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H1B Visa 2020 – News, Lottery, Deadlines, Fee – FAQs

This page has all details, FAQs, latest news updates that are related to the H1B Visa 2020 season that started in April 2019. Previous H1B season details are at H1B Visa FY 2019 Quota.

H1B 2020 Season is over, Check out details of current H1B 2022 season at H1B Visa 2022 – Registration, Lottery, Fee – FAQs

If this is your first time filing H1B, please read H1B Visa Basics – FAQs like Requirements, Quota, LCA, etc.

When does H1B visa 2020 Season start ?  What is the start date ? 

Update : USCIS announced on March 19th that they will accept H1B 2020 petitions starting from April 1st.

Based on past history, it would be Monday, April 1st, 2019.  The rationale is that, USCIS starts accepting applications for the next fiscal year exactly 6 months before the start of the next fiscal year. USCIS fiscal year for 2020 year starts from 1st October 2019, which means they would accept applications for FY 2020 from April 1st, 2019.  This will change for the next H1B FY 2021 Season as USCIS has published New H1B Registration Rule, where employers will register much ahead of the April 1st date and go through process to be able to file petitions on April 1st.

What is H1B visa 2020 Quota for Regular and Masters filings ?

H1B quota is listed below. There are no changes to the cap count, USCIS confirmed that in their press release in March 2018.  Below are the numbers.  For first timers,  this quota 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

H1B Lottery Predictions for FY 2020 ?

Update : USCIS announced on April 5th that they received enough petitions for Regular cap quota and there would be lottery.

We had H1B lottery for the last 6 consecutive years starting H1B FY 2014. Looking at historical trend of H1B filings, cap reach dates, it is very likely possible that we would have lottery for FY 2020 quota.  We have written a detail article on this topic, read H1B Visa 2020 Lottery Predictions, Dates, Results, Analysis.

H1B Visa 2020 Lottery Date ?  Results ?

If we look at the H1B lottery, we have three things, one is when the H1B petitions are accepted for the lottery, second is when the actual lottery is done and third is when the H1B lottery results for everyone are out.

  • Applications Accepted for H1B Lottery : H1B visa petitions for next fiscal year would be accepted by USCIS from Monday April 1st, 2018 for 5 working days until April 5th, 2018 to be part of the H1B Visa lottery.
  • H1B Visa Lottery conducted date : 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 2019, H1B lottery was conducted on April 11th. Similarly, for FY 2018, the actual H1B Lottery was done on April 11th, 2017 . We can expect anywhere around the same dates like April 11th or April 13th.
  • H1B 2020 Lottery Results for Everyone : This is probably the most asked question as many applicants wait in state of uncertainty. USCIS, only informs about actual results for everyone after they completed sending our receipts for accepted petitions.  So, technically, you may need to wait for a long time to get the actual results, depending on if you were selected in lottery or not. For FY 2019, USCIS sent our all rejected applications on July 30th, with a timeline given until August 13th. So, you can hear your lottery results anywhere from April second week to August 13th..that’s a long waiting window !
    • Update : USCIS released a press note confirming that that returned all H1B petitions that were not picked in lottery and you should get a mail by Aug 29, 2019. So, your final date for lottery result date for FY 2020 is Aug 29, 2019.

How to find H1B visa 2020 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.  Depending on your situation, 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 or  H1B Grader – Sponsors Database 
  • 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 2020

What is H1B 2020 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 2019 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.  Also, premium processing fee increased from $1,225 to $1,410, effective October 1st, 2018. Below table is a high level summary from FY 2019 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 TowardsAmount 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)$1,410 ( from Oct 1, 2018)
Immigration Attorney FeeVaries from $500 to $3000

What is New H1B Registration Rule ?

USCIS and DHS went through 9 Steps of Federal rule making process to change the H1B lottery process and published the final rule on Jan 31st, 2019.  In the  new registration rule, employers register their potential H1B hires during the H1B registration window in the USCIS registration system.  USCIS will conduct lottery on the registrations and inform the selected registrants to file H1B petition on April 1st. In the new process, the order of H1B lottery is changed to select Regular cap quota petitions first and then Masters quota petitions. For more info, read Summary of New H1B Registration Rule

Will the New H1B Registration Rule be applicable for FY 2020 Season ?

