H1B Visa Application Process - A Step-by-Step Guide
- Get a digital photograph. Each individual H1B visa application requires a digital photograph. ...
- Complete H1B visa application form DS160
- Pay the H1B visa application fee
- Take appointment for visa interview
- US Visa Fingerprinting at Visa Application Center (VAC)
- Go for visa interview at designated US consulate
- Get a digital photograph. Each individual H1B visa application requires a digital photograph. ...
- Complete H1B visa application form DS160. ...
- Pay the H1B visa application fee. ...
- Take appointment for visa interview. ...
- US Visa Fingerprinting at Visa Application Center (VAC) ...
- Go for visa interview at designated US consulate.
What is the procedure to get H1B visa?
In addition to the employers, employees or H1B applicants also have to complete these steps:
- Fill in Form DS-160. The DS-160 is the most important part of the application. ...
- Schedule an interview. Try to schedule the interview as early as possible. ...
- Pay the H1B visa fees. The application fee is $190.
- Submit required documents for H1B Visa.
- Attend the H1B interview. ...
What are the requirements for H1B visa?
H-1B Visa Requirements. H-1B visa applications require a petitioner (the employer) and beneficiary (employee). The beneficiary must meet a minimum of one of the following requirements: Have completed a bachelor's degree (or higher) in the same field as their specialty occupation from an accredited university.
What is the fee for a H1B visa?
- Registration fee: $10
- Standard (Basic Filing) Fee: The standard (basic) H-1B filing fee is $460 for the I-129 petition. ...
- American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act (ACWIA) Training Fee: For employers who have between 1-25 full-time workers, the ACWIA training fee is $750. ...
Can I go for a visa interview with approved H1B?
You can schedule your visa interview with your receipt number, beginning with EAC or WAC, on your H-1B petition receipt. During a visa appointment, you will be fingerprinted, photographed, and interviewed about your visa application and your prospective stay in the United States.
Can I apply H-1B by myself?
You cannot apply for H1B Visa yourself as an individual. Only a company that has US operations and registered in the US can sponsor you an H1B visa. Also, not all companies in the US sponsor H1B visa due to their policies or sometimes due to lack of resources or awareness.
Can an individual sponsor H1B visa?
Who can use H1-B visas? Nonimmigrants who are slated to work under a “specialty occupation” are eligible to be sponsored by their future employer for an H1-B visa. They must hold a minimum of a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited university. Those with higher education can also receive this visa.
Can I apply for H1B visa from India individually?
H1B visas can only be applied through an employer, meaning you cannot apply for a H1B visa from India by yourself. The H1B visa is tied to a particular employer and if you change your employer, it could affect your visa status. In addition, family members in the U.S. cannot sponsor an H1B visa.
Can I apply for H-1B without a lawyer?
Even the sponsor does not technically have to hire an attorney and may file the visa without one. However, due to the complexity of the process and administrative changes, as a sponsor, it is advisable to hire an attorney, especially for first-time sponsors unfamiliar with the process.
Can I apply for H-1B visa without sponsor?
One of the questions we receive the most during this time of year is, “Can I apply for an H-1B visa without a sponsor?” The short answer is no. The reason is that an H-1B visa petition always requires an American company, called a Petitioner, to file the visa.
What is the minimum salary to file H-1B visa?
$60,000The H-1B nonimmigrant, whether full-time or part-time, must actually receive hourly wages or an annual salary totaling at least $60,000 in the calendar year. The salary must be paid “cash in hand” and “free and clear.” It must also be paid when due.
How do I ask my boss for H1B visa?
H1B Visa Petitioning Process for EmployersHave a Labor Condition Application (LCA).File a petition with USCIS.Fill in form I-129.Submit the forms and the documents file.Wait for the review from USCIS.
How much does H1B visa sponsorship cost?
How Much Does it Cost to Apply for H-1B Visa? The H-1B visa cost can range from $1,720 to $6,470 or more depending on attorney fees, optional fees, and employer criteria. However, only lottery-selected petitions will pay more than the $10 registration fee.
