THINGS TO KNOW AFTER YOUR H1B APPLICATION HAS BEEN APPROVED
H1B APPROVAL NOTICE:
The USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) issues the I-797 (Notice of Action) as part of the visa application procedure for certain visas. I-797 forms come in a variety of formats. An I-797C (Receipt Notice), for example, is used to confirm the receipt of an application. The applicant will receive an I-797E if there are any questions regarding an application that is currently being reviewed by US immigration officials (Request for Further Evidence).
H1B APPROVAL:
The USCIS Online Case Status website will be updated once an H-1B petition has been granted by USCIS. A petition receipt notice with a petition receipt number should be sent to you by your new employer.
STEPS TO TAKE AFTER H1B VISA APPROVED:
- Schedule an interview for a H1B visa stamping:
Once you’ve received your approval notification, you’ll need to make an appointment for an H-1B visa interview. For a visa stamp on your passport, you can go to the nearest US Embassy or Consulate. It is possible to apply for visa stamping up to 90 days before the petition start date. It can be difficult to get an appointment for an H-1B visa stamp because time slots fill up rapidly; consequently, planning ahead and scheduling your appointment well in advance is strongly advised.
Note: It’s possible that you won’t get your visa stamp at your interview. A 221(g), a temporary denial notice issued to approved H-1B visa applicants, may be issued by the consular officer.
When a consular officer believes that more information and processing is needed before granting the visa stamp, a 221(g) is issued. If you receive a 221(g), the notification will specify which extra documents must be supplied and where they must be presented; additional papers are normally submitted electronically or at a US Visa drop box. Because a 221(g) may be issued, it’s best to schedule your visa stamping interview as soon as possible so that you can submit any additional documents that may be required. USCIS will send you an appointment letter once you’ve arranged your visa stamping appointment. Keep this letter because you’ll need to bring it to your interview.
Here’s more information on H-1B visa blogs:
Complete Process and Guidance on When to File an Amended H-1B Petition
USCIS Grace Period for H1B Visas 60 days
Lottery for H-1B Visas (How Does It Work?)
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Take a picture of yourself:
You must obtain a photograph of yourself for your H-1B visa after booking your visa stamping interview.
The following requirements must be met by this photograph:
- It has to be coloured.
- It needs to be square.
- It must be a minimum of 600 pixels by 600 pixels and a maximum of 1,200 pixels by 1,200 pixels.
- It should be saved in JPEG format.
- The saved photograph should be no more than 240 kilobytes in size.
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Fill out the DS-160 form:
Next, gather the information you’ll need to fill out Form DS-160 (Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application). This application can only be submitted to the US Department of State electronically.
The following is a list of the data you’ll need for your DS-160 application:
- Your travel itinerary, including airline details (if you’ve already made these arrangements).
- Details on my travels in the last five years, including trips to the United States and other countries.
- When was the last time you visited the United States?
- The address of the location in the United States where you intend to stay.
- Name, phone number, email address, and physical address of the person who will be your point of contact. Your U.S. employer is usually the point of contact.
- Any relatives you may have in the United States, including their names and contact information.
- Information about your family, such as your mother’s and father’s full names and birth dates.
Work-related information from the United States, including the following:
- Your current employer’s name and address
- Your monthly wage (this information can be found on a verified Labor Condition Application (LCA))
- Describe your employment responsibilities.
Work-related information from the past, including the following:
- Previous employers’ names, addresses, and phone numbers, your previous job titles, employment start and finish dates, and the name of your previous supervisor, as well as his or her job title and responsibilities.
Information from the past about education, including the following:
- Your high school’s name, and address, as well as the year you graduated.
- Name , address of the university where you obtained your bachelor’s degree, as well as the date the degree was conferred.
- Name and address of the academic institution from where you obtained your master’s degree (and any other degrees), as well as the date the degree were conferred.
- You will also require your current valid passport and any previous visa.
- Form I-1797 (Notice of Action).
Take your time when filling out Form DS-160 to ensure that you have answered all questions accurately and truthfully. If you provide inaccurate information, you risk being rejected and not receiving your H-1B visa stamp. You must also pay the required filing fee, which can be done electronically through the Department of State’s secure website.
- Contact an Offsite Facilitation Center to set up an appointment:
Make an appointment to have your biometrics taken at an Offsite Facilitation Centre. Before your H-1B visa stamping interview, you must have your fingerprints taken, according to the Visa Application Center (VAC).
- Attend your stamping interview for H-1B visas:
Make an appointment for your visa stamping interview. Make sure you have all of the following paperwork with you to your interview:
- Passports( both current and expired).
- Photograph of your H-1B visa.
- a copy of your DS-160 confirmation document with your VAC stamp.
- a copy of your DS-160 confirmation page.
- a copy of your appointment letter for visa stamping.
- Documents pertaining to your H-1B visa application.
- Any further paperwork that may be required.
H1B VISA STAMPING :
It is possible to apply for visa stamping up to 90 days before the petition start date. It can be difficult to get an appointment for an H-1B visa stamp because time slots fill up rapidly; consequently, planning ahead and scheduling your appointment well in advance is strongly advised.
It’s possible that you won’t get your visa stamp at your interview. A 221(g), a temporary denial notice issued to approved H-1B visa applicants, may be issued by the consular officer. When a consular officer believes that more information and processing is needed before granting the visa stamp, a 221(g) is issued. If you receive a 221(g), the notification will specify which extra documents must be supplied and where they must be presented; additional papers are normally submitted electronically or at a VFS dropbox. USCIS will send you an appointment letter once you’ve set an appointment for your visa stamping. Keep a copy of this letter because you’ll need it for your interview.
H1B CHANGE IN STATUS:
Visit the USCIS website and input your receipt number to check the progress of your case. You should receive a notification stating your case approval, including your receipt number and the date your Form I-129 (Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker) was accepted, because your H-1B petition was approved. The letter should also say that the petitioner (your employer) or an immigration attorney (if your employer engaged an attorney to file your case) would receive your approval notice from USCIS. A printed copy of the approval notification will be sent to you by your employer or their attorney. An updated I-94 (Arrival-Departure Record) will be added to the approval notice if your H-1B application was filed for a Change of Status.
Here’s more information on H-1B visa blogs:
H-1B 60-Day Grace Period: How Long Can an H-1B Worker Stay in the U.S.
WFH for H1B, new LCA needed; amendment required
How do extensions and renewals for H1B visas work?
What are the rules on H1B Renewal
APPROVAL NOTICE I-797:
The USCIS will inform the U.S. employer if the petition is approved or rejected after reviewing the petition and application forms in the next step. A Notice of Approval is issued upon approval. The U.S. company will receive an I-797 Approval Notice via regular mail if the petition is approved. The foreign employee will be required to present this document to the consulate when applying for a U.S. visa.
I-797A, NOTICE OF ACTION FOR REPLACEMENT OF I-94 :
You’ll receive an I-797A if you’ve requested an extension for your I-94, changed your status, or requested a change of address. You will usually receive this form if you were approved for a status adjustment or extension. There will be a new I-94 at the bottom with a new expiration date.
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