H-1B Visa

H-1B visa is reserved for "specialty occupations." Those that require a at least a bachelor's degree in a specific subject or closely related subjects.

H-1B petition returned to USCIS

Question details

I work under the EC (Employer-Client) model. I went for visa stamping at Hyderabad, India and my case was put under 221(g) administrative processing. On April 18th, I got an e-mail from Consulate stating that based on the information provided during visa interview my nonimmigrant visa case has been refused and the petition has been returned to USCIS for re-evaluation. The consulate would wait for the judgment from USCIS on weather or not the petition should be reaffirmed. Is there anything I could do to ensure that my case gets reaffirmed and expedite the process from USCIS?

You will need to wait (or start another H-1). The employer will receive from USCIS an intent to revoke. They will then have 30 days to respond. Based upon the response, USCIS will affirm or revoke. This process can easily take 3-6 months.

Guestbook Entry for Sreekanth, United States

Name
Sreekanth
Country
United States
State
FL
Comment

We recently had an issue with my cousin's OPT status. She is in 'CAP-GAP RELIEF' category and needed to travel to India for her wedding. Rajiv provided his guidance and advice on several things relating to this issue. He informed us of all the Pros and Cons of travelling while in CAP-GAP extension. He guided us contact the 'right' authorities to get some of the answers. We totally appreciate his time and valuable advice.

Guestbook Entry for Alexander S., United States

Name
Alexander S.
Country
United States
State
IL
Comment

I'd like to thank Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna, for all the assistance with my case. The whole GC process through your offices was a real pleasant experience. As I am mentioning below, it took USCIS 6 years to adjudicate this case, when it was transferred from my former company, but it was possible only because of prompt intervention from your side and finding the correct resolution for this problem. I couldn't say that it happened by itself - it was truly a collaborative effort between Mr. Khanna and all other people of Law Offices of R.S.Khanna, my current company, my former employer, and last but not least, support from my family. Unfortunately, it showed how inefficient the government could be in certain aspects, and only diligence and persistence turned this into a success.
There was a complex RFE for I-485 AOS based on employment 2 years ago, which involved a H1-b denial of extension for former employer, handling status during that period, new H1-b, and travel to home country for visa stamping.
I’d like to thank Mathew Chacko for handling my case and all aspects of it.
I'd like to mention the diligence of Bharathi for answering to my emails almost instantenousely.
I'd like to thank Mr. Iqbal for stepping in and making sure about timely communication with USCIS NSC.
I'd like to thank Leslie and Prernaji for helping with other matters.
If you need your complex case done right, don’t hesitate to contact Mr. Khanna and his wonderful team.

USCIS Continues to Accept FY 2013 H-1B Petitions

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it continues to accept H-1B nonimmigrant petitions that are subject to the fiscal year (FY) 2013 cap. The agency began accepting these petitions on April 2, 2012.

USCIS has received approximately 17,400 H-1B petitions counting toward the 65,000 cap, and approximately 8,200 petitions toward the 20,000 cap exemption for individuals with advanced degrees.

H-1B Filing twice the numbers last year so far

USCIS has indicated that 22,323 cap-subject H-1B petitions had been received as of April 4, 2012.

Approximately one quarter (1/4) of these cases are for advanced degrees. According to USCIS, the number of filings received is almost double the number of filings received by USCIS during the same time last year. It would appear that H-1B numbers are likely to get exhausted a lot earlier than last year.  Therefore, it is advisable to submit any quota subject cases as soon as possible to ensure timely filings before the quota is reached.

Nonimmigrant Visas

USCIS Publishes FAQ on F-1 OPT And H-1B Cap-Gap Regulations

Introduction

These Questions & Answers address the automatic extension of F-1 student status in the United States for certain students with pending or approved H-1B petitions (indicating a request for change of status from F-1 to H-1B) for an employment start date of October 1, 2012 under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 H-1B cap.

Questions & Answers

Q1. What is “Cap-Gap”?

USCIS to Accept H-1B Petitions for Fiscal Year 2013 Beginning April 2, 2012

WASHINGTON - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will begin accepting H-1B petitions subject to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 cap on Monday April 2, 2012. Cases will be considered accepted on the date that USCIS takes possession of a properly filed petition with the correct fee. USCIS will not rely upon the date that the petition is postmarked.