H1B Visa 2021 Receipt Numbers & H1B Visa Processing Will Be Delayed
USCIS announced a delay in Data Entry and Receipt Number Generation for H1B Visa 2021.
This delay is also expected to impact the H1B Visa Processing time.
According to USCIS, this
What do you need to know?
- Delay is expected till May 1, 2020
- Filing window to submit the H1B PetitionPetition will not change
- The date the Petition received in the Service Center will be Date of Receipt
- Wait until Receipt Notice is issued before inquiring USCIS about the Petition
- H1B petitions may be transferred between service centers to balance workload
Major Impact for Cap-Gap
This delay could impact you in several ways, with Premium Processing suspended.
I think the significant impact will be requesting the Cap-Gap extension.
H1B Visa filing Receipt Notice is required to Apply for Cap-Gap.
But, Receipt notice may not be generated until May 1 and add another 1 to 2 weeks for mail delivery.
So, H1B Visa 2021 receipt notice come till Mid-May.
What should you do?
Contact your DSO.
They should be able to issue Cap-Gap until June 1 by using the SEVIS Cap-Gap Extension Link to notate the cap-gap benefit.
Let’s look at the current processing time for H1B Visa petitions at Vermont Service Center.
You probably knew there will be a delay in all sorts of applications.
We have to appreciate the work USCIS and other agencies are doing. It’s not easy to run USCIS when employees are working from home and limited resources.
Just think about employees who are delivering the package via shipping companies, USCIS employees collecting them and processing.
I mean, we are leaving the groceries in the Garage for a day before taking into our home.
Imagine, the work put in by USCIS and other employees! Amazing!
I hope this COVID-19 situation resolves soon, and we will get back to normal (which can be a few months away)!
Look at how Coranavirs impacted H1B Visa Applicants
- Premium Processing is Suspended for H1B Visa 2021 season
- All Premium Processing is Suspended
- H1B Results came on time (thanks to registration system)
- Data Entry is Delayed
- What’s next? (Dang the virus!)
Look at the date of the following tweets.
Data Entry of all FY15 H-1B Cap Petitions Has Been Completed
— USCIS (@USCIS) May 2, 2014
USCIS completes data entry of fiscal year 2017 H-1B cap-subject petitions: https://t.co/wGOUAlSkUX
— USCIS (@USCIS) May 2, 2016
@USCIS announced today that it has completed data entry for #H1B cap petitions that were chosen in the fiscal year 2019 lottery. USCIS will now begin returning petitions that were not selected. https://t.co/QvaNIUTSbo pic.twitter.com/mgfrGQIjWD
— BAL Immigration (@BAL_Immigration) May 15, 2018
Typically, USCIS completes the Data Entry of H1B Visa Petitions in May.
With this New H1B Registration system, things are following the previous year’s schedule.
We don’t know if this delay will extend further into May. Stay tuned for updates from USCIS.
What’s Next?
Share this news with your friends who are filing for H1B Visa this year.
Ask them to get in touch with their DSO if OPT or STEM is expiring soon.
Their DSO might not be aware of this news yet!
Stay Safe.