Not fully.  USCIS is suspending H1B Registration Rule for H1B FY 2020 cap season to design, implement and complete user testing of system and make sure the system is ready. USCIS will formally announce this suspension for FY 2020 on their website.  So, for the upcoming H1B Visa FY 2020 season , the current process of accepting H1B Petitions for 5 business days and then conducting lottery from the received petitions will be followed. But, one change to the current process will be done, which is the order of the H1B lottery will be changed, where first regular quota petitions are selected in lottery to fulfil 65,000 petitions cap from entire pool of applications and then master quota petitions are selected in lottery order to fulfil the masters quota cap of 20,000. Read complete info at H1B Lottery Changes for FY 2020 Season

H1B 2020 Processing Timelines – Regular vs Premium ?

You would know about the H1B Lottery result for your H1B Petition filed with USCIS, if you either receive a Receipt Notice from USCIS or a Rejected Package indicating you were not picked in Lottery. The timeline for receiving receipts is different for regular vs premium processing. We have put together all the details in a detail article addressing all of these questions. Read H1B 2020 Lottery Results – Premium vs Regular Processing Timeline 

H1B 2020 Case Tracker  :

Did you submit or plan to submit H1B petition for FY 2020 ?  In general, the wait for H1B receipts, lottery results, and processing is quite frustrating without any status until you receive something from USCIS.  You would be curious to know others status…so, to have a general view on the statuses movement for entire community, 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 2020 Case Tracker” href=”https://redbus2us.com/trackers/h1b-visa-tracker/”]

What’s the latest news for H1B Visa 2020 Season ?

Below is the list of latest news by date related to FY 2020 season.

  • Aug 15, 2019(Official ) : USCIS released a press note today indicating that they have returned all the petitions that were not selected in H1B 2020 Lottery. They say that, if you do not hear back from USCIS by Aug 29, 2019, you can reach out to them. See below screenshot. You can read the USCIS Press release
  • June 7, 2019(Official ) : USCIS released a press note today indicating that they will begin premium processing for all H1B 2020 cap subject petitions starting from June 10th, 2019.  Technically, now you can upgrade your H1B petition, if you have filed it as COS or Consular processing. All in all, anyone can upgrade their case to Premium processing.  Check the USCIS Official Press Release
  • May 17th, 2019(Official ) : USCIS announced that they have completed data entry and will start sending out the reject notices now…Also, they may transfer some cases as well to balance the load. If you see a status change, nothing to worry.  Check the USCIS Official Press Release
  • April 11th, 2019(Official ) : USCIS announced today evening that they have reached masters cap and also announced completion of H1B lottery for FY 2020. They received a total of 201,011 petitions. Read H1B 2020 Lottery Completed News Summary 
  • April 5th, 2019Official ) : USCIS released a press note that H1B 2020 regular cap was filled. Read H1B visa 2020 Regular Cap Filled News. Check out  Short Video on H1B 2020 Regular Cap Quota reached.
  • April 1st, 2019Official ) : USCIS Launched H1B Employer Data Hub as part of transparency effort to understand H1B employer’s Information on Approvals and Denials. You can check out How to use H1B Employer Data Hub,
  • March 19th, 2019 ( Official ) : USCIS did a press release indicating the start of H1B season from April 1st, and gave out details on Premium Processing that it will be open only for applications filed with COS. Check out all details at H1B 2020 Starts April 1st, Premium Processing Info
  • January 2019 ( Official ) : USCIS Publishes Final Rule on H1B Registration on Jan 31, 2019 and gave guidance for FY 2020 season.
  • December 2018 ( Official ) : USCIS Publishes a proposed rule in Federal Register to introduce the concept of electronic pre-registrations before filing the actual full H1B petition. Currently, it is in process seeking public comments until Jan 2, 2019. Check out details at H1B Pre-Registration New Proposed Rule – Lottery, Process, Analysis.
  • For  FY 2020 season there is an increase in Premium processing fee. We do not even know, if USCIS will have premium processing fee for FY 2020 as they have suspended until Feb 2019 for petitions filed in April 2018 under FY 2019 quota. But, something to be aware of.

You can bookmark this page and check this page for updates on H1B FY 2020 season. Also, you can read H1B 2020 Cap Count Updates Page for up to date tracking of this year’s news and other info.
Do you have any questions on next H1B 2020 season ? Join us on WhatsApp H1B 2020 Group, Telegram, Facebook , Slack H1B 2020 and Community Forum to discuss, ask, share.

