The USCIS is announcing an extension of the initial registration time frame, which is good news for Indians who intend to apply for the H-1B visa in the fiscal year 2025. The time, which was supposed to finish on March 22, 2024, has been extended until March 25, 2024.
H1B Visa RegistrationÂ
A technological issue that denied customers the ability to finish their application process has caused USCIS to extend the H-1B visa initial registration period for the fiscal year 2025. Instead of closing on March 22, 2024, the H-1B visa registration period will now run until March 25, 2024, at noon Eastern time.Â
To online register every applicant for the selection process and deposit the related registration cost, potential petitioners and their advocates use a USCIS online account within this expanded period. No later than March 31, 2024, the USCIS will notify the designated registrants.Â
Starting on April 1, the government will accept H-1B cap petitions submitted online. With additional anti-fraud procedures, the USCIS anticipates about 350,000 applications this year, compared to 320,000 issued H-1B visas in 2022, of which Indians obtained 77%.
 Who is eligible to apply for an H1B Visa?Â
Applicant needs to fulfill at least one of the following conditions to be eligible for H1B Visa Registration:
- Candidates must possess a bachelor’s degree or higher from an approved university in a similar field as their specialty occupation.
- Applicants need to possess a degree from a foreign institution in exactly that field as the niche occupation that is at least equal to a bachelor’s degree.Â
- Applicants possess a state license, registration, or certification that is unlimited in the special occupation related to the state where employment is intended.
- Candidates must possess credentials, experience, or training in the field that can be verified and acknowledged as being on par with a bachelor’s degree or higher.
How to apply for an H1B Visa?
Here is the step by step procedure to apply for the H1B Visa Registration provided that can help you while you are registering yourself for H1B Visa.Â
- To create an online account navigate to the https://myaccount.uscis.gov/ website.
- Choose between the Organization, Applicant, and Attorney account types depending on your job.
- Enter all the required information such as your email address and a strong password.
- Now answer the security questions.
- Submit your registration fee.
- Attach the required documents if needed.
- Hit the submit button.
What’s new in the H-1B electronic registration form for FY 2025?
This year’s changes include the requirement for H-1B registrants to submit valid passport or travel document details for each beneficiary the exact data used for entering the US on the FY 2025 H-1B electronic registration form.Â
The validity period needs to be active and not past due. A single passport or travel document must be used for the registration of each beneficiary. The petitioner must fill out Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, with information from the new, valid document if the passport or travel document expires.Â
Rarely, the passport might still be valid because of an automatic or decreed extension, such as in the case of Venezuelan nationals. To guarantee proper registration, USCIS will examine the copy of the extension and any pertinent data.
What is the validity and registration fee of an H-1B visa?Â
The three-year validity of an H-1B visa may be extended once for a further three years of service. The H-1B visa is typically valid for a total of six years.Â
The new H-1B visas that are subject to the yearly caps of 65,000 (Regular cap) and 20,000 (US Masters cap) for “specific worker” applicants with higher degrees are affected by this online registration process.Â
Employers must pay a $10 registration cost for each recipient and submit an online registration form. Petitioners who file on behalf of higher education institutions or linked or affiliated nonprofit organizations will not be subject to an H-1B cap.Â
Is there any increase expected in the H1B Visa Registration fee?Â
On April 1, 2024, USCIS will impose general filing fee hikes for the majority of visa petition categories, citing financial constraints.
Typical increases in filing fees consist of:
- Petition fees for Form I-129 L rise from $460 to $1,385
- I-129 Form O petitions rise to $1,055 from $460.
- Dependent Form I-539 applications now cost $470 instead of $370.
- The fee for Form I-140 Immigrant Visa Petitions is now $715 instead of $700.
- Applications for Form I-485 Adjust Status now cost $1,440 instead of $1,140.
- Applications for Employment Authorization on Form I-765 are now $520 instead of $410
- There will be a flat $600 fee to pay the skyrocketing costs of asylum administration. The $10 to $215 increase in the H-1B lottery registration fee won’t take effect until the March 2025 drawing.