Home » US Immigration - Visas » H1B Visa » USCIS News : H1B Petitions Selected in Lottery Data Entry Completed, Next Steps

USCIS News : H1B Petitions Selected in Lottery Data Entry Completed, Next Steps

I know many of you have been waiting for the update on the H1B Visa 2016 petitions awaiting receipt numbers and the lottery results. It has been painful wait as always for many of you waiting… Earlier today USCIS released a news alert indicating that the Data Entry is completed for all the H1B petitions selected in lottery for the fiscal year 2016. Below is the quick summary and analysis.

Summary :  H1B Petitions Data Entry Complete

  • USCIS announced that they completed data entry for all the H1B petitions that were selected in the lottery.
  • USCIS will start to return all the petitions that were not selected in lottery and mail out all the rejection notices.
  • USCIS does NOT promise any time frame for  returning the packages not selected in  lottery due to the high volume and they ask employers/ petitioners not to inquire USCIS regarding their petition until they receive a receipt or return package.

What can we take away from this news alert from USCIS ?

In the past USCIS did not release any news alert like today regarding the data entry of applications. Many websites have been speculating that data entry is complete and spreading some rumors…I believe, USCIS has released this alert just to confirm everyone that the data entry is complete from their end and have all the stake holders on the same page…

It seems like the DHS Note to All SEVIS users released last week, has been generating quite a bit of  inquiries regarding the filed H1B petitions to USCIS…this alert is to clarify to everyone that they should not reach out to USCIS regarding their petition until they get some information from USCIS.

What is missing from this news alert for all the petitioners is that they have not given a time frame on when the employers/ petitioners can expect to receive the rejected petitions that were not selected in the H1B 2016 Lottery .  This could be very frustrating for everyone waiting for their petitions.

When to expect H1B case Receipts ?  Rejection Notices or Return Packages ?

If your petition was premium and selected in lottery this year, you should have already got something in email as the 15 days SLA for those petitions’ is May 11th, either for a decision or any action like RFE, etc.. If your petition was filed under regular processing, what I guess is that, if your petition was selected in lottery and receipted, if you have not received anything yet, you should expect your H1B case receipt notice in mail in the next couple of weeks….If you do not hear anything in the next 15 days or so, you probably need to think about your other options…

Having said that, you cannot be really sure if your petition was not selected until you get a rejection notice or return of your original package.  Last year, USCIS mailed out rejection notices for petitions not selected in lottery until late June.   What USCIS mentioned today is that they will release an alert indicating if they have mailed out all the rejection notices.  Well, lets hope they mail out those notices soon so that it cuts down the wait for many waiting anxiously…We wrote an article last year around your options, you can read the Options, if NOT selected in H1B Lottery so that you can be prepared…  Also, I request you to update your petition’s details in our H1B Case Tracker, so that others can get some high level info. The information is fully anonymous as it does not show any personal details.

As I always say, if you are lucky, you would probably get H1B receipt number, if NOT…don’t worry, it has nothing to do with your talent or education…it is an external factor and you should not lose your confidence on yourself…it is not the only destiny and end of your life’s dream…Just take your setback as an opportunity to explore options to work in other parts of the world…We will try to write articles on other parts of the world.

What are your thoughts ? Did any of you get return packages already ?

Reference :

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.

   

Other Articles

2,206 Comments

  1. My Conversation with PMSD Team post raising query on Myrequest for H1B Update.

    Tuesday, June 09, 2015

    PMSD: Hi
    12:32 PM

    PMSD: XXXXX from people mobility
    12:32 PM

    Acc Employee: Hello XXXXX
    12:32 PM

    PMSD: what is that you are looking for?
    12:33 PM
    hw can we confirm the dates when we are not sure about the same
    moreover we have already informed u abt the expected time
    it is end of June 2015

    Acc Employee: It was mention.. result will come in batches from USCIS…….. its almost 3 weeks from 18 may we got the mailer…… so attorney must have received approval / Rejection ………so was keen to know.. when will PMSD release the second batch result.
    12:36 PM

    PMSD: i understand that you are keen to know the results bt we can only update u if we have any update ryt…even we are waiting for a update from the attorneys
    12:39 PM
    u can expect the result by end of June

    Acc Employee: I think.. Fragomen should send the results every week……following to that PMSD can release the mailer.
    12:43 PM
    So we need to wait till June end.

