US announces new H-1B visa selection criteria, hikes fee
The United States (US) has announced a significant change to its H-1B visa process for 2025, aiming to "strengthen the integrity of [the process] and reduce the potential for fraud." The new rule introduces a beneficiary-centric selection process, ensuring fairness and equal opportunities for all beneficiaries, regardless of how many registrations are submitted for them. This comes after the US launched a five-week pilot program enabling H-1B workers, including Indian nationals, to renew their visas without leaving the country.
Why does this story matter?
Thousands of Indians, who work in multi-national firms such as Google and Microsoft, are dependent on the H-1B visa to live in the US. The US government has said that the new H-1B visa rule will reduce the potential for fraud and ensure equal chances of selection. As of now, the H-1B visa cap restricts the issuance of visas to 65,000 annually. An additional 20,000 is reserved for people holding a US master's degree or higher.
USCIS mandates passport information for H-1B registrants
Starting from the initial registration period for financial year 2025, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will require registrants to provide valid passport or travel document information for each beneficiary. This will ensure that registrations are chosen based on individual beneficiaries rather than the employers who submit them. It will create a fair opportunity for each beneficiary and prevent fraudulent practices where employers submit multiple registrations for the same person.
Fee schedule and online filing options
USCIS has also announced a "Fee Schedule" which will be effective after the initial registration period. Under the new schedule, the visa fees has been significantly increased, from $10 to $110 for the first time since 2016, effective from April 1. Registration fees for the H-1B visas would rise from $10 to $215. The initial registration period will run from March 6, 2024, to March 22, 2024.
