H1B Visa: Are You Aware of the Changes to US Work Visa Rules? Five things to know about the lottery application fee rise

H1B Visa: Are You Aware of the Changes to US Work Visa Rules? Five things to know about the lottery application fee rise

The H-1B visa program has undergone modifications by USCIS in an effort to boost honesty and decrease fraud.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reports that major modifications are being made to the H-1B visa program, often known as the US work visa program. The improvements are intended to improve the program's integrity and lower the likelihood of fraud throughout the registration process. As. Here is a comprehensive tutorial to help you understand the guidelines if you are still puzzled.

An rise in H1B fees

The visa cost for a candidate will be $110 starting on April 1st, which is much higher than $10. For the first time since 2016, there has been an increase in visa costs. Furthermore, the $10 registration cost for an H-1B visa has been raised to $215.

Modifications to the lottery application procedure

Under the FY 2025 H-1B limit, registrants are chosen using a lottery procedure that takes into account the specific beneficiaries rather than the employers. This prevents the submission of duplicate registrations for the same person, ensuring fairness for all beneficiaries and lowering the possibility of fraud.

The whole H-1B procedure will be done online.

It is anticipated that the H1B application procedure would soon be entirely computerized. In response, USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddo told ANI that this would improve and make the H-1B program more transparent and equal.

"Improvements in these areas is going to make H-1B selection more equitable for petitioners as well as beneficiaries as well as make the H-1B process completely electronic, spanning registration to final decision," he said.

H1B visa renewal domestically

In 2023, the US started a trial program for the domestic renewal of a few different types of work visas.

The US State Department announced a limited launch of the Relu visa renewal experiment earlier this year, enabling a maximum of 20,000 participants to renew their visas. Applicants must submit their visa to the State Department and transmit it to the United States in order to be eligible for this program. has been prohibited from leaving the

Spouses of H1B workers are not allowed to extend their visas without leaving the country, despite the workers' ability to do so.

USCIS publishes the final H1B visa consolidation regulation.

"USCIS will require registrants to furnish valid passport information or valid travel document information for each beneficiary starting in the first registration period for FY 2025. According to USCIS, the passport or travel document submitted must match the one the beneficiary—if they are abroad—intends to use to enter the country after being granted an H-1B visa.

It did, however, go on to clarify that, in accordance with current policy, some petitions that are subject to the H-1B quota imposed by Congress may now be submitted with employment start dates after October 1 of the relevant fiscal year. according to Visaguide's research.

Additionally, the final rule codifies USCIS's authority to reject or terminate petitions in cases where the underlying registration was erroneous or had improper verifications.