How to Apply for H1B Visa 2024: A Complete Guide
Are you a foreign worker with specialized skills and a bachelor’s degree or higher? Do you want to work in the USA for up to six years and bring your family members with you? If yes, then you might be interested in applying for the H1B Visa 2024.
The H1B Visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations. These are occupations that require the application of specialized knowledge and a bachelor’s degree or higher in the specific field. The H1B Visa is valid for three years and can be extended for another three years. One of the benefits of the H1B Visa is that you can apply for a green card, which is the permanent residency in the USA. Another benefit is that your spouse and children can join you in the USA with the H-4 Visa.
The H1B Visa is subject to an annual cap of 65,000 visas, plus an additional 20,000 visas for applicants with a master’s degree or higher from a US institution. The demand for the H1B Visa is usually higher than the supply, so the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) uses a lottery system to select the applicants. The H1B Visa Registration 2024 will start from February 21, 2024 and end on March 20, 2024. You need to create an account on the USCIS website (uscis.gov) and submit your basic information and your employer’s information. The registration fee is $10 per applicant. After the registration period ends, the USCIS will conduct the lottery and notify the selected applicants by March 31, 2024. The selected applicants will then have to submit their full applications with the required documents and fees.
In this article, we will provide you with a comprehensive guide on how to apply for the H1B Visa 2024, including the eligibility criteria, the registration process, the selection process, the application process, and the documents required. We will also answer some frequently asked questions about the H1B Visa 2024. Read on to find out more.
H1B Visa Eligibility 2024
To be eligible for the H1B Visa 2024, you need to meet the following criteria:
- You must have a bachelor’s degree or higher in the specific field of your specialty occupation, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- You must have a job offer from a US employer who is willing to sponsor your H1B Visa and file a petition on your behalf.
- You must have a valid employer-employee relationship with your US employer, meaning that your employer has the right to control the terms and conditions of your employment.
- You must be paid the prevailing wage or higher for your specialty occupation and location, as determined by the US Department of Labor.
H1B Visa Registration 2024
The first step to apply for the H1B Visa 2024 is to register online on the USCIS website (uscis.gov). The registration period will start from February 21, 2024 and end on March 20, 2024. You need to create an account on the USCIS website and provide the following information:
- Your full name, date of birth, country of birth, country of citizenship, gender, and passport number.
- Your employer’s name, employer identification number (EIN), and mailing address.
- Whether you have a master’s degree or higher from a US institution.
- Whether you are subject to the annual cap or exempt from it.
The registration fee is $10 per applicant and can be paid online using a credit or debit card. You can register for multiple employers, but each employer must submit a separate registration for you. You can also edit or delete your registration until the end of the registration period. You will receive a confirmation number for each registration you submit.
uscis.gov H1B Visa 2024
| Visa name | H1B Visa |
| Applicable in | USA |
| Who provides it | Employer to employee |
| Advantage | One can apply for Green Card |
| Eligibility | Bachelor’s degree with special skills |
| H1B Visa Application Dates 2024 | To 20 March 2024 |
| Registration mode | Online |
| USA H1B Visa Selection Process 2024 | Lottery scheme |
| Documents required | Mentioned below |
| Time period | 3 years |
| Registration fee | $10 |
| Website | uscis.gov |
H1B Visa Selection 2024
After the registration period ends, the USCIS will conduct the lottery to select the applicants for the H1B Visa 2024. The lottery will be done in two phases:
- The first phase will include all the registrations, regardless of the educational level. The USCIS will randomly select 65,000 registrations to meet the regular cap.
- The second phase will include only the registrations of applicants with a master’s degree or higher from a US institution. The USCIS will randomly select 20,000 registrations to meet the advanced degree cap.
The USCIS will notify the selected applicants and their employers by March 31, 2024. The notification will be sent to the email address associated with the USCIS account. The notification will also include the beneficiary confirmation number, the petitioner’s information, and the filing period. The filing period is the 90-day window during which the selected applicants must submit their full applications with the required documents and fees. The filing period will start from April 1, 2024 and end on June 30, 2024.
H1B Visa Application 2024
The second step to apply for the H1B Visa 2024 is to submit your full application with the required documents and fees. The application process involves the following steps:
- Your employer must file a Labor Condition Application (LCA) with the US Department of Labor. The LCA is a form that certifies that your employer will pay you the prevailing wage or higher for your specialty occupation and location, and that your employment will not adversely affect the working conditions of US workers. The LCA must be approved before your employer can file your H1B petition.
