H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa
USCIS fee schedule G-1055 (edition 10/07/26): Form I-129 for H-1B USD 780 paper or USD 730 online (small employer or nonprofit USD 460), plus other fees that may apply. State Department: visa application fee USD 205. USCIS notes a new 9-11 Biometric Fee rule effective September 9, 2026, and that a court order of June 8, 2026 vacated agency guidance on the USD 100,000 payment requirement. New USCIS fees take effect October 16, 2026.≈ $780
USCIS processing-times tool, Form I-129 at Service Center Operations, 80% of cases are completed within: H-1B 11 months (visa to be issued abroad), 10 months (change of status), 11.5 months (extension); L intracompany 6.5 months; O extraordinary ability 14.5 months. After approval, State Department wait times (updated 17 Sep 2026) for the visa interview in the petition-based group (H, L, O, P, Q): New Delhi 3 months, Mumbai 1.5 months (appointment wait only).
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Source-backed requirements
Eligibility
(1)Bachelor's degree or equivalent
DocumentMandatoryFor H-1B specialty-occupation work, document the required U.S. specialty bachelor's degree, equivalent foreign degree, or a qualifying regulatory alternative. The 3-years-for-1-year experience formula is only part of an evidence-based equivalency assessment, not automatic eligibility.
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Qualification
(3)Employer petition
MandatoryA U.S. employer must file an I-129 petition on your behalf for a specialty occupation requiring a bachelor's degree or equivalent.
Verified officialAnnual cap and lottery
ConditionalApplies only where the H-1B petition is cap-subject and registration is required. Use the applicable fiscal year's registration and selection rules; cap-exempt petitions and eligible previously counted workers differ.
Verified officialPrevailing wage
MandatoryThe H-1B employer must pay at least the higher of the prevailing wage for the occupation/location and the employer's actual wage for similarly qualified workers.
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Preparation
(1)Labor Condition Application
DocumentMandatoryThe employer must file a Labor Condition Application (LCA) with the Department of Labor before filing the I-129.
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Source citations
8 CFR 214.2 — Nonimmigrant classification requirements
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (DHS)
Current regulatory text reviewed2026-10-13: H-1B specialty occupation, certified LCA and equivalency; L-1 individual/blanket procedures and qualifying organizations; O-1 differentiated evidence and consultations. Shared with E-2/F-1 reviews; no fee or current-selection claim.
DOL Fact Sheet62G — H-1B required wage
U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
H-1B required wage is the higher of the occupation/location prevailing wage or the employer's actual wage for similarly qualified workers. No current amount, fee orcapselectionclaim.
Official links
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