, this would affect every company who tries to place their employees in third party site/Client place.
This will not only impact desi consultancies but all big offshore companies as they get the Visa on the basis of blanket agreements wit their clients.
Do you sense that this will decrease the overall number of petitions this year, as consultancies could be worried that they won’t get the visas to support their work efforts?
Has anyone processed their H1b visa through shreespot consultants or relicsolutions?
Not yet but planning via Shreespot but they are Not providing any past references. How about you ?
I am not sure about the job offer letters they discussed. Also, was told that we have to look for a job after landing there….
Finding a job after landing in US will be very difficult. Many companies are not preferring H1Bs due to immigration issues.
Anyone got h1b initiation mail from HCL?
Did anyone get h1b initiation mail from HCL Tech?
Hi Ram,
My wife has H1B from prev Year but not traveled. This year my company is filing for me. So the Question is, me and my wife both can have H1B and H4 stamps at same time? (if my application picked up in lottery)
Yup you can have both.
Hello,
I had my L1-B maxout in Nov-17 and post that I moved to Canada. Along with that my current employer filed my GC in EB-2 and I-140 approved. Now I have my US H4 visa based on my wife H1B. Employer planning to file my H1-B from Canada, so in that case I will get fresh six years of H1B (If pick up in lottery) or it will be additional 1 yr( (already had 5 years on L1B) and h1-b extension based on approved I1-140
or Do I have to stay for 365 cleander days out of US as cooling period?
You may get only one year as you have not completed your cool off period (365 days)
Thanks Ram for your reply.
But having I-140 approval – I can apply for 3 year extension beyond 6-years max-out – Is that correct?
or instead wait for cooling period of 365 days (means let H1-B pick in lottery and stay out of US till 365 days complete) and come back on H1-B – stay for 6 years – Is that possible scenario?
Guys,
There are some consultancies who are willing to apply my h1 visa. But they are demanding 3-4 lakh in advance in the name of processing fee but not giving anything in written. They are saying if i don’t get through the lottery they will deduct 65000 rupees and rest will refund me. I am not sure if i should go for it. Seems genuine consultancies but have some very negative feedback too.
It is illegal to pay for H1B application from your pocket as employee, your employer has to sponsor and pay for it. These are the companies that are IT body shop that try to hoard applications and abuse the system, be careful !
Stay away from consultancies.. if you go with those guys, then the whole 3-4 lakhs will be gone for sure. First of all, there is no guarantee that the consultancy applied for you. Second, if you don’t go thru lottery, they will not give a single penny, they will delay, delay and delay and will be gone finally. By luck if you go thru lottery, due to increased scrutiny by USCIS for these consultancies, chances are very very less for the petition to get approve. Please note big companies like TCS, CTS and Infy’s petitions too got rejected last year, never think these consultancies will get you thru. If petition is rejected after getting thru lottery, whole 3-4 lakhs is gone.
Please check with people applied last year thru consultancies or thru big Indian IT giants.. almst every petition went thru RFEs and most were rejected and hence the companies have reduced applying for H1s this year.
And if that consultancy youa re referring is in Hyderabad or Andhra based, then stay away for sure else your hard earned 4 lakhs will be gone for sure.
Always apply thru a genuine employer, refer last years experience of people, touch base with them.. gather more info before you think to apply thru conultancies, chances are very grave thru them.
Did anyone get h1b initiation mail from CTS?
Hey I’m from CTS and got receipt number last week, but while I try to search for the case status in URL “https://www.uscis.gov/”. I’m getting the below error, help me any one facing the same issue?
Validation Error(s)
You must correct the following error(s) before proceeding:
•My Case Status does not recognize the receipt number entered. Please check your receipt number and try again. If you need further assistance, please call the USCIS Contact Center at 1-800-375-5283.
Did anyone get h1b initiation mail from infy?
Yes
Yes, I got mail today
All the Best.I have checked.There is no slot.
What’s the news.. how many filings for CTS,TCS,WIPRRO,INFOSYS.. INFOSYS WILL be filing less than 500 Visas this years
Guys
https://www.ndtv.com/business/here-are-the-employers-us-has-disqualified-from-applying-for-h-1b-visas-budget-1810190?amp=1&akamai-rum=off
Don’t file your petition through desi consultancies as all of them will charge you for processing ( $5000 – $6000) and you will never come to know if they are applying your visa or no and suppose if a consultancy agrees to return you money still they will deduct more than $1000 as a processing fee. But in .ost of the cases they won’t return you a single $, and you won’t be able to do anything. Most if these kind of consultancies are operating from Htderabad (India).