- Your employer must file a Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, with the USCIS. The Form I-129 is a form that requests the USCIS to classify you as an H1B worker and grant you the H1B Visa. The Form I-129 must include the following documents and fees:
- A copy of your approved LCA.
- A copy of your passport and visa (if applicable).
- A copy of your educational certificates and transcripts, and an evaluation report if your degree is from a foreign institution.
- A copy of your resume and work experience letters.
- A detailed job description and a letter of support from your employer, explaining the nature and scope of your specialty occupation, the employer-employee relationship, and the terms and conditions of your employment.
- A check or money order for the filing fee of $460.
- A check or money order for the fraud prevention and detection fee of $500 (only for new or initial H1B petitions).
- A check or money order for the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act (ACWIA) fee of $750 (for employers with 1 to 25 full-time employees) or $1,500 (for employers with more than 25 full-time employees).
- A check or money order for the optional premium processing fee of $2,500 (if your employer wants to expedite the processing of your petition within 15 days).
- The USCIS will review your petition and issue a receipt notice, which will include your case number and the estimated processing time. You can check the status of your petition online using the case number on the USCIS website.
- The USCIS will approve or deny your petition and issue a notice of action, which will inform you and your employer of the decision. If your petition is approved, the USCIS will also send an approval notice, which will include your H1B Visa validity period and the name and address of the US consulate where you can apply for your H1B Visa stamping. If your petition is denied, the USCIS will also send a denial notice, which will explain the reasons for the denial and your options to appeal or reapply.
- You must apply for your H1B Visa stamping at the US consulate in your home country or the country where you are currently residing. You need to schedule an appointment online and pay the visa application fee of $190. You need to bring the following documents to your visa interview:
- Your passport and visa (if applicable).
- Your H1B approval notice and receipt notice.
- Your LCA and Form I-129.
- Your educational certificates and transcripts, and an evaluation report if your degree is from a foreign institution.
- Your resume and work experience letters.
- Your job description and letter of support from your employer.
- Your bank statements and tax returns to prove your financial stability.
- Any other documents that the US consulate may request.
- The US consulate will interview you and verify your documents. The US consulate will approve or deny your visa application and issue a visa stamp on your passport. If your visa application is approved, you can travel to the USA and enter the country with your H1B Visa. If your visa application is denied, you can reapply or appeal the decision.
H1B Visa Application Deadline 2024
| H1B Visa Application Dates 2024 | Events |
| 21 February 2024 | Petitioners can begin getting H1B registration accounts |
| 1 March 2024 | H1B registration opens |
| 20 March 2024 | H1B registration closes |
| 31 March 2024 | USCIS to notify selected registrants |
| 1 April 2024 | Petitions based on registration during the initial phase |
| 2 August 2024 | H1B cap selected in second round |
How to Check Your H1B Lottery Result 2024
If you have applied for the H1B Visa 2024, you might be wondering how to check your lottery result. The lottery result will tell you if you have been selected for the H1B Visa or not. The USCIS will notify the selected applicants and their employers by March 31, 2024. However, you can also check your status online using the USCIS Case Status Online page. Here are the steps to check your H1B lottery result 2024:
- After your employer has filed your H1B petition, you will receive a receipt number from the USCIS. The receipt number is a 13-digit alphanumeric code that starts with EAC, WAC, LIN, or SRC. You need this number to check your status online.
- Go to the USCIS Case Status Online page on the USCIS website (uscis.gov). You can find the link under the H1B Visa Registration 2024 section.
- Enter your receipt number in the box and click on the Check Status button. You will see a page that displays your case status and the next steps.
- If your status is “Selected”, congratulations! You have been selected for the H1B Visa 2024. You will receive an approval notice from the USCIS with your visa validity period and the US consulate where you can apply for your visa stamping. You need to submit your full application with the required documents and fees within the 90-day filing period.
- If your status is “Not Selected”, sorry! You have not been selected for the H1B Visa 2024. You can try again next year or explore other visa options. You will receive a rejection notice from the USCIS with the reasons for the denial and your options to appeal or reapply.
uscis.gov H1B Visa 2024 Links
| H1B Visa Registration 2024 | H-1B Registration |
H1B Visa 2024 FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about the H1B Visa 2024:
- Q: How many times can I apply for the H1B Visa?
- A: You can apply for the H1B Visa as many times as you want, as long as you meet the eligibility criteria and have a valid job offer from a US employer. However, you can only be selected for the H1B Visa once per fiscal year, which runs from October 1 to September 30.
- Q: How long can I stay in the USA with the H1B Visa?
- A: You can stay in the USA with the H1B Visa for up to six years, in increments of three years. You can extend your H1B Visa beyond six years if you have a pending
