The United States has announced the commencement of the H-1B visa application submission process for Fiscal Year 2025, starting March 6.
The process includes significant changes, including a redesigned lottery system for this vital employment visa.
What is H-1B Visa?
The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that enables U.S. companies to hire foreign workers with specialized skills, particularly in theoretical or technical fields.
Technology companies, notably from India and China, heavily rely on this visa for workforce recruitment.
10 Important Points to Know:
1.Registration Period Details:
The USCIS announces that the initial registration period for the fiscal 2025 H-1B cap will begin at noon Eastern on March 6 and conclude on March 22. Electronic registration, utilizing a USCIS online account and payment of the registration fee, is required.
2.Company Account Opening:
From February 28, companies can open their accounts to initiate and complete the registration process.
3.Passport Information Requirement:
Starting from fiscal year 2025, which begins on October 1, 2024, registrants must provide valid passport information or valid travel document information for each beneficiary.
4.Specific Passport or Travel Document:
The provided passport or travel document must be the one the beneficiary intends to use when entering the United States with an H-1B visa.
5.Beneficiary-Centric Selection Process:
The new system introduces a beneficiary-centric selection process, countering past issues of multiple applications by an individual for different companies.
6.Individual Application Counting:
H-1B visa applications will be counted and accepted based on individual applicants, even if one individual files multiple applications for various companies.
7.USCIS Rule Changes:
USCIS announces new rules aimed at enhancing integrity and reducing potential fraud in the H-1B registration process.
8.Equal Chance for All Beneficiaries:
The new rules aim to ensure each beneficiary has an equal chance of being selected, irrespective of the number of registrations submitted on their behalf.
9.Beneficiary-Centric Selection Process:
USCIS outlines provisions for a beneficiary-centric selection process, along with start date flexibility for certain petitions subject to the H-1B cap.
10.USCIS Authority Strengthened:
The final rule formalizes USCIS’s authority to reject or cancel H-1B petitions with void or fraudulent registrations. It also empowers USCIS to deny or revoke H-1B petition approval for various reasons related to the registration process.
