• Home
  • Country Index
  • About US
  • Contact

Immigration World

The World Has No Boundaries

  • Canada
  • Dubai
  • France
  • India
  • Italy
  • Sweden
  • UK
  • USA
  • etc
  • Country Index

Home » USA » USA H1B Visa Processing At Its Slowest Since 2014

USA H1B Visa Processing At Its Slowest Since 2014

February 5, 2019 by Filter Coffee

  • Processing time increased from 2.9 months to 7.8 months
  • Many companies have had to pause critical projects
  • Visa applicants already in the USA face practical difficulties like license renewals

A study recently revealed that the time for an H1B visa processing has increased by about 169% in just the past four years. Read on to find out more.

H1B Visa Processing, new USCIS policy , Migrants in the USA
The White House

The H1B visa to the USA is touted as one of the most difficult visas to get. According to a report by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), the time taken to process these visa applications has increased by 169% over the past 4 years.

Fiscal YearWait PeriodYear On Year % Change% Change Since 2014
20142.9 months--------
20155.1 months7%76%
20165.7 months12596%
20176.9 months21%138%
20187.8 months13%169%

In 2014, an H1B visa applicant had to wait for a little less than 3 months for the application to be processed. As of September 2018, this waiting period has increased to about 8 months. The processing time for work permits and work visas is now believed to have reached crisis levels.

Indians and the H1B Visa Processing

Indians make up a large percentage of H1B visa applicants approved for ‘initial employment’. In the year ending September 2017, a total of 1.08 lakhs H1B visas were issued. 63% of these visas were issued to Indians.

Why the Delay in H1B Visa Processing?

One of the many reasons for the delayed processing is the suspension of premium processing for H1b visa applications. The suspension occurred in March 2018 and was expected to be lifted by September. However, the suspension has remained in place and is now expected to be lifted in February 2019.

The many policy changes instated by the Trump administration is another reason for the processing delays. Some believe that since the Trump administration has been unable to get the Congress to agree on limiting legal immigration to people with high skill sets, the immigration process has been drastically slowed down to achieve their objective.

Impact of Delayed H1B Visa Processing

The slow rate of processing has had many impacts on the US economy. For companies that hire these visa holders, the delayed processing has undermined their ability to retain essential workers and fill in gaps in the critical workforce.

Many companies have had to pause or postpone many critical projects because the expats working on them have not been given their visas on time.

For immigrants applying for H1B visas on intra-company transfers, the delay has led to a number of practical problems. For example, an immigrant cannot renew his/her driver’s license while the visa is being processed.

Also See

  • Will Citizenship get Easier for H1B Visa Holders?
  • H1B Visa – Everything You Should Know
  • India now 4th Largest Source of Illegal Immigrants in the USA
  • New USCIS Policy Make it Easier To Deny H1B Visa Applications
  • Fewer H1B Visa Applications by Indians Approved In 2017
  • How to Apply for H1B Visa Extensions
  • New Provisions Introduced for H1B Sponsors
  • H1B Changes Announced in 2018 – A Complete List
  • Indian IT Firms To Be Hit By Latest H1B Changes
×

Filed Under: USA Tagged With: H1B Visa, H1B visa Policy, US citizenship

Follow US

Recent Posts

  • Everything You Should Know About The European Travel Information And Authorization System Or ETIAS
  • How To Get An Italian Startup Visa Or ISV
  • What Is The UK’s New High Potential Individual Visa Or HPI Visa?
  • Indian Entrepreneurs Have New Foreign Destinations In Sight
  • Setting Up A Business In Spain – You’ll Need A Spanish Entrepreneur Visa

Top Posts & Pages

  • 9 Countries Indians Can Easily Get Permanent Residency
  • OCI Card For Infants - How To Apply For An Child’s OCI Card
  • Indian Students Studying Abroad – The Latest Statistics
  • Ways to Migrate to Singapore
  • 5 Ways To Get Swedish Citizenship
  • Top 10 Countries Where You Can Immigrate and Settle Easily
  • How To Migrate To Malaysia
  • China Immigration - Eligibility, Job Opportunities and How to Apply
  • Tax Filing In Germany For International Students – Do All International Students Need To File Tax?
  • How To Migrate To The UK From The USA

Tags

business visa Canada Immigration Canada student visa citizenship citizenship by birth citizenship test Coronavirus cost of living EB5 visa Green Cards H-1B visa H1B Visa H1B visa Policy H4 visa immigrate to immigration and settlement Indian e-visa indian immigrants indian students International Students investor visa Migrate to New Zealand student visa no visa travel passports Permanent Residency Schengen Visa start up visa Student Visa Study in USA Tax Filing For International Students tourist attraction tourist visa travel ban travel tips UK immigration UK Visa USA Green Card usa immigration USA student visa USA Visa US citizenship US immigration US work permit work visa
Feedback | Disclaimer
Copyright © 2022 immigrationworld.com.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
SettingsAccept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
 

Loading Comments...