How much is the lawyer fee for H-1B?
Attorney's fees: $2,495 $1,500 for the h1b visa USCIS “Education and Training Fee” (if employer has 25 or more full time employees). $750 for employers with fewer than 25 full time employees (including U.S. affiliates and subsidiaries). 5.
How much is the H-1B filing fees?
USD $460The basic USCIS filing fee of USD $460 applies to all H-1B petitions. The department must pay the USD $460 filing fee, but you may require the employee to assume the filing fee for their dependents. There is never an obligation for the employer to pay dependent-related immigration fees.
How long H1B visa takes?
H1B regular application processing time is 3 months to 1 year for approvals. H1B premium processing is getting approval within 1 to 15 days of filing.
Who can sponsor an H1B visa?
Any US employer can sponsor an H-1B petition, provided it has an IRS Tax Number, also known as an IRS Number or Tax ID Number. This number is needed for obtaining approval of the Labor Condition Application (LCA), which is an essential preliminary to the H-1B petition itself.
Can an individual sponsor a work visa?
Sponsoring a foreign worker for a U.S. job may be quicker and easier through a nonimmigrant visa than through a green card. Sponsoring a foreign worker for a U.S. job may be quicker and easier through a nonimmigrant visa than through a green card.
How can I sponsor my H1B visa?
Here are the top 6 ways to find an H1B visa sponsor for 2022 so that you can file your petition:Look for a Job in the H1B Visa Sponsors Database.Apply for the Job and Get an Offer.Find an Internship.Look for Boutique Consulting Companies.Look for Global Consulting Companies.Find a Job at a US University.
Can a U.S. citizen sponsor a non family member?
Can a U.S. citizen sponsor a non-family member for immigration? Unfortunately, no, you can't petition for a foreign national's visa or green card if they aren't a family member.
How much does it cost to get an H1B visa?
Besides the $190 for the H1B application at the embassy additional fees you have to pay for the H1B visa are:
How to Extend the H1B Visa?
The H1B extension procedures are similar to the initial application process. You will need to pay the same fees, except for the Fraud Prevention and Protection Fee. Your employer will also have to follow the same procedures for getting certification from DOL and an approved petition from USCIS. In addition, you will submit these documents:
How Long Can I Stay in the US with an H1B Visa?
The H1B visa is initially valid for 3 years but can extend for another 3 years. In total, a person can stay and work in the US for 6 years at most. However, that does not mean that the person must return to their home country. What makes the H1B visa popular is that it is a dual intent visa.
What is H1B Visa Stamping?
In case you are granted an H1B visa, you need to go on and apply for the H1B visa stamping. This a process on its own, and you should check out the H1B visa stamping article for more details.
How to See My H1B Status Updates?
When your employer submits the H1B visa petition, you will receive a 13-digit receipt number which you can use to check on your H1B status on the USCIS website . The receipt number starts with an “ EAC, WAC, LIN, SRC, NBC, MSC or IOE” and is followed by 10 numbers. Your status could state one of the following:
What Kind of Health Insurance Am I Eligible For?
The type of H1B health insurance you are eligible for depends on how long you will be staying in the United States. As an H1b visa holder you can have:
What is an H1B amendment?
The H1B Amendment requires US employers to file an amended petition in case the employee has any material changes. Material changes are defined as anything that impacts the employee’s eligibility for an H1B visa. The USCIS does not give a list of what qualifies as such a change, but examples include:
How do I submit my H1B Visa?
The H1B Visa application process is electronic as it works with an online process created by the USCIS . However, the Petition Filing Process is very important and to complete it you must follow these steps:
What is an H1B visa?
The H1B Visa is a US visa designed for “specialty occupation”, which means the holder of this document is well-prepared in a position that requires exclusive knowledge or skill.