Does anyone know what is the notice period for onsite CTS employees that go from India to USA and then resign and move to other company..
its tough to change employer here after since most cts guys switch for tcs infy wipro etc etc and they will get RFE and denial so its best to work for same firm and location
Hi Ram,
My H1-B visa is filed by my company for which I am working currently four times till now and it didn’t get through lottery ever.
Last year one more consulting firm filed my H1-B. The application got RFE related to Specialty Occupation and Availability of Work and was rejected.
This year my company is again going to file my H1-B fifth time. Will last year’s rejection impact my application this year “if it gets selected in lottery”
The fact that you were denied on a different earlier application would not by itself create a negative impact. Each application should be considered on its own merits based on the circumstances.A rejection for H1 does not have any bearing on future applications, interviews and Visas for an individual. However, it would be very helpful to know the reason(s) for the earlier denial and on how to rectify it. So that we can make sure that it doesn’t happen again. You can talk to an immigration Attorney on this.
All the best for upcoming H1B!
Thanks a lot Ram!!
Classic example to not apply thru Consultancies.. Beware guys, USCIS scrutinizes a lot. Do your research.
True Sam. But it is classic example of the lottery system as well.
I am working for a genuine known US company as a full time employee since 4 years. They file for my H1 every year. It is not picked in the lottery since last 4 years. What am I supposed to do in this case except being frustrated. I am being rejected based on my luck on which I have no control as such.
Hi Ram,
I am on my OPT Extension which is valid till sept 19. In 2017 i applied for H1, first time but got rejected.
My RFE was on SO. Now am planning to apply for H1B this year.
Can you please give a detailed suggestion on what all documents need to be submitted now for applying H1B this year ?
Any help is appreciated.
Nice to read:
http://immigrationgirl.com/the-ultimate-checklist-for-filing-an-h-1b-petition-in-fy2019/
http://immigrationgirl.com/detailed-job-descriptions-are-vital-to-proving-h-1b-specialty-occupation/
All the best for FY2019!
Hi firstly thank you for this site
A couple questions, I’ve studied in the USA a few years ago and now i’m looking to move to work from Australia in 2019. I’m a IT Systems Administrator, where should I start in regards to applying or checking to see if I’m eligible.
Daniel,
I am not familiar with Australia stuff, I wish I could advise.
Hello,
Please let me know if any reliable consultancies who will sponsor H1b for 2019 fiscal year. Please reply to this message with your email address.
Thanks,
Chithra
To All aspiring to apply for H1B this fiscal year (2019), please note that USCIS has increased their scrutiny like never before and there are lots of RFEs, RFIs, Site Visits and Rejections.
Petitions from major Indian IT firms too got rejected in last years processing after RFEs.
From the contacts I know (may or may not be true), Reliable/well known consultancies are refraining from applying new petitions this year and are working on only existing petition transfers. When USCIS introduced the mailbox to reports H1B abuses last year, many people (atleast from my circle) have reported desi consultancies. Most desi consultancies if they offer to apply H1 for you, make sure you do thorough research on them, if not there are instances where these people get the money and cheat you, you never know if they have actually applied.. most of my friends were not refunded money back from the consultancies even after their petitions didn’t go thru lottery. Even if you apply thru consultancies and get thru lottery, chances are less to have your petition approved, which means you wont get your money back. USCIS does site visits and review all docs and issues RFEs/RFIs in most cases before approving/rejecting. Consultancies offer short term projects and 90% of those will be rejected even if gets thru lottery. And moreover if it gets rejected and if you apply next year thru a genuine employer, you’ll have to report the prior rejections in I-129, which might be a drawback.
These are the facts and I’m not saying all these to freak people out, please do thorough analysis before applying thru consultancies so that you don’t waste your money.. ask for their success rates and available project/client details before you start processing.
All the Best!!!
Thank you for your Advice Ram.
Hey Chithra,
Try to get a job in a legit manner. Don’t go with the consultancy route. If you can’t take the efforts then please go back to your home country, don’t spoil the job market over here.