    PMSD: see its a long process
    12:50 PM
    for H1B drive they don’t publish results every week
    because its a 1 time process

    Acc Employee: Please send rejections mails at lest
    12:55 PM
    😀

    PMSD: we ll do that once we get any
    12:55 PM
    haha

    Reply
  2. Hi All,

    Case Was Approved

    On June 5, 2015, we approved your Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, Receipt Number EAC15146xxxxx. We will mail your approval notice. Please follow the instructions in the notice.

    All The Best

    God is Great !!!!!!

    Best Regards

    Reply
    • Congrats 🙂
      Had you called up Global Immigration help desk earlier? Or you just saw your updated status on AIMS?

      I had called GI yesterday, they told me that they have no update as of now.

      Reply
        • how can u know for uscis site, did u called customercare ? i dont know receipt number but case was filed, can u help me how we can know the status

          Reply
          • @sudh_cts…hi bro in cts people getting RFE and approved/denied status ….me and my friend got RFE waiting for GIT response(mail)…if u dint got receipt number till now its over …ur petition not selected in lottery…hop best…good luck

  3. My status is still in awaiting status, no update from PMSD and not seen any one got approval/ rejection mail post 18th May Mailers.

    Is is over or we can still have hopes ?

    Reply
  4. Hi,
    My H1B has been filed under regular processing and i haven’t received either a reject or an accept. what are the odds that i would still receive an accept? Does anybody know if USCIS has notified everybody who were selected in the lottery process? Since i want to travel to India.

    Reply
  5. Hello,

    Can anyone throw some light on whats going on with my case. My company filed my h1b case under premium processing. The check that I gave for premium processing was cashed in april itself. But my company still didn’t have any information about my case. I’m starting to get worried about whats going on. Can someone tell me what should I do about my case.

    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Are you sure your cheque is enchashed? If so did you get I129?
      Please check theUSCIS twitter pages, PP started from April 28th with a SLA of 15days. So, as USCIS announced PP is already completed(Approved/RFE/Denied). So, with the limited details you have provided I can analyze that
      1. you might have provided a cheque to your consultancy and that consultancy has encashed it and filed your petition. However your petition is not have picked in lottery.
      2. If it is really picked in lottery you would have got some status as it is PP.
      3. Your consultancy might have filed under RP.

      Hope this helps you. Hope for the best 🙂

      Reply
      • Hello Ram,

        Yes, the check was cashed by the california service center only. I was able to verify that from the transaction details description was “CSC FIELD OFFICE DES:PAYMENT CHECK”. It also mentioned that check was processed by the merchant as an electronic transaction.

        Do you have any thoughts?

        Reply
    • If you know your lawyer, then ask him to come with u for any of the Local USCIS location(try making appointment at infopass.com). The reason why I am asking you to take your lawyer with you is H1B is a employer application’s. so lawyer have the right to speak behalf of employer but applicant’s does not have the right to speak. So ask your lawyer to bring all the necessary documents and u take your documents and go there and talk to the officer. He may he you.

      Reply
      • Thanks for the reply. I just spoke to my comp immigration office they said they are looking into it. Donno what happens i’m sooper scared. 🙁

        Reply
        • The good part is you know that your check was en-cashed but the bad part is they are so many people(like me) who don’t know whether their check has been en-cashed or not (because most of the MNC(in US) companies don’t reveal the information)

          Reply
    • Your statement “The check that I gave for premium processing was cashed in april itself”

      Does it mean that you paid a cheque for premium processing, where as the ViSA fee is paid by your employer. If so, I feel, in either case(whether selected or not selected in lottery) your cheque will be realized for the premium processing. Others may correct me.

      Reply
      • Hi,

        The check that I gave was sent directly with the packet by my company. It is also cashed by the CSC center which I was able to verify from the transaction info. Infact, they kind of provided masked receipt number with last 5 digits revealed in the description.

        Regards

        Reply
  6. Hi Guys ,Did anyone still looking for the Updated or The game has been closed.. Mine is still pending and aksed to wait until US IBM confirms.

    Do we still have hopes with IBM or can we consider the Game is Over

    Reply
    • Is it over??? guys some one pls update here…can we still wait for the regular processing…I do not have any clear answer from anywhere…can anyone update is it over or can we wait for a week more…

      Reply
    • I believe the game is over. Around May 18 or so one of my team mate has got receipt with Notice Receipt date as May 4. Which is the date that is announced by USCIS as data entry has completed. After that I have not heard getting receipts with Notice Date of later to May 4.

      Reply
    • Hi, 4 of our project team has received the receipt numbers , the last being on 15th May, hope it helps

      Reply
  7. Approval or Rejection – news expected this friday…. Hope postively….

