Additional 20,000 H-1B visas for the fiscal year 2005

[ImmigAttyLana]

Filing for the additional 20,000 H-1B visas for the current fiscal year will start shortly. Under the regulation, which is slated for publication on May 5, 2005, with an effective date five business days later, only graduates of U.S. master's or higher programs will be eligible. All filings must be to a special address at the Vermont Service Center. A special selection process is delineated if USCIS receives more than 20,000 requests. A mechanism for converting petitions filed for a fiscal 2006 to a fiscal 2005 number is provided.