Have some mercy on those who are trying to get a job in a legit way.
Does IBM India Started asking document?
Yes IBM India Started asking documents to upload in INSZoom. seems very less candidates..
Hello,
Will we have Premium Processing this year for H1b visa.
We cant say for sure. We will have to wait for official word. But speculation is that USCIS might suspend Premium processing once we are closer to April.
@Admin Any lottery predictions for this year?
We will post it closer to the date.
Hello,
I am student who holds F-1 Visa along with OPT. My opt will come to an end June 6th 2018. Fortunately, my company decided to sponsor me for H-1B 2019. However, I did notice that H-1B results comes out around early June to mid June, assuming from last year result. Is there any possible way to work at my company if H-1B 2019 comes out afterJune 6th? If it comes out around mid June, I will not be able to work for a week.
Any lottery predictions for this year?
No, you can not work at that time.
You’ll get a cap-gap extension valid until Sept 30th, subject to your application getting picked in lottery and H1b, if approved by then, will kick in from 1st Oct.
From 2018, I heard about there will be no more lottery system for H1B filling?Is that true? Even I saw some news videos about no more h1b lottery..Let me know. Thanks!
There is no official news on the change in the way the new H1B petitions are going to be picked/Selected for further processing. If there is any, we would definitely let you know.
Hi all,
Do you feel that HR170 bill or 100K bill could be passed and become law ?
I hope so, although I feel bad admitting that. MD/JD/MBA etc. students stand to benefit.
We would be interested in talking to skilled workers interested to work with us …..we can sponsor H1b and can also transfer those candidate who haven’t got a chance to get here…
Hi Ravikiran,
I am looking for the employer who can sponsor my H1B. Please let me know.
Hi Ravikiran,
I’m very much interested in that. May I know further details like, what are the skills you are looking for and more about you if you don’t mind.
Thanks in advance.
Hi, I am looking for H1b sponsor for 2019.
Could you please share your email id ?
Thanks, Harsh
Yes
HI ravi,
I am associated with Ericsson -Bangalore interested to peruse my carrier in US,Kindly help me with H1B Sponsor ,My carrier is in Radio Optimisation _LTE
My contact number :- 09538323455
You should first know the difference between a CARRIER and a CAREER.
Hahaha, great point Bart. People like Avishek just want to come to the US. They don’t even know that they are not talented enough to pursue career over here.
peruse????????????
Hi Ravi,
I am interested to explore the career opportunity with your organization for H1B Visa sponsorship, Please reply me back with your email address.
Regards,
Sathiyan K.
Sathiyan,
Do you know reply means sending a response to the previous email? Reply me back is a non-sense. Please correct that first and then try to apply for H1B. Okay?
Hi Ravi kumar,
I am looking for an employer who can file h1 for me.
Thanks,
Pooja
Hi Pooja,
There are plenty Google, Microsoft, IBM, Intel etc. But probably you want to get into the US by cheating i.e. applying through consultancies. Such a lazy person you are.
Hi Ravi,
I am looking for sponsors for H1b visa having 9 Yrs experience in IT.
Thanks
I’m interested in applying H1b visa could you please let me know the procedure and details on my email: rs.reddyca@gmail.com
I’m a SQL database administrator with 4 years of experience, I want to know what are the possibilities and what is the procedure for applying H1b visa.
What is the price that you will charge for filing, please mention this as well in my email.
Reddygaru.
Would like to know more about this. Have 13 years of experience in embedded software testing.
Thanks
Hi Ravi,
I have 6 years of software development experience, please add me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/balinta/ or email me at balinta.dev[at]gmail.com.
Thank you!
I am a security consultant basically from india currently working in Germany.. I have a US B1 and have traveled several times to US.. please let me know if you can sponsor a H1b for me..
Hello Ravi
Could you please share your contact details?
Hi RaviKiran,
I am looking for any employer who can sponsor me H1B visa. Currently I am residing in New Haven, Connecticut State.
Thanks in advance
Samriti
Hi Ravikiran ,
Iam looking for the employer
who can sponsor my H1B.please let me know
Please provide your contact details.
I am interested, please share your email /contact details.
Hi,
In case, I got an opportunity to get the H1B initiation from two different companies and if the both got picked up in the lottery. what is the next possible scenario.
Thanks in advance.
