How Long Does Processing Take?
H-1B – Professional in a Specialty Occupation
Processing times are measured from the date that all required materials are complete. Initial discussions, and partial submission of materials does not start the processing clock. Once all documents are received from you and your hiring department, a projected processing timeline will be disclosed. General H-1B processing stages are:
- Stage 1: Processing at Risk Management: Approximately six (6) weeks from when all requested materials are received. Specific case issues may require additional processing. Every effort is made to spot issues early in processing so that they can be factored in to the estimated processing timeline for each individual case.
- Stage 2: Government Processing: All CSUF H-1B cases are submitted directly to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This can take approximately eight (8) months. However, in some cases, USCIS may issue a Request for Evidence (RFE) which can delay processing.
- Stage 3: Approval Document Delivery: USCIS mails the original H-1B visa approval notice to Risk Management. If you are abroad, the approval notice must be sent to you so that you can go to a U.S. Consulate to obtain a visa stamp in your passport and enter the United States in H-1B status. This can take an additional two (2) weeks.
