VISA2US Blog

The H-1B and certain other categories of visas are designed to bring skilled workers into the United States to fill specialty job positions. However, these workers must meet strict requirements, such as a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited university. Those applying for an advanced degree exemption typically have a bachelor’s and a master’s or beyond that must qualify as accredited. Hopeful H-1B petitioners need to verify that their institutions are from an accrediting agency, but recent changes in the US Department of Education have dropped an important one. The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) is no longer recognized, meaning substantial impacts for H-1B and certain F-1 student visa holders.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, H-1B and L visa holders living and working in the United States have had substantial uncertainty about their futures. Between the global shutdown, changing political climates, and the USCIS backlog on processing new and renewed visas, it has been a long few years for these foreign workers. But we’re happy to announce some good news around the corner just released from the State Department regarding their Domestic Renewal Pilot Program. Here, we’ll give you the basic details that have been shared with the public.

Thousands of people worldwide begin becoming United States citizens every year. There are two paths to this goal. One may become a citizen by being born in the US or through naturalization. The first is obvious, but the second method requires careful planning and knowledge of immigration law. When you know what you’re doing and meet the qualifications, you can use an H-1B visa to start your journey to American citizenship.

Getting the notice from USCIS that your H-1B visa petition was approved is exciting! All that hard work and stress has paid off, and you’re almost on your way to your new career in the United States. But there’s one more important hurdle to get through before you’re officially a US nonimmigrant working and living in the country: the visa stamping process. What does this process involve, and how have the changes in 2023 affected it? Read on to find out!

When you file for an H-1B visa, the process is always high-stress. Will your application get chosen in the lottery? If so, will the petition get approved by USCIS? Your future job position hinges on those yes answers, but lately, many applicants are receiving an “Intent to Deny” instead of a yes or no. What does this mean, and how can you avoid getting this dreaded response? Read on to find out.

Immigrants and nonimmigrants around the world have been hard hit by the global shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although most businesses have returned back to their “new normal,” one sector that continues to feel the restrictions is that of US visa services through consulates and embassies. Many countries have minor restrictions that allow consulate and embassy representatives to conduct interviews, while others remain shut down for the foreseeable future. Where does your country stand? Read on to find out how some of the most common countries for H-1B visa approvals are currently faring.

The 2023-2024 H-1B season is just beginning, and US employers are ramping up their efforts to get their registrations selected in the lottery. If you’re one of them or the hopeful foreign worker relying on the visa for your next career move, this time is crucial. With hundreds of thousands of applicants and a limited amount of visas, you need to do what you can to give your registration a leg up over the rest. One way to do that is to obtain a master’s degree or higher. We’ll give you the details here on how this advanced degree can increase your chances of an H-1B visa approval.

Before COVID, H-1B levels were significantly higher than the availability of visas. But when the embassies and consulates were shut down, and international borders were limited, so were the visa requests and approvals. This has affected US businesses relying on specialized workers to fill vacancies, but the good news is around the corner. Reports from the Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Visa Issuance organization show that these numbers are almost back to normal.

Early in every year, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announce the registration period for the upcoming fiscal year H-1B cap. The fiscal year 2024’s was officially shared with the public on January 27, 2023. This means employers and H-1B foreign workers are scrambling to prepare their documents to be ready for noon, March 1, Eastern Standard Time (EST). Here’s what you should know about these deadlines.

If you’re looking at obtaining an H-1B visa, you know that it’s a highly competitive goal. With more people applying than there are visas allocated, and a random lottery process on top of that, you need to ensure you follow all the steps to boost your odds of approval. Here are some of the top tips that will give you the best chance at one of these coveted H-1B visas.