Both the cases will be treated as separate cases and would be processed further. Once one is approved, you can request the other employer to withdraw the other one. Or you can wait for both to get approved and choose the one you want. It is up to you. But ensure that you inform the employer whose H1B you may not use after approval.
Hello,
I am going to send the petition while I will be in my grave period after OPT ends. I heard that if the petition was sent while a person is not permitted to work, the person won’t be able to work but it’s ok to stay for him/her until the petition get approved.
I would rather work instead of just staying.
Is it true?
Thank you,
Grace period ****
It doesn’t work that way. Say your OPT period ends on May 3rd 2018, then you are said to be on OPT CAP – GAP period from May 4th 2018 if your H1B is picked in lottery. In this CAP-GAP you are authorized to work till Sep 30, 2018. If your H1B petition is not approved beyond Sep 30, 2018, then you are authorized to only stay and not work from Oct 1, 2018. Hope this gives a clear picture to you.
Till sep 30th you can work on cap gap if your H1B is picked.
From Oct 1st you are allowed to work only if your H1B is approved. If not you can legally stay but not work.
So in such cases, it is good to opt for premium processing of cases if allowed.
What is the cost of the H1B 2019? When can we start the process?
The FY2019 H1B visa application is accepted by USCIS from April 1, 2018. Hence employers start the process of collecting the required documents and process by Feburary or March 2018. The fees of visa is completely taken care by employer and cost split up is as:
H1B Fee Component Fee in USD
Base filing fee $460
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
The fees might vary from time to time. Please look for the updated details in USCIS website.
Murali, I highly recommend you read H1B Basics – Lottery, Fee, Plan, FAQs
Hello Ram,
Thanks for all this info. I currently work on a L1 visa which is to expire soon (Nov 2018). My company will apply for my H1B in the year 2018 (which is my 4th and last attempt to obtaining a H1B visa). My company has also filed for my GreenCard (EB-2) and I am hoping to get my i140 approved prior to Nov 2018. My spouse is currently on a H1B visa. I have the below quick questions –
1) In the event I do not get H1B next year, would it be possible for me to continue working in the US with my visa status as H4 and with my i140 approved?
2) If the answer to the above is a No, is there any way I could obtain my H4 EAD without a gap in my employment? i.e. L1B to H4 EAD?
3) Do you think its too late for any legislation to be passed regarding the H1B lottery?
1. Only if your spouse has an I140 approved, then you can continue working on H4 EAD. Otherwise, when you are on H4, it is not possible to work.
I am not sure which country you belong to if your priority date is current why not apply for I-485 with I-140 or if on L1A why not GC in EB1?
2. If your spouse has I140 approved, then yes you can apply for COS (L1 to H4)now and apply H4 EAD simultaneously.
3. Well we cant be sure. It is something USCIS is working on. They may or may not roll out the new process by next year.
If your I140 is approved and priority date is not current, you get automatic extensions till your Greencard priority date is current. Wont that work for you?
When did the lottery system start for H1B applications? What if next year lottery system is abandoned? In this scenario, how will they choose applicants and approve H1B on what basis?
The lottery process started a couple of years back when more than 85,000 applications were received by USCIS for a fiscal year. USCIS is still pondering of ways to have an alternative effective selection process and if they are changing they will issue the new process clearly. The new process can be established only after a bill is successfully passed in both the houses and then approved by President. As of today(11/13/2017) there is no change in the existing lottery system. There are speculations that it can become merit based selection process. Let’s wait and see.
Hi, I am currently on OPT, working at a logistics company in the operations and customer service department. My OPT ends on 5/7/18, so my employer will be sponsoring me for H1B visa.
1) When can I start applying for H1B? When is the deadline?
2) My major is Hospitality Management. Will my application get denied if I am working in a different field even if my job task is somewhat related to hospitality service?
3) If selected through lottery and H1B is granted, can I continue working prior to October? Or do I have to take a break between when my OPT ends on 5/7/18 and H1B start date?
1. Your employer has to apply for H1B. He would send the application by April 1,2018. He would start preparing it probably by March. The deadline varies depending on the number of application received. So better to send it by April 1st.
2. If you can prove that the job is a specialty occupation and you are qualified enough to do it, then you would get the visa.
