H-1B cap lottery
Annual FY registration in March, work-start October 1.
Migrate to United States
H-1B, EB and F-1 desk from Pune, updated for 2026

Overview
US immigration remains the most complex system among all major destinations — and Mark Consultant is proud to be ranked among the best USA visa and immigration consultants in Pune for exactly that reason. From H-1B beneficiary-centric registration to EB-2 NIW petitions, L-1 intra-company transfers, O-1 extraordinary ability filings and F-1 student visas, we run every US route with a US immigration attorney co-signature protocol.
USCIS continues its beneficiary-centric H-1B registration in FY 2026 — each candidate is entered once regardless of the number of registering employers, dramatically reducing multi-registration gaming. The H-1B cap of 65,000 regular + 20,000 US-master's remains unchanged.
EB-2 and EB-3 India priority date backlogs are the primary constraint for Indian applicants — the National Interest Waiver (NIW) under EB-2 remains a strong self-petition route for qualifying professionals. EB-1 for extraordinary ability continues to be current for most nationalities but has moved backwards for India in recent visa bulletins.
F-1 student visas remain the primary long-term migration lever for Indian families. OPT (12 months) + STEM-OPT extension (24 additional months) provides 36 months of post-study work rights, feeding into H-1B or EB filings.
Annual FY registration in March, work-start October 1.
L-1A executives (up to 7 years) and L-1B specialised knowledge (up to 5 years) with no annual cap.
No employer sponsorship required for exceptional-ability or advanced-degree professionals with national interest cases.
Top-of-field researchers, executives and multinational managers with no labour certification required.
Extraordinary-ability temporary visa for arts, sciences, business, athletics and film.
Classic student-to-worker pipeline with 36 months of OPT + STEM-OPT for eligible degrees.
Visa categories
Every category below is a full standalone service line with dedicated advisor, written scope and fixed fee. Click through for the complete 2026 guide.
H-1B
US employer-sponsored work visa with EB Green Card feed
Read the guide →EB Green Card
US permanent residency for skilled workers and outstanding talent
Read the guide →L-1
L-1A executive/manager and L-1B specialised-knowledge transfers
Read the guide →F-1 Student
US student visa with OPT and STEM-OPT pathways
Read the guide →O-1
Temporary US visa for extraordinary talent in sciences, arts, business, athletics
Read the guide →Documents Required
Complete document checklist for US visas
Read the guide →Updated for 2026
Sector-wise shortage occupations with official codes, indicative salaries and the visa route each one unlocks.
2026 policy desk
Since FY 2025 USCIS uses beneficiary-centric selection — each unique candidate is entered once in the lottery, regardless of how many employers register them.
The January 2025 H-1B modernisation rule codified new definitions of specialty occupation, updated cap-gap for F-1 students and improved compliance oversight.
Premium Processing available for a broader set of I-140 categories including EB-1C multinational managers.
EB-2 India dates continue to move slowly. EB-3 India often ahead of EB-2 India — downgrade filings remain relevant for some applicants.
Consular visa appointment wait times at Mumbai/Delhi/Hyderabad/Chennai/Kolkata remain elevated; drop-box (interview waiver) available for eligible renewals.
Why Mark Consultant
Since 2016, Mark Consultant — a brand of MCO Immigration Services Pvt. Ltd. — has been trusted by 12,000+ families for their United States migration. Rated 4.9★ on Google and JustDial.
FAQs
Yes — despite the lottery, H-1B remains the primary work-visa route for Indian tech, engineering and finance professionals. With beneficiary-centric selection, odds have normalised — plan for 2-3 lottery cycles, and pair with EB-2 NIW self-petition where eligible.
EB-2/EB-3 India priority date backlogs are severe (10+ years for some). EB-1 is faster (current for many). EB-2 NIW filed while in the US on H-1B provides a strong parallel path.
Yes — Mark Consultant partners with US immigration attorneys who sign all I-129 and I-140 petitions. The attorney is on the record with USCIS.
Book a free assessment
Honest eligibility read within 24 hours. Written scope, written fees, and a single accountable case manager from day one to landing.
Why 12,000+ clients trust us
Free visa assessment
Share a few details — a licensed advisor will call you within 24 hours with an honest read on your profile.