   

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2,273 Comments

  1. Updates on my Case for your reference:
    Regular Processing/Adv. degree/ non-STEM/ 1st time H1B applicant/ Vermont center

    Case received: April 11th 2019
    Case approved: June 18th 2019

    Good luck everyone! @Kumar thank you for this blog, it helped me a lot to keep track of my application!

    Reply
  2. Hi,

    AD/VT/Mech-OPT

    My company applied for Premium on June 12th, its been 13 days and my case status still says “Case was Received”. Does the website not update after filing for Premium? What are the chances of not getting approved in the next couple of days?

    Reply
    • Turnaround Time is 15 days for premium processing, technically you have 2 days more. However, the online status is not always updated immediately. The best thing you can do it to talk to your company about this, they will have the correct answer as for PP, USCIS will send a mail status too to the company.

      Reply
      • Thank you both of you for the information! Yes, my company said it was already approved a few days back. But even today both websites (myUSCIS and Case Status) still have the old message. Anyhow, good luck to everyone else!

        Reply
  3. Dear Kumar,

    Greetings!

    I am a bachelors degree holder in non computers related degree but I have 15 years of IT experience working for supporting team. My company filed H1B petition got selected in the lottery process. Mine is a Regular Bachelors Application with Regular Processing.
    My application got picked in lottery with RFE. Please suggest if there is a possibility of getting approval

    Reply
    • Chances of approval will depend on the type of RFE. If it is a specialty occupation, that one is hard to defend. Most other RFE’s are easier to respond to.

      Reply
    • Too generic to answer on RFE without background of RFE…There are many aspects tied to RFE, it all depends on the RFE, what your attorney answers for the same…some of them are simple, some are complex. Talk to your attorney.

      Reply
  4. Hi Kumar,

    I am in Temporary protective status (TPS) and my OPT ended about 8 months ago working I am working on TPS EAD. Seems like my attorney filed my H1B as for counselor processing , OPT student instead of TPS . I got RFE few days saying I have to prove I am still in OPT and show that I am maintaining a non – immigrant status. any suggestions on how to defend this RFE ?

    Reply
  5. Anyone got approval in regular processing for H1b ? And without AD? And with normal manual testing SOW? Are you getting RFEs?

    Reply
      • Yes I have MTech in computer science and exp. in IT company and currently I am working on L2 EAD,And my company applied in software test engineer profile. Yes I am waiting for my approval.

        Reply
    • Hello,
      I got selected in lottery but i am also waiting for the approval , non-Ad and regular .
      We still have time as i have seen people getting approval till August end if no RFE.
      and with RFE we cannot predict the Time.
      If your documents are proper and you from good company you should not get RFE.

      Reply
      • @Sweet gal1, what was your RFE about and what adjudicating center it is?, I have upgraded mine to pp from vermont, AD/PP/VT and hmm yeah 4th timer.

        Reply
        • @hotboy I don’t know what type of RFE. It wasn’t stated on the case status online and Attorney hasn’t informed me yet. I’m guessing it’s on Specialty Occupation since the attorney predicted it as soon as we upgraded and he was right. Vermont Processing Centre.

          Reply
  6. Hi Kumar and others,

    I have question regarding H1 transfer for Cap petition. I applied h1cap 2020(Non-Ad) through company A and it’s still in progress. I am planning to join Company B.

    Can I use same receipt and apply for H1 transfer at any point while Visa is yet to be approved?

    Are there any chances of Company A revoking H1 once I submit my resignation with Company A?

    H1 transfers can be done from India too or is it only applicable in US?

    Reply
    • 1. Can I use same receipt and apply for H1 transfer at any point while Visa is yet to be approved?
      –No. Because there is nothing to be transferred since the original is not approved yet. Also, to note that the original petition was applied with particular LCA and SOW etc. And the transfer is for new LCA and SOW etc. So, unless the original is approved you can’t transfer to new company.

      2. Are there any chances of Company A revoking H1 once I submit my resignation with Company A?
      –It is possible. If that happen then USCIS simply not review your application and you will not get a decision which is similar to not applying.

