H1B announcement

[zyxel]

On April 14, 2008, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) ran the H-1B selection lotteries and chose the standard and advanced-degree cases that will receive a cap number for employment in Fiscal Year (FY) 2009. USCIS estimates that it will issue filing receipts for cases selected in the lottery by June 2, 2008, though petitions requesting premium processing service should get filing receipts sooner.

Cases requesting regular processing are expected to be adjudicated within eight to ten weeks, but some could take longer. The agency is expected take action on premium processing cases – by approving the case, denying the case or requesting additional evidence – by Tuesday, April 29, 2008.

Most cases that were not selected in the lottery will be rejected and returned along with their filing fees. However, USCIS will put some of these filings on a waiting list in case a petition selected in the lottery is withdrawn or denied and a cap number becomes newly available. The agency will send a letter to petitioners whose cases are placed on the waiting list. USCIS expects to take six to eight weeks to determine whether cases on the waiting list will be adjudicated or rejected and returned.