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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 :

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Satheesh Kumar Ilu, commonly known as Kumar, is the founder of RedBus2US.com. He is an Immigration and Study Abroad expert. He holds an MS from the University of Houston–Clear Lake and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. He studied, lived, and worked in the U.S. and Singapore for nearly two decades, and has traveled to over 25 countries.

   

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2,206 Comments

  1. I have applied H1B for the first time this year through Nebraska Processing Center. I am a Non AD/RP. Checked with my employer and still they haven’t gave me any updates (Selected/Not Selected) and asked me to wait until this week. No idea when and whether it will be successful or not. This wait is actually killing us like anything.

    Reply
    • Liar !! They will update once for all. Except the handful they updated 10 – 15 days back. Stop spreading rumors.

      Reply
      • Sir.. Just because u r not aware of it u r calling others liars.. Anyway ATB with ur lottery.. This info was only to give update to others who are waiting for AIMS update.. I got I797c .. I am happy abt it.. Hopefully no RFE

        Reply
        • what is the source for your information that 1000 have got an update?
          So can we expect another 1000 atlest to come up.

          Reply
          • Let’s be positive for another couple of weeks. Infosys gets update in slots and as and when they get update they communicate it. I guess this week they got one more slot that’s why many people have got their status updated in AIMS. Cant’ do much other than waiting.

          • Note sure if GIS team is communicating Unit or account wise. Have hope till couple of weeks more.

  2. HI all,

    This is the first time i applied for H1B- RP/NONAD

    still i havenot got any news form my employer/Lawyer

    Can we wait or we can lose HOPE 🙁

    Reply
  3. Got update from my employer today. There is no receipt for me till now but others got it. Looks like it’s done deal. Non AD/RP/CSC and 1 application.

    Reply
  4. Is there anybody who has Receipt number (through check or SEVIS by DSO) but the lawyer did not receive the hard copy of receipt?

    Reply
  5. Hello Guyz, I’ve been dealing with many immigration cases from past 12 years. I can advice you all one thing. H-1B is a huge process to deal with. It has different centers WAC, EAC, SRC and LIN. All the selected applications from the lottery will be distributed among these 4 centers to process further. As lot of human intervention involved in verifying the docs, its uncertain about the timing here. WAC may process applications quick bcoz of smart workforce and EAC might be bit slow. So, I’ve seen cases where we get receipts till 3rd week of may. After that also we got very few times but those are all super lucky. Wait till 3rd week of may, if you didn’t hear anything by then better plan for an alternative.

    Good Luck

    Reply
  6. Called my DSO today and he said on Apr 17, my SEVIS has a pending change to expire on Sep 30th (originally expire in July). He didn’t see my receipt number. He said it’s a good sign but don’t get too hope up just on the SEVIS status alone. My employer and lawyer haven’t receive my receipt yet. Is anyone in the same situation with me?

    Reply
  7. Hi Guys,

    Emp says he applied but nothing yet, hard to believe him.

    How can I confirm, what should I ask him to clarify that he filled my H1 Petition.

    Reply
    • If God forbid your H1 petition was not selected then USCIS will send him a letter clearly mentioning that it did not go through cap lottery with your name and unique lottery ID. You can ask for that letter as a proof he filed the petition.

      Reply
    • If your employer is genuine, there is no reason for him not to apply, it’s in his interest. If you are asking this question, then probably your employer is fake and you paid him money to apply (which is illegal by the way) and you probably do not deserve a visa.

      Reply
      • How did u come to conclusion that I paid $.
        Looks like ur super genius….

        What makes u think u deserve visa.

        Reply
        • Well, a genuine employer invests several thousands $ in the h1b application process. Usually, this is a sign of commitment and serious interest in the candidate. Under such circumstances it would be a very stupid thing not to apply.

          On the other hand, if the employer has no interest in the candidate, then it’s possible. But a genuine employer would probably not initiate the process in the first place, he would not lie to the candidate.

          The final possibility, a fake employer/consultancy that collects money from the candidate and does nothing, in this case people should be worried.

          If you are genuine and still worried, ask for a copy of a rejection notice.