      3. H1 transfers can be done from India too or is it only applicable in US?
      —It is done from India too. But. to that to happen the following needs to happen
      –(a) the original needs to approved first.
      –(b) After that the new company may initiate the transfer with new LCA and SOW etc and they need to prove that the new job is fall under specialty occupation. Also they need to prove they are paying the wages equal or more than the native applicant along with they spend reasonable time to recruit native applicant.
      –(c) If you are in US and also your petition was submitted with change of status and you were working for some time (even a day is enough) in company A, then the chance approval for transfer is very high.
      –(d) If you are in India (or in US but applied with Consular) and received an approval with Company A and also you have stamping done then the the chance of transfer approval is very high. If the stamping is not done then the % approval not nearly as 100% .

      –My suggestion is wait for the approval from company A and go for a stamping then think about moving to other companies and transfer.

      Reply
  7. Received approval notice from lawyer today. Case status on USCIS still shows as Case received. Thanks for all the help this forum provided and good luck to everyone waiting for approval.

    AD/RP/VERMONT/MECH. ENGG/LEVEL 1

    Reply
  8. If current petition is valid till July end. Extension has been filed and Acknowledgement receipt is got. Can we initiate stamping by booking the slots?

    Reply
  9. Hello Kumar,

    I have applied for H1 and didn’t receive any notice yet which i and my attorney think that my application was not selected in the lottery but didn’t get the rejection notice yet.

    i am supposed to travel to mexico on office trip next week given my OPT is valid till FEB2020 and visa till June 2020 will i have any issues entering USA ? will the officer know we applied for H1 and traveled while waiting one the notice approved/rejected ? even if the application is picked and if i didn’t get the notice ?? friends needs suggestions ..

    Reply
    • You case is most likely not picked. Now, the following scenario are applicable to you,

      (a) Picked and not approved—You may or may not able to enter depending on the status the visa officer sees in the system.

      (b) Picked and approved–if it is COS then you are not able to enter. If it is CP then you can enter with your OPT

      (c) Not Picked–You can enter with OPT visa. The officer may not know because the H1 is processed by USCIS and the Border control officer’s are comes under DHS. They only know if the application is picked and the USCIS entered your details.

      –Also, when ever you travel outside the country with OPT visa you need to follow caution and if possible avoid all together. If it is not avoidable then take all the documents (all i-20’s, offer leter, i-983 documents if submitted, letter from school or the company you are working, transcripts etc ).

      Reply
    • In general, it should be fine as long as you have valid visa, OPT card. Work with DSO and get the travel authorized and related I20 as needed. make sure you carry all your work documentation with you, so that you can show to officer that you are in active OPT and have a job. The officer may or may not ask regarding H1B. FYI. My cousin traveled on OPT like 4 times out of the country and re-entered without issues.

      Reply
  10. Hi All,

    I have a question who are cap exempt employers? Are those employers able to file H1B anytime of the year without going thourgh the lottery process?

    Reply
  11. Hello fellow infy guys,

    I got my receipt number in Portal. But haven’t received a soft copy of the receipt . Any one else got the soft copy of receipt ??

    Reply
  12. Hi All,

    When we upgrade the h1b petition to premium mode, do we see any change in case status in USCIS site. Attorney has informed that they have upgraded to premium but case status still shows as “Case was Received”.

    Reply
    • Well, if you register at https://myaccount.uscis.dhs.gov/ you may see it…but, online system status can be very misleading at times…

      Reply
      • But both the places have the same status. How it can be different. By registering for updated, it is just that you will get the notification e-mail whenever there is any change in status. But the status is same as it appears in the USCIS case status.

        Reply
        • As I said, you may…I have seen situations, where users see different things…one is old, other is new…You can give it a try.

          Reply
    • the status changes from “Case was Received” to “Request for Premium processing service was Received” the very next day or the same.
      I am using Case Tracker app.

      Reply
  13. Hi Kumar ,

    How are you ? Please advice

    L1B to H1B Change of Status – RFE delayed. How will this affect my notice period in the current company?

    I am currently on L1B and my H1 is picked up in lottery. It is currently under RFE. I am worried that the response to RFE will delay the approval and I will not be able to get approval before Oct 1st, , lets say it got approved in DEC-15 .

    Now, I am concerned about by notice period in my current company. Most of the blogs that I read, says that the moment I get COS approved I will have to join the new company. However any company that you work for will require a minimum of 2 weeks notice. I cannot quit my current company until i receive approval notice, at the same time I cant work in the current company once I get my case approved. Please advise. does CIS allow any grace period of 2 weeks, so I can serve the 2 weeks’ notice and join the new company?

