Sponsorship Process and Timeline

The hiring unit must agree to sponsoring an employee for an H-1B before the process can be initiated with OIS. The hiring unit will then gather the required documentation, including the documents required of the employee, and submit the final packet to our office. Our office reviews the packet to determine if any items are missing, and will follow up directly with either the hiring unit or the employee.

Our office will work with the hiring unit to determine a feasible start date. This determination depends on several factors, including the current non-immigrant visa status of the employee, whether or not the employee is physically residing in the U.S., and the USCIS processing times at the time of filing. The hiring unit can submit a packet to OIS as early as 7 months in advance of the proposed start date.

It is essential that you inform the OIS of any international travel plans, as these will impact the proposed start date and type of filing.