3. When you file H1B in Change of Status(from F1 to H1B) if selected in lottery, you are provided a cap gap, in which you can continue to work till September 30th. If your H1B is approved by Sep 30th then you will continue working on H1B. If the H1B is still pending then you will have to stop working by Sep 30th but you can legally stay inside USA until your case is adjudicated.
Please do talk to your Employer/Attorney on this.
Hi,
I am a high school teacher and I have a job offer from a greek school in New York for the October 2018.can you please explain to me the procedure because I am confused about the dates,the immigrant lawyers,the lottery.
Thank you in advance.
Applications for H1B visa for FY2019(calender year 2018) would be accepted from April 1, 2018. Your employer has to submit the visa application to USCIS by April 1, 2018. USCIS would accept the applications till it reaches certain number. Once received, it would check the number of applications. If its going to be more than congress mandated 65,000(regular) + 20,000(reserved for master graduates from US universities) then all application are subjected to computer based random selection process. The applications that are picked through this process are considered selected for H1B visa and rest all are sent back to the employers. So once the application gets selected through this random process popularly known as lottery process the selected ones are scrutinized/processed by visa offer. After the scrutiny the result is provided to the employer/petitioner. If the application is approved, visa is granted and the employee can start working from October 1, 2018. During this scrutiny if the officer has further questions they would issue RFE(request for further evidence) which needs to be responded by the employer. Once responded the further processing continues.
So now how long is this process going to take? There is no definite timeline for regular processing cases. Its at USCIS discretion. If you wish to have faster response, you can expedite the case by paying extra amount. This is called premium processing of case and you get result within 15 calendar days. Sometimes USCIS suspends this feature periodically on an ad hoc basis depending on their work burden. So before opting for it, check whether its available.
Hope I have provided all the details you are looking for. If you have any more questions, please feel free to post here.
Your employer is called petitioner and you are the beneficiary of the H1B visa. Your employer can employ an immigration attorney to help them file for H1B visa and in case they receive RFE, Attorneys can help them better to answer these RFE. It is up to the employer to employ an attorney or not.
By any chance is your employer a non profit organization?
This time last year I got a Labor Condition Application certified, which said it is good for a period of 2 years, from 1/1/17 to 12/31/19. I applied for an H1B, with the LCA as part of the package, but was rejected through the lottery. Do I have to re-apply for the LCA before submitting an H1B application for FY 2019, or can I use the same LCA?
If you apply with same LCA, then by the time the H1B approves say it gets approved by October 2018 then since your LCA is valid till Dec 2019, your H1B visa will be approved only for an year i.e till Dec 2019. Another point is if the same project mentioned in LCA has ended unexpectedly then you may not be able to use it. So its recommended to use a new one.
Hi ,
My name is yogi,
I want to apply H1b in next April,
After completion of lottery when we will get the result.
Thank you in advance
After lottery (if exists)in April 2018, the results of whether the petition has been picked or not starts coming by April last week through June second week(timelines roughly quoted here based on this year’s progress). The Approval of petitions take longer time.
So, even have a job offer is not sure that we can get a visa? I received a job offer to work as a software engineer. If I’m not wrong I can be there only in 2019? Pls help me understand.
Yes job offer doesn’t guarantee you the visa. If there is going to be lottery, then one needs to be lucky to get picked and then go through the verification process for approval. After approval, the applicant(Applying in April 2019) can travel to US on or after October 1, 2019.
Hi ,
I am an architect graduated from India and did my masters in florence, italy.
my fiance is a H1B visa holder and soon after my wedding in march’18 i will be coming to the US as a dependent having H4 visa by ” April 2018 ” . I am aware about the H4 visa holders complications to work in the Usa.
question :
Should i try applying for a job to architecture Mncs that are ready to sponsor H1b for the FY2019 from now ? or wait till i come to the US as a H4 visa holder and then apply for job to companies that are ready to sponsor H1b for the FY2020 so its easy for interviews since i will be in the USA by then.
Unike IT field its not easy to find an architecture company in India that gives onsite opportunity so i could connect with the company through them .
all i am doing right now is finding job opportunity for freshers having master degree .
your suggestions might solve my confusion.
thankyou
You can start applying now so that they sponsor H1B for you for next year quota. You do not have to be there for sponsorship of H1B. If you can find one, great, if not, dont worry about it now…If your spouse gets his green card processed to certain level, you can work on H4 EAD. Read H4 EAD Rule and process