Destination Ready: 🇮🇳 India → 🇺🇸 United States — Work (H-1B) Checklist

✓ Verified · 7 November 2026 Built from the verified entry requirements for this route.

Your timeline

1. First. Your employer registers you in the annual cap selection and pays the registration fee ($215 per registration for FY 2027). Only a selected registration can move to a petition.
2. Next. If your registration is selected, your employer files Form I-129 with USCIS. Your own steps begin only when the petition is approved.
3. After approval. Complete the DS-160, pay the $205 visa application fee and attend your interview — apply early, because wait times vary.

The employer's steps come first

• A U.S. employer sponsors you for a specialty-occupation job — there is no self-application
• Your employer registers you in the annual cap selection ($215 per registration for FY 2027) — H-1B registration and lottery guide
• If selected, your employer files Form I-129 with USCIS, with a certified Labor Condition Application (Form ETA-9035)

Your application, after approval

• Apply for your visa only once USCIS has approved the petition: DS-160, then an interview — H-1B stamping and interview guide
• Visa application fee paid ($205) and the payment receipt kept
• Your petition receipt number, from the Form I-129 petition or the Form I-797 notice — you need it to book the interview

Documents & before you travel

• Passport valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay
• DS-160 confirmation page and a photo that meets the requirements
• Apply early once the petition is approved — interview wait times vary by location, season and category — Visa Wait Times
• Prepare for the move itself — settling in, money and everyday life on a work visa — Living in the USA guides

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Sources and checked dates for everything on this page: 🇮🇳 India → 🇺🇸 United States entry requirements. This checklist prepares you — it does not promise a visa or entry, and it is not an eligibility verdict. Decisions rest with the authorities and depend on your individual circumstances.

General information only. This guide is based on official sources publicly available and checked on the date shown on this page. Visa rules change, and consular and USCIS officers decide every case on its own facts — nothing here is a confirmation or a guarantee for your individual case, and this is not legal advice. Always confirm the current requirement on the official page linked in this guide before you act, and consider a qualified immigration attorney for your specific situation.