How does applying with iVisa.com work?
iVisa.com is ready to help with your visa and travel document needs. We know applying for a visa can be complicated, and that’s why our full service includes the following once it is launched:
How long does it take to get an H1B visa?
The selection process can take from four to six months, and it depends on many aspects, including if the petitioner can continue with the selection process or not.
How much does it cost to get an H1B visa?
Firstly, the initial registration fee is USD10,00, which is required to enter an H1B lottery. Be aware that all H-1B visa applications are subject to a lottery system, meaning that, even if you qualify for all the requirements, you might not be awarded your visa if you don’t win the lottery.
What is the minimum requirement for a specialty visa?
In general, the basic requirement is that the applicant has a university degree or an equivalent (for example, 3 years of work experience), and there might be other requirements needed, including highly specialized knowledge or ability.
Is there an online registration for H1B visa?
In 2020, the USCIS launched an online registration process to get the H1B Visa (H-1B cap). This method has reduced paperwork and data exchange, and it has also made the application process a lot easier for applicants.
What is the H1B visa?
By this visa, companies can hire people who have a university degree for certain professions. Due to this, it is also known as a Person in Specialty Occupation Visa. Therefore, if the applicant has the following characteristics, he/she can apply for this visa:
What are the H1B visa requirements?
This job position requires a specialist who has a university degree or has taken specialized courses in a particular field. Expert people are people with special skills that not many people can do their tasks successfully. Specialists in information technology, physicians, lawyers, accountants, architects, and professors are some of the experts who are eligible to receive the H1B visa.
How to renew the H1B visa?
The same costs must be paid except for the Fraud Prevention and Protection Fee. The employer must go through the previous steps to obtain approval from the United States Department of Labor and the USCIS. The documents required to renew an H1B visa are:
How to access healthcare under this visa?
The type of insurance that an H1B visa holder can choose depends on the length of your stay in the US. The types of insurance that the visa holder can choose are:
How long is a H1B visa valid?
Initially, this visa is valid for three years. It can then be extended for another three years. So in most cases, you can use this visa to stay and work in the US for six years. This visa is a dual visa, meaning that the holder can apply to change the H1B visa status to an immigrant visa. So if you are qualified and have an appropriate job offer, you can apply for an Employment-Based Green Card.
How much does it cost to get an H1B visa?
If you make this appointment earlier, it will be better for you. The application fee for H visa categories is about $ 190. The cost of issuing the visa will depend on the embassy. In this case, you should seek guidance from the embassy where you are applying from.
How many applications does USCIS approve annually?
From October 1st until September 30th, the USCIS approves about 65,000 applications annually.
What is an online USCIS account?
There are three types of USCIS online accounts: Applicant/petitioner/requestor account – Individuals use this type of account to prepare and file applications, petitions or other benefit requests. You cannot use this account type to prepare or submit H-1B registrations.
How does electronic registration help employers?
The electronic registration process has streamlined processing by reducing paperwork and data exchange, and has provided overall cost savings to employers seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions.
Do I need to file a G-28 with an I-129?
A: Yes. The attorney, however, would need to file a G-28 with the Form I-129 H -1B petition to authorize their representation . Note that even if the attorney submitted a G-28 to represent a client for the registration process, they would still need to submit a new G-28 with the I-129 petition. Q.
Can you appeal a duplicate registration?
A: Registrations that are determined to be duplicates will be invalid. A registrant who submits duplicate registrations will not be able to appeal the invalidation.
What is an H1B visa?
Commonly known as a US work visa, H1B is a nonimmigrant, employment based visa that is granted to an eligible temporary worker. H1B must-have a US based, specialty occupation at-hand and your employer must apply for your H1B visa petition with the US Immigration Department. Once approved, this petition is a work permit in the form ...
How many appointments are required for H1B visa?
After you pay the fees, you will have to schedule 2 appointments as part of the H1B visa process. The two-part appointment process consists of an appointment with one of the five Offsite Facilitation Center (OFC) to give Biometrics information that includes fingerprinting and photograph , and second an appointment with the Consulate or Embassy for a personal visa interview.