    Reply
    • Well, it is slightly a grey area…Technically, once your COS is approved, you need to work with that company from that day and be in status. I suggest you speak to your H1B attorney. Officially, there is no grace period as such that I have read on USCIS website.

      Reply
      • Thanks Kumar for the update ! I got clarification from my attorney saying There is a 60-day period whereby the petition remains in force even though candidate will not have joined Company. is it valid ?

        Thanks again !

        Reply
  14. Hello,
    My H1B (first time) approved, and USICIS has sent me the approval notice.
    My wife is in India. She needs to apply for H4 visa. Can she do it now or does she need to wait until October, (since my H1B starts from Oct) ?

    Please advise.

    Thanks

    Reply
  15. my h1b visa ends on september 07 2019. I recently moved to another client and applied for amendment. now the amendment has been approved till APRIL 2020. in this case do i still need to file for extension or am i good to work till April 2020 ?

    Reply
    • If your amendment is approved till April 2020, you have until that day to work. Verify the Approval notice end date to be sure and check with attorney as needed.

      Reply
  16. Dear chennai ibmers ,
    I got picked up in lottery but still waiting for approval.. Did anyone got approval mail ??

    Reply
  17. Hi
    I received reciept notice in first week of May and I keep checking case status online. Still iam getting below errors. I think data entry has been done already. Whats could be the reason. Any suggestion please.

    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.

    Reply
    • You can create myuscis account, add you receipt number under paper based petition under options and able to see on their. I had same issue.

      Reply
  18. Hi All,

    I have a scenario where company A (Consultancy) has filed my H1B (PP)and my end client is company B. Now company B is offering me a full time position which company A is aware of. My H1b got picked through Company A and got the RFE. So if I Transition over to company B next month, then the H1 filed for me will remain no longer valid. Is that true?

    As I was hoping that because of premium processing I would have received the result earlier, but RFE created the trouble for me and I do not have time left as contract is getting over the next month.

    Reply
  19. Hi,
    I am working in MNC,My some colleagues got H1 B receipt ,but i am still waiting,When i asked to my manager about my case he said that u can wait till August but i feel how it possible that some got receipt in May last and some have to wait. Is it possible that results come in part for same company employee?

    Reply
    • Well, the data entry is done over two weeks ago and most of the receipts are out. There are very slim chances left now…No, it does not work like that…You should plan for backups.

      Reply
  20. Did anybody got H1 B Approval for Non-AD and Regular filing. also when will be the last day of approval? also anybody from TCS got the approval?

    Reply
  21. COuld someone please help me with RFE response for Multiple years of practical training on same education level.. I am currently pursuing my second masters (Day 1 CPT) and got an RFE on H1-B petition. Need some help on the set of documents we need to add while responding to the RFE.

    Reply
    • May 27th and May 29th few folks got receipt number as far as i know .I don’t think hereafter we will get receipt number.I am also lost hope. 🙁

      Reply
      • even some employers purposefully delay in proving info tht our profile got selected in lottery or not, i have seen employee getting info like in sept or oct saying selected in lottery like tht, so dont loose hope until u get any info.

        Reply
  22. I have a couple of questions regarding H4EAD as My husband got i140 approved and he wanted to change the employer which means the new company needs to file his PERM.

    Questions:
    1. H4EAD can be applied through previous company i140 approval ? or do we have to wait for the PERM to be approved from the new company then only we can apply for H4EAD with the newly approved i140?

    Reply
    • H4 EAD can be applied as long as your husband completed 180 days after I-140 approval with the previous employer.

      The new employer need not file for PERM.
      Previous I-140 can be used for any number of years for H1 & H4 EAD extensions.

      Reply
      • @Raja, What will happen if the previous employer revokes the GC petition? In that scenario also one can get h1 extensnion based on approved petition and it was more than 180 days old before revoked? (The assumption here is the new employer haven’t started the GC application).

        Reply
        • @3rd Timer
          As per USCIS process, the previous employer must revoke both H1-B and/or I-140.
          Approved I-140 will be invalid only when USCIS revokes not the Employer.

          New Employer filing GC is irrelevant, you can always use Previous employers Approved I-140 for H1-B extensions. There’s no limit on how many Approved I-140’s you have. You can use any one to use for the extensions.

          I hope it’s clear

          Reply
  23. Hi Kumar,

    I got the receipt number from my employer.

    It looks like this ? WAC19180*****. I read your article about receipt numbers. The 180 is supposed to be the working day of receipted date.