    It is estimated to have an Approval Rate of between 30% to 40% by the Attorneys…..

    Reply
  8. I have been following this website and few others to get an update on whats happening. I am also RQ/RP waiting, no replies from my employer yet on receipt or cheque (check) en-cashed.
    But looking at around 3-4 different blogs it seems ( not sure) the big IT giants have not got many approvals this year( may be 15-20K). Some companies got none selected so far. I don’t see the data anyway near to 85K.

    Also on IG blog someone mentioned that they confirmed with USCIS that all the application details are entered in the list and not only the selected ones.

    Also this year we have 233K applications and H4 going as well. Last year people seemed to have got the receipt till June 3rd week.

    So what I am trying to say is may be due to a large number of applications this year and H4, still everything has not been send out. At the same time some of the big immigration attorney’s are saying it’s a done deal as per their experience. So as most of you, I have the same question any hopes left….

    Please let me know your thoughts on this…..

    Reply
    • Multiple fake application is out on the news. Hoping USCIS will do something. Indian MNCs first they file for L1 and then again for H1. Screwing up the whole system. I am pretty sure they fake their skills as well

      wsj.com/articles/companies-workers-game-h-1b-visa-lottery-lawyers-say-1433237586

      Reply
    • Karan, the while process is not transparent, simply people like us will be impatiently waiting until we get updates. there have been cases where people have got selected / rejected updates very very late in month of June we well. So we cant say for sure until we get ack from our employer/consultancy.

      Reply
      • Hmm….looks like there are more number of ADs not picked in the lottery this time. That’s a bit unusual considering that there wasn’t a sudden spike in the number of international students graduating from US universities or is there something that I m missing on the AD statistics – which apparently is never disclosed. How hard is it to come up with an estimate for AD applicants – none of the blogs would also make an attempt to come up with a guesstimate for AD petitions filed. Why?

        Reply
          • 50k! may be or may be not! No one can get that figure right for sure. Btw, my small agency is not telling me anything but asking me to wait for rejection packet. I’ve never heard any of AD folks that I know of was not selected in previous yrs. I have a great job in OPT now and already got a 6 figure offer and this h1b thing is screwing my whole thing up big time for another 12/18 months or so at least. I wonder if ADs also have started doing multiple applications, nothing could be frustrating than that then!!! Are you guys in US now? If so what are you guys thinking as plan B?

          • USCIS has never provided any numbers on ADs. I am not sure what is the source for IG…but yes it sucks that ADs have to deal with this! Certainly never heard of it before….thankfully STEM extension is at rescue but it’s just dodging the uncertainty for one more year 🙁

  9. It seems like; only 10+ years of experience are getting picked in lottery.
    Anyone got selected in lottery having 5 years of experience or less?

    Reply
    • People are not filtered in lottery based on Education or Experience or anything. Its purely Random and luck.

      I have seen people with less than 6 months of experience getting selected. I have also seen people working in Google and people coming from top universities ( MIT, Harvard) not selected in lottery.

      Reply
    • My team member is 3+ years exp .. his H1B got picked in the lottery this year .. there is no relation with Exp or technology for H1B, its a CAP based system.

      Reply
  10. i believe it is all over…it is just waiting for rejection letters…..any external hire from capgemini FSBU got any update from Kiran Mudigonda or Vaishali?

    Reply
      • 2800 Application got picked as of 18th May , it increased to 2900 till yesterday. PMSD team suggested to wait till June end for the final status/package return.

        Reply
        • @Acc … so the people got selected post 18 may ( 100 PPL as you say) are they informed about their selection or they need to wait till June end as well.

          Reply
          • @Mansi , yes , the 100 people are intimated as and when PMSD came to know about the status.
            In my group two of us are waiting ,none of us got the mail yet.

            This means no luck for me this year also, this is second year in a row…

  11. Let me make a simplified model to explain why current H1B pepition system is a terrible design. Assume there are 10 spots available for 10 petitioners. Since currently it allows each petitioner submit multiple petition, to get more chanve to be selected, everyone submit two petitions. So there are 20 petitions, the chance to be selected become 50%. After the lottery, someone get 2 spots(he have to pick one to apply tho, the other spot is wasted), someone get none. But if each one can only submit one petition, there is no lottery needed. the ten people can be selected all in this model.

    Reply
    • Bravo for late understanding… TBH the people who are filing multiple applications are less than 5-8% from 233K.. 33K can be multiple applications.
      It should be like job wise division or year of experience or company filling count restriction etc…

      Reply
    • No Update Still from WPC or ISG….They are not providing any timeline also…Chances are Very very less now….But atleast they need to send some update to all…..Very Frustrating behavior of WPC….

