If you’re a foreign professional seeking employment in the U.S., you may be considering applying for an H-1B visa. If this is the case, you must avoid making mistakes during the H-1B visa application process that could destroy your chances of approval. Please continue reading to learn about the common blunders people make when pursuing their H-1B visa and how a seasoned Middlesex County, New Jersey, Business Immigration Lawyer can help you avoid making those same mistakes.
What are the most common mistakes people make when pursuing an H-1B visa?
Firstly, it’s crucial to understand that there is a limit on how many H-1B visas are available each year. There is a cap of about 65,000 visas available, meaning there are many more applicants than there are. Unfortunately, many foreigners make simple mistakes that diminish their chances of getting approved for an H-1B visa despite being ideal candidates. To avoid making mistakes that could jeopardize your chances of approval, you should be aware of the following errors:
- Eligibility requirements: A common mistake that foreigners make when applying for the H-1B visa is misinterpreting the eligibility requirements. To be eligible to receive this type of visa, a foreign professional must have a specialized skill set or have studied a specialized field such as engineering, architecture, technology, finance, and more. Typically, the roles require a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. Ensuring you meet the eligibility criteria before initiating the petition process is essential.
- Incomplete or incorrectly filled forms: A simple mistake that should be avoided during the application process is submitting forms that are missing pertinent information or filled out improperly. It’s imperative to fill out every required field of the application and ensure the information provided is accurate. If you overlook even the smallest detail, you risk the rejection of your petition.
- Failure to meet the required deadlines: One of the most crucial mistakes to avoid is missing the deadline for filing an H-1B petition. To increase your approval chances, promptness in getting your application in well before the deadline is vital. The USCIS will typically begin accepting H-1B applications at the start of the fiscal year. While there’s no specific deadline for the visa, as soon as the quota is reached, USCIS will stop granting visas in this classification for that given year. Therefore, getting your visa application filed as quickly as possible is best to prevent submitting the petition after the cap has been met.
Nevertheless, the biggest mistake you should avoid is failing to retain quality legal counsel. The best way to ensure that all legal requirements have been met and all necessary documentation has been successfully filed is to enlist the help of a qualified lawyer from the Law Offices of Aditya Surti, LLC. Our legal team is prepared to help guide you through each phase of the process ahead.