    180th working date is in July. Would you know the reason for 180 in receipt number ?

    Reply
  24. Good Luck to all the folks who got selected in lottery & Approved H1-B visa.
    I think luck is not with me this year also. I will not go for H1-B trials anymore. I am done , I will try for other countries Or will be happy at India only.

    Good luck folks .. Enjoy & work hard…. 🙂

    Reply
  25. I have couple of questions.
    1. Chances of RFE
    I have 6+ years experience in IT industry. I have PG degree from
    India. My role has been specified as Test Engineer Level 2 in the
    regular processing. What are the chances of getting RFE.
    2. Specialist occupation RFE help
    If I get RFE for speciality occupation, I don’t think my employer will help me in RFE process. I that case where shall I get help from

    Reply
    • 1. Predicting RFE is hard.

      2. Specialty occupation RFE is nothing to do with your experience or education. It is primarily about the job. That’s not all job (example, last year USCIS designated that computer developer role is not fall under specialty occupation because three or two year community education can do the job) are considered or comes under specialty occupation. If you receive this RFE then you may hire outside immigration lawyer to handle this. Since this RFE is pretty routine now a days, I believe almost all of the immigration lawyers will help with this.

      –Good luck and all the best.

      Reply
  26. Hi, quick question.. I have not been able to check the status online. Last thing I received (through mail) was the receipt number. My employer can see that they have cashed the check back on April 30th… but we haven’t received any approval or rejection letter yet. Is this happening to anyone? could they have cashed the check and reject the application?

    Reply
    • It can happen to few, may not be for everyone. The online system data is not updated at times…Check with your attorney…if it is regular processing, it can take few weeks to few months…

      Reply
    • Try to create an account in USCIS using the following link and track there
      https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/displayLogon.do

      The generic tracking link is not updated regularly. Good luck and all the best.

      Reply
  27. I received my approval notice today from the attorney. However, no where in the notice it is mentioned whether it is approved for COS or consular. Is this how it should be?

    Reply
    • (1) i797 A (with i-94 is attached at the bottom left) means it is approved with COS.
      (2) if the petition doesnt have i-94 attached and it is i-797B then it was approved with Consular.
      (3) i-797c is for reference means it will not say if the approval was COS or CS.

      –check which one you received. Also, you should have either A or B form for future use.
      if not then ask the employer to provide the same.

      Reply
      • Thanks for the info. Just now I read the document properly. It shows that the petition and COS are approved. However, there is no change in the i94 number (same as my latest i94 number) mentioned in the bottom stub. Should the number be same?

        Also the country of citizenship block is blank for me. Is this ok?

        Reply
  28. Hi Admin,

    Non AD/Non-PP
    Any update on data entry? Is it over?

    No updates from employer. I think i need to wait till last week of June.

    Reply
  29. Hi Kumar,

    This i s kind of different question, hope you help on this. I am planning to file Ds-160 at Chennai surprised that below link shows as waiting time is almost 80 days,
    https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/wait-times.html#
    Is this just reference or Do we get earlier schedule.? Someone told these dates h are not realistic. Kindly help.
    Thanks in advance.

    Reply
    • Yes, the dates can be sometimes not reflecting the real truth. You can continue to check there everyday to see the changes and if urgent, you can go to other consulate as well.

      Reply
  30. Hi guys,

    I filed H1B under premium processing. Got notified on April 15 that my visa got picked in the lottery. The 15 calendar day clock starting May 20 ended today. However I don’t see any update on https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/ or https://my.uscis.gov/
    It still says “Case Was Received and A Receipt Notice Was Emailed”.

    Going to check with attorney tomorrow. Do you have any inputs?

    Reply
  31. Hi, I filed my H1b visa extension on May 13th in premium process. Got RFE on May 20th but did not receive the RFE notice till now. When I asked my employer and attorney they said like they dint receive it till now. What will be the possible reson here.

    Thanks
    Ram

    Reply
  32. Hi,
    My case status is not reflecting in USCIS website. Giving the below error.

    Validation Error(s)
    You must correct the following error(s) before proceeding:

    I created user id and tried still its showing the same error. Would that impact my processing.

    Reply
  33. Does upgrading to premium leads to more chances of RFE and then to rejection. I have 12+ years of IT experience and completed my bachelors in non-IT(EEE).