      Reply
      • One of my project mate got receipt number day before yesterday. I think ISG is updating as and when they receive the Receipt from uscis. out of 6 only one has received so far. I think chances after here are very narrow.

        Reply
        • It seems like; only 10+ years of experience are getting picked in lottery.
          Anyone got selected in lottery having 5 years of experience or less?

          Reply
  12. What is the latest update from Wipro-GIMS? last time they had told to wait till june 1st week. I am still waiting for my update. Anyone else also waiting ?

    Reply
  13. NTT DATA Immigration Team told that for the past two weeks they didnt received any acceptance or rejection from USCIS…. It means we might get rejection from this week or from the next week… 🙁

    Reply
  14. plz clarify 2 items i have to go for plan B

    1)what is the % of selecting in lottery at TCS now?
    2)till what time we can wait to get to know our results at TCS completely ?

    Reply
    • To answer your questions
      1. Its almost done if you are a lucky kid you may have a chance i.e., 1/300.
      2. By end of July you may expect rejections letters reach TCS. However as I know immigration department wont inform about the rejection letters.

      Reply
      • Hi All,

        I got reply from my BRM on 3rd june that I got selected in H1B lottery. Thank you GOD. This was my second time. They are issuing list account wise.

        Reply
  15. Hi cts guys,

    Got info from my friend in GIT, that they have already recieved many rejection notices. Will be sending a consolidated mail to rejected guys by end of next week.
    Its a genuine info…and there are no more lot of selected reciepts with them since last 2-3 weeks.
    So time to move one….

    Reply
  16. On 15th April, I got an update from my employer that amount got deducted hence am selected in 2016 lottery. till now I didn’t get the receipt and my employer says waiting for receipt

    How should I take it ? Is it really possible the amount being deducted with no receipt no shared by USICS …Please help me

    Reply
  17. Hi All,
    We got an update from our consultant that the wait is over and would see us next yr which meant that Ive lost it for the 2nd time now. Therez still no such update in big companies and there is no positive update too.,but its better to accept that its over for this yr than waiting. Those who cant accept it can accept it after june 15 th. The rejected ones will slowly recieve their packets from this month end. I think USCIS should strictly reject the visa for an applicant if found to have filed a duplicate/triplicate. When US is so strict with laws, it should be equally strict with people filing more than one applications.That way, lottery system may not happen at all. Better luck next time guys!

    Reply
    • Hello mate,
      I filed H1B thrice from Wipro, Infosys. But unfortunately not lucky enough to get through it.
      Filing multiple petitions aren’t illegal. With the system the way it is today, a lottery based on chance rather than a rational system addressing need, companies are using all legal means necessary to fill their business needs. Better luck next time and rather than thinking about USCIS changing laws plan for other options.
      Wising you better luck.

      Reply
      • I am not agreeing with duplicate filling… But still, it cant take out the luck that you deserved and fate decided for you… Rather than taking as serious, get a life… Again, system shouldnt allow duplicate fillings and have many logical verifications, I welcome that..

        Reply
      • “Legal means”?? If the uscis cannot qualify a duplicate filing, is it legal to take the deposited money for the duplicate or more than one applications?? Multiple applications will increase the chances of approval but again it means that such applicants are grabbing someone else’s chances of getting through. And accepting the money for a disqualified application is absolutely illegal.

        Reply
  18. Hello everyone,

    Does anyone know the approximate time frame for the majority of rejection packages to arrive? I can see some, if only a few, people have already got them. I was PP/nonAD/CSC and I’m not really hoping for anything anymore, just wish I could finally close this chapter and consider my next career steps. (probably in Europe – I don’t think I’ll be going through this ever again)

    Reply
  19. June started. Waiting for Capgemini to declare the Lottery Results….

    Attorney -> GX Team Consolidation -> Onsite Managers -> Offshore Managers -> Employees

    waiting….waiting…..waiting…..

    Reply
      • i hav not heard anyone in my circle who has recvd update from capgemini FSBU on h1b petition-I dont why they r keepin mum….sent many mails to Kiran and ajay….no response at all…copied sunil mamtani ( their supervisor and North america lead hr) but no response….anyone any luck on whn their target to inform?

        Reply
          • Im from Bangalore Capg, but haven’t heard anything so far. Yesterday checked with chennai GX team, they informed by this week everyone will come to know the results and they will first share it to the concerned onshore manager. Is there any one from Bangalore CG who got selected?

