what documents do i need to apply for h1b visa

• Valid Passport (If you have any old passports, carry them as well)
• Online US Visa Application Confirmation ( DS-160 Form Submission confirmation).
• US Visa Appointment Confirmation with date, time and location on it.
• H1B Visa Approval Notice (I-797 Form)
• Copy of H1B LCA
• Employment Offer letter from your H1B Sponsor
• Client letter (if you are going to work at a client location)
• Latest Resume
• Original Educational Certificates for Bachelors degree. If you have Masters or Ph.D you should carry those documents as well.

Full Answer

What are the requirements to apply for H1B visa?

• Hold a U.S. ...
• Obtain a foreign equivalent to a U.S. ...
• Hold an unrestricted state license, registration, or certification that allows the applicant to have no limitations when engaging in the specialty occupation.
• The applicant must have received training, education, or work experience that is required for the completion of the degree. ...

More items...

Can a prospective employer file for H1B visa?

You cannot file your own H1 visa petition. Only your prospective employer who has given you a job offer may file your H1B petition on your behalf. If your case is approved, your employer will receive Form I-797 Notice of Action and forward it to you.

Who can apply for the H1B visa?

Qualifying fields of employment for the H1B Visa include:

• IT.
• Architecture.
• Engineering.
• Accounting.
• Mathematics.
• Science.
• Medicine.

How to transfer your H1B visa?

• You are not subject to any visa caps.
• You can petition any time of year.
• You can file more than one petition simultaneously, also known as “bridging”.
• You can begin work at your new job once you have a receipt notice from USCIS. ...
• You do not need permission from your current employer to file a new H-1B petition. ...

Can I directly apply for H-1B visa on my own?

If I would like to work in the US, can I apply for an H-1B visa by myself? No, this is not possible. To apply for this visa, you must have a job offer from a U.S. company or organization.

What is the process of getting a H-1B visa?

Here are the steps that employers need to go through to petition a foreign worker:Have 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.

What is the minimum salary to file H-1B visa?

$60,000For the $60,000 wage to be determined, the nonimmigrant has to receive an annual salary or hourly wages that in total make at least $60,000, whether the worker has a full-time or part-time job. At the same time, the salary has to be paid “cash in hand” and “free and clear”, as well as paid when due.

Is it difficult to get H1B visa?

How Difficult Is It To Get an H1B Visa? H1B visa requirements can be difficult to meet because you must first be hired by a U.S. employer who is willing to sponsor you. Competition for jobs in the United States is fierce, and demand for visas to enter the US grows daily.

How can I increase my chances of H1B visa?

4 Tips to Increase Your Chances at an H1B VisaGet your application in as quickly as possible. The USCIS accepts applications in April and, believe us, they come in thick and fast. ... Only apply once. ... Don't pay your own fee. ... Make sure your employer is a “good” one.

How long H1B visa takes?

3 months to 1 yearHow long does H1B regular processing take? H1B regular application processing time is 3 months to 1 year for approvals. It keeps changing based on current affairs and circumstances. During COVID-19 closures, USCIS did approve many regular H1B applications within 2 weeks.

How much does an H1B visa cost?

H1B visa costs for employersH1B feeAmount (US $)Who pays?Registration Fee$10EmployerBasic visa filing fee (I-129 form)$460EmployerPublic Law 114-113 Fee$4000EmployerPremium Processing (optional)$2,500Employer or employee3 more rows

How long does the H-1B process take?

1 to 6 monthsIt takes from 1 to 6 months for a H1B visa to process under the regular procedure.

How many copies of I-129 are needed for Blanket L visa?

In case of Blanket L visa applicants, three copies of the Form I-129s and one copy of the Form I-797 need to be submitted.

What form do dependents need to file?

Dependents need to submit a copy of the principal applicant's Petition (Form I-797 and Form I-129 as applicable) and visa copy.

What is required for a blanket L1?

Blanket L1 applicants must carry the original I-129 and a copy of the Notice of Action I-797.

Overview of H1b Visa

To properly understand the different documents required for an H1b visa, we like you to have an overview of what an H1b visa is all about and what does United States Citizenship and immigration services (USCIS) expects in your visa application.

Documents required for H1b visa

The USCIS may require a different set of documents for different stages of H 1b visa approval. We will categorize each stage separately.

H1b Visa Stamping Documents

After your H 1b visa petition is approved by the USCIS, the next step is to schedule your H 1b visa stamping interview.

Required H1b visa documents for dependents of H 1b beneficiary

If you also like to bring dependents, you may be required to bring the following documents:

Advice from Herman Legal Group

To have the most chances of approval of your H1b petition, you should follow the following guidelines from us.

How can Herman Legal Group help you?

Herman Legal Group has been providing immigration services for a number of years. You can consult our immigration attorney to take his expert advice for your H1b visa case.

Where to get H1B visa stamped?