    Because when asked to my employer they said if you want to get rejected then go ahead with PP. Just worried and confused whether to upgrade my regular to premium or not.

    Reply
    • Upgrading to PP should not affect the decision in any way other than making it faster. It is known to increase chances of an RFE since they are under a strict 15 day deadline to provide an update on the application and an RFE buys them time but the idea that upgrading to PP results in rejection is absurd.

      Reply
    • Your employer/lawyer has exactly same statement as mine.
      Before April 1st, they asked me 3 times about PP or not, but I absolutely pick PP for my case, I don’t want to wait for a year and get denied (my case last year without PP)
      My current case:
      Got receipt number: 04/15
      Got approval: 05/26

      They have their views, we have ours.

      Reply
  34. Capgemini FS BU
    My immigration informed me that my application has got selected in lottery. I have received the scanned copy of receipt I797-C.
    There is typo in my surname. Also, I am not able to view the status on USCIS web site.
    Is there a possibility that my application has been put on stand by mode hence they do not yet updated their database.

    Reply
  35. Guys, any more updates from indy people. Heard last update happened on 24th.. any one got updated after tat. Lost hope ?

    Reply
    • Yep, the same. Looks like its game over for the rest of us. Just a matter of time before we receive the rejection receipts.

      Reply
  36. Hello Kumar,

    My OPT end date was 27th May and I extended to 1st June based on filing of H1B. I still do not get any receipt notice for my H1B and my company lawyer is saying that I can continue to work until they hear back anything from USCIS. But, I am not sure I can work or not. What do you suggest? Waiting for your advice!!

    Thanks!

    Reply
  37. How long does it take to physically receive approval documents? My case was approved on May 20th (per the case tracker website) and lawyers have received an email notification that the case was approved, but not the approval package in the mail. Shouldn’t it be received within a week or 2 of the approval date?

    Reply
  38. Hello all. I’m currently on STEM OPT and got my H1B approved last week. My SEVP portal still doesn’t show any sign of H1B status. Do I have to submit verification report (due June 4th) and Student Evaluation report(due Dec 4th) to comply with STEM OPT guidelines? keeping in mind my status changes to H1B only in October

    Reply
    • Yes, you need to send the copy of h1B approval to your DSO and get the data fix done. Speak to your DSO and see, if SEVIS is updated.

      Reply
  39. Anyone had this awkward situation that I hope to converted my case to PP, and my lawyer have helped me sending the request. The second day, my H1B got approved, and it seems it was approved before PP request entered the system (no sign of “we will email xxx”).
    I wonder if anyone had this experience, and will USCIS reject my i907 and refund me (hopefully)? I have a feeling they won’t though…

    Reply
    • Well, interesting to hear…They may or may not cash the check, never heard a situation like this. You can call USCIS customer service…

      Reply
  40. Hi all,
    I had received my H1B receipt(PP/AD/V) on 15th of April. Most of the premium processing results have already come in. I have been checking my case status on the USCIS portal daily, and it’s weird because my receipt still has no update whereas the 50 receipt numbers before/after my receipt number have an update to their cases.
    This is really weird and worrying. Any insight here would be helpful. Thanks in advance/

    Reply
  41. What are the chances of approval after getting RfE? What they actually asked for? Do I need to do something or will it be the employer/attorney?

    PP/AD holder
    I didnt know what came actually as I just got an update from USCIS tool.
    can my lawyer have an email from USCIS before receiving actual RFE notice?

    Please, advice.

    Admin @Kumar, please help.

    Reply
    • You need to work with the attorney or employer. They will get the physical copy of RFE, so just follow up with them. They will respond and take care of it and you may need to support with documents as needed.

      Reply
  42. Hii Kumar I have a question I checked my status for H1 b and it is sawing approved today? But I didn’t heard anything from my attorney he is saying he didn’t received any email yet but my status sawing they emailed.
    Is this happened normally? And also How to check for Lca? Please advise thank you.

    Reply
    • Hi Kumar, I have a question I checked my status for H1 b, and it is sawing approved today? But I didn’t hear anything from my attorney he is saying he didn’t receive any email yet but my status sawing they emailed.
      Does this happen normally? And also How to check for LCA? Please advise thank you.

      Reply
  43. Since nowadays they are giving only one year for H1B, RFE during extension, you could maximum use for 7 – 8 months. I think Hong kong / australia or canada is better. UK we need to wait till brexit.

    Reply

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