          Reply
    • Best thing to do is, create your login profile using link “https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/disclaimer.do” and ADD your case number/ Receipt number in the tool. Once added you can set Email Alert ON and even Mobile alert ON. By this way you will get notified as soon as your case status changes. Need not track it everyday. Just look for email or Text msg.

      Reply
      • Whats difference in case number and receipt number ? Where do we find the case number ? I’m still waiting for receipt..

        Reply
      • Can you explain ur statement.. CA is done.. you mean they are done sending the receipts/rejected packages? Where did u get this news??
        Do I hold any chance now? No updates from my employer 🙁

        Reply
        • I think you should not lose hopes unless your employer gives you an answer back.. just wait for him to reply.. if you are selected then you will get email soon and if not your employer will let you know.. so just relax.. there are lot of things in life then getting an h1b.. 🙂

          Reply
  8. No updates till now, lost all hopes.
    Congrats to those got selected and all the best those still waiting.

    At last the question remains with me- is god really great?

    Reply
    • Hi Siri,

      Can you please tell me the source from where you have heard that 1st set results are tomorrow, I am also from TCS.

      Reply
      • Hello Siri/Sam,

        Did any one in your knowledge received update till now? Looks like they will send selected candidate list to ISU.

        Reply
    • I think this is rumour news. PR is already getting receipts. There are no predefined dates / batches. TCS announces as and when the VISA CELL receives and processes your notice/ receipt.

      Reply
  9. Guys…

    From HR, got oral communication that lottery picked my petition.

    What are the things/doc should I ask them to confirm my petition was picked.

    Thanks.

    Reply
  10. I’ve not received a rejection notice, but my lawyer said that it’s just a matter of time since they have announced that the H1B data entry have been completed. My lawyer is moving on with an O-1 visa application. I know this might not be an alternative for some, but bring this up with your lawyer in case it does apply to you and you did not get selected in the H1B lottery. Good luck to all of us!

    Reply
    • “To qualify for an O-1 visa, the beneficiary must demonstrate extraordinary ability by sustained national or international acclaim and must be coming temporarily to the United States to continue work in the area of extraordinary ability.

      Extraordinary ability in the fields of science, education, business or athletics means a level of expertise indicating that the person is one of the small percentage who has risen to the very top of the field of endeavor.”

      If you qualify for this, why trying H1B in the first place?

      Reply
    • The system allows you to keep both, try one employer for few weeks if they dont appeal to you much or dont treat you properly shift to the other one.

      Reply
    • you can choose one employer and ask another one to withdraw the petetion. Any way you cannont hold 2 h1bs at a time. You can always shift employer if you dont like him/her with one h1b. you dont need two 🙂

      Reply
    • as per rules, there can be only one application per person and if there are two, both are to be rejected and no money returned. That’s what the rule says.

      Reply
      • No Adm, the rule is for a same employee applied under same employer. If employers are different it’s not a duplicate.

        Reply
  11. Dear friends,
    Can anyone please answer my query..
    USCIS will send the consolidated report for RP/PP/AD to Employer..

    Reply
  12. Hi,
    Did anyone who applied as Non Ad/RP/VT got approved there petition
    after selected in the lottery ????

    Thank You

    Reply
      • Hi “god is great – H1B 2015”, can you please let us know the time line for the same. I mean, when can we start receiving approval notices (I-797)?

        Reply
    • Hopefully few more results should be coming up tomorrow(Tuesday). Fingers Crossed, few of my batch mates in my project received, eagerly waiting with much hopes to receive mine 🙂

      Reply
        • Few got updates on 4 may and few got the week before that week. The Global mobility says that they are releasing updates in batches and have mentioned that the internal updates would come as late as may 30th from internal team due to delay in data entry from CTS team internally.

          Reply
          • Hi guys,
            where did u get the info about a batch to be sent tomorrw.I also called git, they told that by end of may they will post an official update.

      • Thanks for your updates guys, Just keep posting if you get any further updates. CTS is taking atleast 1 week to process the result once they recieve the reciept number from USCIS.
        Expecting that the next batch result will be sent by today or tomorrow.

        Reply
        • I believe there has been no updates after that, not sure if I have proper information. But remember one of the Bangalore folk mentioning about to have received email this week, dont remember the post though. Any updates from other folks in this forum for CTS.?

