Barinder Singh SainiIntroduction: H-1B Visa Process 2024
Welcome to the latest update on the H-1B visa process for FY2025, set to revolutionize how organizations and individuals navigate petition filing and registration procedures. With USCIS introducing organizational accounts and online filing, starting in February 2024, significant customer experience improvements are on the horizon. These changes aim to streamline the H-1B visa lifecycle, from registration to final decision and are poised to reduce errors and duplicate registrations.
Table of Contents
Enhancements for FY2025 H-1B Cap Season:
In preparation for the fiscal year (FY) 2025 H-1B cap season, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has unveiled a package of enhancements, including the introduction of organizational accounts. This enables multiple individuals within an organization, alongside their legal representatives, to collaborate on H-1B registrations and Form I-129 petitions, thereby streamlining the preparation process.
Transition to Online Filing:
The shift towards the online filing of Form I-129 for H-1B petitions marks a significant transition, encompassing the entire H-1B lifecycle, from registration to the final decision and transmission to the Department of State. This move is expected to improve efficiency, reduce duplicate registrations, and minimize common errors in the process, marking a substantial advancement in the H-1B petition submission process.
| H-1B Electronic Registration Process | https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-1b-specialty-occupations-and-fashion-models/h-1b-electronic-registration-process |
| How to Register | https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-1b-specialty-occupations-and-fashion-models/h-1b-electronic-registration-process |
| Sign Up | https://myaccount.uscis.gov/users/sign_up |
| Required Fees | $10 for each registration. Each registration is for a single beneficiary. Registrants or their representative are required to pay the $10 non-refundable H-1B registration fee for each beneficiary before being eligible to submit a registration for that beneficiary for the H-1B cap. The U.S. Department of Treasury has approved a temporary increase in the daily credit card transaction limit from $24,999.99 to $39,999.99 per day for the FY 2024 H-1B cap season. This temporary increase is in response to stakeholder feedback and the volume of previous H-1B registrations that exceeded the daily credit card limit. There is a daily transaction limit for credit cards of $24,999.99 per credit card per day. Alternatively, you can: Process transactions using a checking account. The checking account information (routing and account number) must be from a financial institution located in the United States; or Process transactions using a debit card from a financial institution located in the United States. You can continue to use a credit card, limiting your daily credit card transactions to a total of $39,999.99 per card. |
Operational Standardization and Efficiency:
To enhance operational standardization and reduce costs, USCIS is also transitioning the paper filing location for Forms I-129 and I-907 from service centers to the USCIS lockbox. This strategic move is aimed at increasing efficiency and streamlining processes, ultimately benefitting organizations and legal representatives involved in the H-1B visa program.
National Engagements and Information Sessions:
To facilitate a smooth transition for organizations and legal representatives, USCIS will host national engagements on organizational accounts, scheduled for January 23 and 24, along with several smaller sessions leading up to the H-1B registration period. These engagements are designed to guide organizations and their legal representatives through the new processes, with the ultimate goal of increasing efficiency and ease of collaboration.
H-2B Supplemental Cap:
Additionally, USCIS has reached the cap for the additional 20,716 H-2B visas made available for returning workers for the first half of fiscal year 2024, under the H-2B supplemental cap temporary final rule. This marks a significant development in visa allocation and administration, impacting returning workers with start dates on or before March 31, 2024.
Conclusion:
As the FY 2025 H-1B cap season approaches, these customer experience improvements reflect USCIS’s commitment to enhancing the immigration process and supporting organizations, legal representatives, and individuals involved in the H-1B visa program. The introduction of organizational accounts and the transition to online filing for Form I-129 promise a more modernized, efficient, and streamlined process, catering to the evolving needs of stakeholders in the ever-changing landscape of immigration procedures.
FAQ’s
What is the significance of the organizational accounts introduced by USCIS for the H-1B visa process in FY2025?Â
The introduction of organizational accounts allows multiple individuals within an organization, along with their legal representatives, to collaborate on H-1B registrations and Form I-129 petitions, streamlining the preparation process and enhancing efficiency.
How will the transition to online filing for H-1B petitions benefit stakeholders?
The shift towards online filing is expected to improve efficiency, reduce duplicate registrations, and minimize common errors in the H-1B petition submission process, thereby simplifying the overall process for organizations and legal representatives.
What are the key objectives behind USCIS’s initiative to host national engagements and information sessions?
The national engagements and information sessions are designed to guide organizations and their legal representatives through the new processes, with the ultimate goal of increasing efficiency and ease of collaboration for H-1B visa application procedures.
How will the transition of paper filing location for Forms I-129 and I-907 to the USCIS lockbox impact the H-1B visa program?
The transition aims to enhance operational standardization, reduce costs, and streamline processes related to the filing of H-1B petitions, ultimately benefiting organizations and legal representatives involved in the program.
What are some key details about the H-2B supplemental cap and its impact on returning workers?
USCIS has reached the cap for the additional 20,716 H-2B visas made available for returning workers for the first half of fiscal year 2024, under the H-2B supplemental cap temporary final rule, impacting returning workers with start dates on or before March 31, 2024.
