7/29/2005

According to USCIS, the H-1B Rule for US Master Degree or Higher applies as follows:

Filing Address: 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 

Vermont Service Center, 

1A Lemnah Drive, 

St. Albans, 

VT 05479-7001. 

This is the "only" address that will accept the FY 2005 20,000 cases, and any cases filed with the other Service Centers or Vermont Service Center with the regular street address (75 Welden Street) will be rejected and returned.

Eligible Aliens: Only U.S. Master or Higher Degree holders.

Processing Order: First In First Out, meaning in the order of "receipt." Premium Processing will not help in seizing one of 20,000 numbers as opposed to other overnight delivery filers. No in-person filing accepted. No electronic filing accepted.

Upgrade for Existing Filers with FY 2006 Numbers: The U.S. earned filers whose case is still pending or approved may request "upgrade" to earlier date in FY 2005. For the purpose of the FIFO processing queue, the upgrade receipt receipt date will be considered the receipt date in the queue and no advantage is given to the upgrade requesters. Upgrade request must be filed with the foregoing special VSC address.