A lot of employers use the H-1B visa to retain or recruit more experienced professionals in their company. This is great, but there are limits to how many workers you can hire under this classification!
The total amount of time it takes from when an employer files for an H-1B worker until they actually work here is what we call the H-1B processing times. These include everything form submitting documents to receiving paychecks, notifying people back home about where you will be, etc.
Some things take longer than expected, but most of these delays occur because of something related to immigration. For example, if your country of residence changes, that can add extra paperwork and delay.
This article will talk about why some H-1B processing times seem long and what you can do to get through faster. However, before we dive in, let’s look at some important points about H-1Bs.
Important Points About The H-1B Visas
Most employers use employment visas (such as the H-1B) instead of working permits to keep costs down. Because of this, illegal immigrants and foreign nationals may apply for jobs using false credentials or no credentials at all. If this happens, the employee may have trouble proving job qualifications and getting paid.
Illegal immigrant employees also may put up fake support networks to make it easier to remain in the United States illegally.
After submitting your application form and paying the initial fees, your status will be verified. This can take up to two weeks depending on how many employees review your documents and paperwork.
During this time, you’ll receive no information about when you can expect to get your visa or what happens if there are any issues. You could find yourself in an uncomfortable situation where you have money spent on visas that sit idle while you wait for answers.
It is very difficult to predict how long it takes to process H-1B visas, so try not to put too much pressure on yourself. Reassure yourself that even though it seems like there is no progress, USCIS is legitimate and professional organization with lots of resources they use to complete their jobs quickly.
They may make small delays, but they are never more than one month.
Now that you have sent in all of your documents, filled out all of the forms, and uploaded all of your pictures, it is time to wait!
The process of getting your visa can take anywhere from a few days to weeks, even months at times. This depends on many different factors such as current visa season, how quickly your documents are received and processed, and whether there are other visas being processed in parallel with yours.
We recommend staying up-to-date on the status of your visa via our visa processing countdown chart. This gives an estimated date when you should expect to receive your decision.
If you need to know what is taking so long, track the dates using our tool. You may want to add this to your weekly routine to stay motivated.
Now that we have gone through all of this information about how long it takes to process your visa- why don’t you do something about it? You can start by taking some action right now!
First, determine if there are any additional steps you need to take in order to begin working under the H1B status. If not, then go ahead and register at an employment agency or look online for a job as an employee.
Second, find out what kind of documents you will require after being offered a position. This could include pay stubs, proof of residency, etc. Make sure to have these ready before going to the embassy or department to pick up your visa.
Third, once you have everything prepared, go down to the immigration office and confirm that they have received all necessary paperwork and that your documentation is in order. This way, you can rest easy knowing that nothing was left out.
Many employers have their employees start the process of being sponsored by an employer while they are still in country. This is usually done through a recruiter, employment agency, or directly via your department’s HR manager.
Once that has been completed, then the employee will need to file for the H-1B visa and apply for work authorization.
The two things link together as part of the application process so it cannot be filed without the other. In addition to paying fees for both of these documents, there are sometimes document checks and interviews with officials to verify information.
The process of getting your work visa can be quite time consuming depending on what country you are in and how fast your recruiter or employer works.
There are several steps that must occur before you can begin working here so that we can give you an accurate estimate as to when you will receive your visa. Some of these steps happen quickly, while others can take much longer.
The two main things that can hold up your processing are finding a place to live and making sure all your documents are in order.
Finding a house is probably the most important part of obtaining your VISA because it is where you’ll spend the vast majority of your waking hours during the day.
Not only does your housing have to meet our requirements but also yours – if you plan to bring your family with you once approved. This takes around one month per person depending on whether they already have a residence there.
Your job cannot sponsor your relocation unless you coordinate it with them. Your manager or HR should make arrangements for you to find somewhere to stay while you wait.
Making sure your documents are in order means going through a process called Document Authentication. This is done by sending a copy of each document (proofs) to another office who verifies their authenticity.
Even though it seems like there’s no progress, you can still do something to ensure that things move forward quickly. This means making sure your passports are up-to-date and that all of your documents (such as proof of employment) are in order.
If possible, you should also be aware of when your visa expires so you don’t need to start planning trips too soon!
When processing an H-1B petition, employers must review and approve the individual seeking employment before the employee can begin working here. This process usually takes around two weeks, but it could take longer depending on how many individuals their department has to interview.
In cases where employees have not been able to obtain work authorization, most companies will allow the employee to stay past his or her departure date to continue looking for work. However, this may cause issues if you plan to return to your country after the job search.
Even though it seems like an eternity, there’s actually only so long you have to wait before you can make that call. That time limit is called “visa expiration."
Most employers are required to submit proof of employment within 30 days of receiving your work authorization. Because most people have their H-1B expired at the end of August, this means they must do something about it by September 28 or they will be in trouble.
That doesn’t give you very much leeway if you need to find another job quickly! Luckily, staying ahead of schedule on other things usually buys some more time with respect to your h-1b status.
But even if you aren’t looking for new employment right away, it’s important to stay informed as to how soon you should expect to receive word from US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) on whether your visa has been approved or not.
This article will go into detail about what to expect and when.
As mentioned before, even though there is no deadline to have your documents processed, it can take some time. This is due to the fact that employers are not allowed to do any work related to you leaving the country until your visa has been issued or denied.
In order to apply for a H-1B visa, employers must go through an additional process aside from just having you start working. This includes getting permission to begin employment, paying taxes, and ensuring that they will still have jobs once you’re officially employed by them.
All of these things cannot be done unless your visa is approved first. During this waiting period, employees of the company you will be joining will also need to wait for approval too!
This can sometimes lead to quite a bit of stress for everyone involved as well as potential complications at home when you return. All of this stems from how much time it takes for us immigration officials to get through our workload.
It is very difficult to give exact times because we do not know about what people in those positions are going through on a daily basis.