          • what if capgemini does not provide update by end of this week also…lately post kanbay meger, capgemini FSBU has become crap of HR practices:(

          • Talking about people who are currently not working with cap India . The HR told to wait till 15th June .

          • “Talking about people who are currently not working with cap India . The HR told to wait till 15th June “-from where u got this news? more or less everyday new date to announce result will continue..

          • Couple of guys got an email today evening that results will be declared on the weekend of week June08, which is June13th.

            This is pathethic way to keep everyone waiting.

          • 1st week of june is almost over…there is no 100% confirmation on whther we shud wait for results from capgemini or lose hope? they are sending any updates…very poor HR

          • Yest night got mail from GX team Stating :
            currently consolidating the results of the lottery and a communication will be sent out to all by the end of next week (week of 08 June 2015) independent of the application being selected or not.

          • When you say Bangalore ppl, did you meant FSBU ppl in Bangalore ?

            As for TS/OS or ACIS results are not declared yet and will be communicated to onshore managers by this friday as per GX Team

          • what about for people are externally hired from India by Capgemini Finanical Service Business unit (USA)? Anyone got update on H1b petition in this case?

    • Kiran responded to my email as following:
      “Yes we got few receipt numbers but so far we have not received yours.
      You have missed the boat for this year, will try for next year.

      Good luck.”

      You should also ask for your status by now. I think its over for me now this year.

      Reply
      • hi ankit, are you external hire or current employee of Capgemini…not sure why Kiran has so far not provided any update for me…..

        Reply
          • hi ankit,
            which date did u receive reply from Kiran…m not sure why he is not providing any update to me..have sent many reminders

      • Next Friday I think it should be clear for everyone , they have been telling the June 15 date for almost a month now .

        Reply
  20. cts generally sends a mail to all people rejected in lottery stating that your application didn’t get picked up around Aug.

    Reply
  21. Hi Guys,
    Has anyone applied through Gateway Group Tech? I applied through them and there is no update till now…

    Reply
  22. I inquired Mumbai FDFU@1st June, and they replied me back as status=Active and “Awaiting Lottery Result”. Is there any hope for selection in the lottery? Lottery results are already out, so why would they reply as Awaiting Lottery Result?

    Reply
  23. Have sent many mails to Ajay(my recruiter) reg my H1B status, I don’t know why he is not replying back with anything…anyone H1B update from capgemini FSBU.

    Reply
    • Hi,

      For Infy, It is over buddy, already selected people have got there receipts, Last year mine was not picked in Lottery, Even No Luck till now, What ever GI Team is saying, we cannot Trust, There is no pint in waiting any more.

      We have to accept now, That it is over for this year.

      Reply
  24. Still didn’t receive a receipt/nothing from my lawyer, I’m non ADV and Regular process, is there still hope?
    Thanks in advance.

    Reply
  25. Any one got approval with the following Receipts starting with EAC151445####.I am NON Advanced Degree and Regular processing

    Reply
    • It is random selection for approval. We have approval EAC-15-148-5xxxx, EAC-15-149-5xxxx, but we still haven’t approval for EAC-15-141-5xxxx

      Reply
      • Are you sure? I was told after the lottery, applications are processed in serial order of receipt Number.What was i given wrong info?

        Reply
        • It is exactly lik paper evaluation.. each bunch of selected applications is given to different officers. So it all depends on how much time it takes for them (each officer takes his own time) to evaluate. Mine is EAC151495**** am waiting too..

          Reply
  26. Hi All,
    I have three questions.
    1) Anyone applied from Reliance Global, got selected in cap?
    2) My consultancy said, there is no hope after this. For my statisfaciton, I need to check whether they applied my H1b or not.
    Is there anyway I can get any proof from them?
    3) anyone got rejected petitions package back?

    Reply
  27. Today, I got email from HR of my US employer that they didn’t get any selection receipt since May 12th and there will not be any hopes and advised me to apply next year 🙁

    Reply
  28. Guys, is there still a chance to get acceptance? Till when will we get to know we are selected? Anyone from Accenture getting acceptance this week?

    Reply
  29. I think it’s over for us who have not receiving receipts. I’m from a big tech company and my lawyer said just now that they didn’t received any receipt or rejection this week. Next week is probably when the rejection letters start coming in.

    Reply
  30. Hi All,
    Talked to a friend in GIT, he informed that cts doesn’t send rejection mail as soon they recieve returned pckage. So if u get no mail,dont keep ur hopes alive..its means game over.

    Reply

Leave a Comment