How long is the H1B visa good for?
The fee is good for a year from the date of payment. You must take an appointment within a year for your visa interview. Learn about how to pay H1 visa fee. Step 4. Take appointment for visa interview. After you pay the fees, you will have to schedule 2 appointments as part of the H1B visa process.
How many digits are in a visa barcode?
After successfully completing the application, you will receive a confirmation with a 10-digit barcode. Take a printout of this page. This will be needed for setting up your visa interview appointment.
When to schedule fingerprinting appointment for VAC?
After taking appointment with the consulate or embassy for personal interview, schedule the fingerprinting appointment at least a day or two before the interview at the consulate. Earlier, the fingerprints were taken during the personal interview. But under the new rules you are required to give the Biometrics information at the VAC appointment. This measure has been introduced to reduce congestion at the US consular facilities and to speed up the applicant processing. Schedule the visa interview appointment at the Consulate or Embassy prior to the VAC appointment.
What forms are used for a nonimmigrant visa?
Embassy or Consulate that is using the new DS160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, you will use only one form. This has replaced forms: DS156, DS157, DS158, and DS-3032, which are no longer necessary. Note: The exceptions are Fiancee Visas (K-1/2) which still require use of the forms DS156 and DS156K, and the Treaty Trader/Treaty Investor visa application, which is explained below. Please confirm with your local Embassy or Consulate website accordingly.
How long does it take to complete the application?
It can take 15-30 minutes if the applications is completed in one sitting.
Do I bring my entire application with me to the interview, or just bring the confirmation page?
Just your confirmation page is needed to retrieve your application data. You must bring the confirmation page with you during all phases of the application process. Without the confirmation page, it may not be possible to access your application and process your visa case.
What is DS160 form?
Form DS160 is an online nonimmigrant visa application form to be completed online. Go to the online DS160 application.
What information is required for a family application?
Family information of applicant (Details of parents of each applicant, occupation, mailing address, work address, income, etc).
Should I save my application before I submit it?
YES! You should, if you can, save your application locally (to either your computer hard drive or a CD) before you submit your application. Saving your application locally is beneficial in two ways. First, if your application is rejected by the U.S. Embassy or Consulate for being incomplete, i.e., your application contains non-responsive answers or you failed to answer a critical question, you will be able access your saved application data, correct the non-responsive or incomplete answers and submit the corrected application without having to complete an entirely new application. Second, if you are a frequent visa applicant, you can update your saved application the next time you wish to apply for a visa and submit the updated application. This will save you time by not having to re-enter information that has not changed since the last time you applied.
How Does the H1B Visa Work?
For starters, individuals cannot file for or apply for this type of visa on their own. This must be done by U.S. companies that are sponsoring the people that they want to employ. The government only makes so many of these visas available each year, so they are limited in quantity, and to qualify, people must meet several criteria.
What is an H1B lawyer?
An H1B visa lawyer in Los Angeles will be able to sit down with people and walk them through the process of applying for and obtaining that visa. They may also be able to advise on when someone should be looking for a different type of visa or immigration option if the H1B law doesn’t fit their exact needs or situation.
Can a lawyer handle a visa case?
While some lawyers will claim that they can handle any case, there are some things best left to the experts. Immigration law is one of those areas, which is why you must hire a qualified lawyer that is experienced for the type of visa that you need. For example, you might need an L1 visa lawyer in Los Angeles or someone familiar with TN visa law in Los Angeles. If so, feel free to ask specifically what kind of experience the firm has and how many cases they’ve handled, as well as the outcomes.
Is it easier to get a visa with an immigration lawyer?
With a better understanding of immigration law, the entire process can be easier and less uncertain for employees, employers, and everyone involved in the process. After all, the process is daunting enough without added stress. Those who have an experienced immigration lawyer that understands these visas and knows how to help secure the best chances of approval will enjoy a much easier, less stressful process in getting their visa situation settled.