If your H1B Visa petition was applied with USCIS as Consular Processing, you need to get visa stamping done at a US Consular or US Embassy. The process to apply for H1B Visa stamping is pretty much the same as general non-immigrant visa stamping. Below is the high-level process steps. You can read complete details on these at the article How to apply for US Visa Stamping.

What to do after H1B visa approval?

After you get your H1B Visa petition approved by USCIS, your next step would be to go for Visa Stamping, if you live outside of the US. To apply for the US Visa stamping, you would need to collect and carry a large set of documents for your Visa Interview. We will look at all of these documents in the below article, including documents that you need to carry if you are applying for H1B Stamping during COVID with the National Interest Exception requirements in place.

What is the name of the card with your SSN number?

Social Security Card with your SSN Number on it.

Do dependents need to carry H4 visa?

If the H1B applicant is married and has dependents, most of the time, spouse and children attend their H4 visa stamping as well along with the H1B applicant. Below is the list of documents that the dependents need to carry for the H4 visa stamping.

Can a consular officer verify a company?

If you work for very small companies or startups with less than 25 people, the US Consular officers may or may not be able to verify all the documents about the company. In such cases, you can check with your attorney and company and carry some of the supporting documents as listed below.

Do you have to carry a client letter?

It is always recommended to carry client letter, if you are working at a third party worksite. If you do not have it for a specific reason such as the client does not give such letter, have some email copy or some proof that tells that they do not issue client letter. US Consular officers want to validate that you are really employed properly, so it is best to carry all. Not having the client letter will not necessarily result in rejection, but it may lead to administrative processing, if Visa officer is not convinced.

Is it good to carry more documents?

It is always good to carry more documents as you never know what the consular officer may ask and there is no need to scramble at the last minute. You should always check the US Consulate Website in your visiting country if there is any specific checklist that is given by them.

What documents are included in a foreign employee's supporting documents?

The foreign employee’s academic qualifications, training certificates, membership documents, resume, and letter of support must also be included as part of supporting documents.

What is the I-129 form?

Once the LCA process has been completed, the employer can proceed to submit the H-1B petition by filing the I-129. Form I-129 is officially known as the Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker. The employer must be sure to include the employment letter with the position’s exact duties, dates of employment, detailed description, salary offered, position requirements, contact information, etc.

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 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.

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:

What is lottery in H1B?

The lottery is the process through which the USCIS selects which applicants will receive an H1B visa. The selection is entirely random.

What Documents you Should NOT give to H1B sponsoring company?

You should NEVER give original documents of mark sheets, passport or any other documents to anyone. You will need to carry the originals only when you go for H1B visa stamping, but not for applying H1B Visa petition with USCIS.

How much does filing H1B really Cost?

The H1B fee varies by the size of the company..As of FY 2022 season, it can range anywhere from $1,710 USD to $7,910 USD + Attorney Fee. There are various fees components that make up this number range, for full details check H1B Visa Filing Fee Details – Summary

How often do they revise H1B filing fees?

You should check USCIS website for correct H1B filing fee, as they revise fee every few years or so.

When did USCIS change H1B filing?

USCIS changed their H1B petition filing process from FY 2021 season. In the new process, they introduced H1B Registration Process, where employers need to first register the H1B applicants or employees in the H1B Registration Online Tool, whom they intend to sponsor H1B to work in US.

Do you need to copy W2 if you live in the US?

If you have lived in US and paid taxes, copy of previous W2 tax forms.

Can an employer file an H1B petition?

If an applicant is selected in H1B registration process, then the corresponding applicant’s employer can file H1B Petition with USCIS. To submit H1B petition or application with USCIS, the H1B applicant need to submit the below documents to employer for preparing the petition and submitting the same to USCIS:

What is a petitioner USCIS?

Filing the petition in order to correct a USCIS error. Petitioner is a primary or secondary education institution. Petition is a non-profit entity that engages in an established curriculum-related clinical training of students registered at such an institution.

What part of the I-907 should I sign?

If a valid Form G-28 is being submitted with the petition, and the attorney is signing the Form I-907, then the representative should sign in both Part 3 and 4 of the Form I-907. Otherwise, the petitioner’s signature is required. Signatures should be in blue ink .

What is the I-797 approval notice?

If the beneficiary is in the U.S., evidence such as Form I-94 (arrival-departure record) or Form I-797 approval notice should be included to establish that the beneficiary will have maintained a valid nonimmigrant status through the employment start date being requested.

What is a copy of a foreign degree?

A copy of a foreign degree determined to be equivalent to the U.S. degree; or. Copies of evidence of education and experience which is equivalent to the required U.S. degree; A copy of any required license or other official permission to practice the occupation in the state of intended employment; and.

What is the form 9035?

A certified Labor Condition Application, Form ETA 9035, from Department of Labor. A copy of the Labor Condition Application is acceptable. If the Labor Condition Application is for multiple positions, you should provide the name and USCIS case receipt number of any alien who has previously utilized it.

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.