As a part of efforts to strengthen the integrity of the H-1B visa and cut back the potential for fraud in the course of the registration course of, america Citizenship and Immigration Providers (USCIS) has introduced a brand new remaining rule.

By the brand new rule, the USCIS additionally goals to mitigate the danger of fraud in the course of the H-1B registration course of, bearing in mind lowering the potential for gaming the registration system and making certain every beneficiary would have the very same likelihood of being chosen, despite the variety of registrations submitted on their behalf, VisaGuide.World studies.

In an announcement, the USCIS additionally introduced the preliminary registration interval dates for the fiscal 12 months 2025 H-1B cap and the introduction of a web-based submitting possibility for Kinds l-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Employee, and Kind l-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, for H-1B petitioners.

We’re all the time in search of methods to bolster integrity and curtail the potential for fraud whereas enhancing and streamlining our utility processes. The enhancements in these areas ought to make H-1B alternatives extra equitable for petitioners and beneficiaries and can enable for the H-1B course of to be totally digital from registration, if relevant, till remaining choice and transmission of authorised petitions to the Division of State.

The brand new adjustments goal to make the method of choosing beneficiaries extra targeted on their wants. It additionally establishes flexibility in begin dates for sure petitions below the mandated H-1B cap. As well as, the rule consists of measures that goal additional to reinforce the integrity of the H-1B registration course of.

Following the beneficiary-centric course of, registrations shall be chosen by distinctive beneficiaries moderately than by registration.

Beginning with the FY 2025 preliminary registration interval, USCIS would require registrants to offer legitimate passport info or legitimate journey doc info for every beneficiary. The passport or journey doc supplied should be the one the beneficiary, if or when overseas, intends to make use of to enter america if issued an H-1B visa.

United States Citizenship and Immigration Providers has additionally clarified that some petitions topic to the congressionally mandated H-1B cap can now be filed with employment begin dates after October 1 of the related fiscal 12 months, thus aligning with the prevailing coverage.

The ultimate rule additionally codifies the power of the USCIS to disclaim or revoke petitions the place the underlying registration contained a false attestation or was in any other case invalid.

As well as, the USCIS additionally introduced the Payment Schedule remaining rule, which is able to develop into efficient after the preliminary registration interval for the fiscal 12 months 2025 H-1B cap. It emphasizes that the registration charge in the course of the registration interval, starting in March 2024, will stay  $10.