          Reply
  13. HI all,

    This is the first time i applied for H1B- RP/NONAD

    still i havenot got any news form my employeer, he said we have to wait for one more month due to heavy applications ..

    Can we wait or we can lose HOPE 🙁

    Reply
  14. Hi,
    My employer said check got chashed but no receipt number still.
    are my chances alive still.Please any body explain me..

    Reply
    • Highly probable that your got selected if the check got cashed. If I am not wrong , One thing to note though is USCIS sends receipt by postal mail for Non PP applications. So it might take a few days till you actually know your receipt #. Needless to say, Check daily with your lawyer/employer.

      Reply
  15. Dear Friends,

    I have a question to ask… The Regular Process Application was picked up in the Lottery and we did receive a Receipt Number from the Employer. However when we use the WAC12345678 number to obtain a Status we see the following message… ” Case Was Received ” On DATE, we received your Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, Receipt Number WAC12345678, and sent you the receipt notice that describes how we will process your case. Please follow the instructions in the notice.

    I was in the Impression that we will be able to see the case stage by stage like Initial Review, RFE, Decision.

    Just curious when will we be able to see the status. This is a Regular Process.

    Thank You and God Bless!

    Reply
  16. Hi still did not get any update from employer… Not aware of lottery results…employer says he will update me as soon as he has any update from USCIS…RP from US… Vermont center… Any hope? How long to keep hope …almost lost hope: (

    Reply
  17. Dear Friends,

    I have a question to ask… The Regular Process Application was picked up in the Lottery and we did receive a Receipt Number from the Employer. However when we use the WAC12345678 number to obtain a Status we see the following message… ” Case Was Received ” On DATE, we received your Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, Receipt Number WAC12345678, and sent you the receipt notice that describes how we will process your case. Please follow the instructions in the notice.

    Just curious when will we be able to see the status. This is a Regular Process.

    Thank You and God Bless!

    Reply
  18. Hey guys I talked to my employer yesterday and he said check is not cashed yet. Do we still stand a chance. Ad/Rp/Vt

    Reply
    • Be strong, yes there’s still definitely hope, especially since you have an advanced degree. Remember that you are part of the 2 lottery rounds. Immigration said something about PP will be 100% in 4 days, thus there’s much more time for regular processing to come in. Keep the faith!

      Reply
      • Thank you for the follow up comment… I will keep on checking with my employer…And as soon as i hear anything i will update it.

        Reply
  19. Guys need help
    my employer says cheque got cleared for my application. Could anyone please let me know by when I can get my receipt number.

    Reply
    • When was the cheque encashed ? Was it today ?
      It would be of great help if you can tell the date, as most of us thinks cheque should have been encashed before data entry completed notice.

      Reply
  20. Guys my employers days that the cheque got cleared for my application.
    can any one tell me when I can expect the receipt number

    Reply
  21. Hi friends..I have been waiting and till now I haven’t heard anything from my employer..feeling sad about it…My opt extension ends on March 28th, 2016… Do I have to register for college or can I get cap gap i-20 from college.. Thank you for your answers.

    Reply
    • When you file your H1B again next year, as long as your H1B makes the lottery then you qualify automatically for cap-gap relief. But since your OPT ends on March 28th, 4 days before April 1st, only your F1 visa gets extended to Sept 30th (provided your petition makes the lottery) but you cannot continue working. You can then start working from Oct 1st, 2016 when your H1B visa kicks in.

      Hope that makes sense. I understand you buddy. I am in a similar situation this year.

      Reply
      • Thank you friend. But my visa is expiring on Dec 15th, 2015. So … can you help me what should be my next steps..? thanks for your reply again.. you said.. you are also in the same boat…All the best friend… hopefully, we both will get our H1

        Reply
        • I believe there are two things here… So your F1 visa expired on December 15th 2015 and your OPT expires on March 28th, 2016? It does not matter as long you don’t leave the country after December 15th 2015 since in that case you will have to apply to renew your F1 visa, I would consider talking to your school DSO about that. But otherwise your OPT end date drives your legal status in the U.S. So you do not need to worry about your F1visa expiring as long as you don’t leave the U.S. I hope that explains.

          Thank buddy.. Wish you the same.

          Reply
          • Why would you be sad? If you have to leave the United States, you get to go back to India, which we all know is the best.

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