Mark Consultant

Migrate to United States

🇺🇸 United States
visa & immigration consultants.

H-1B, EB and F-1 desk from Pune, updated for 2026

United States skyline — best visa and immigration consultants for United States in Pune

Overview

Everything you need to know about United States immigration in 2026

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.

Why United States?

H-1B cap lottery

Annual FY registration in March, work-start October 1.

L-1 intra-company transfer

L-1A executives (up to 7 years) and L-1B specialised knowledge (up to 5 years) with no annual cap.

EB-2 NIW self-petition

No employer sponsorship required for exceptional-ability or advanced-degree professionals with national interest cases.

EB-1 extraordinary ability

Top-of-field researchers, executives and multinational managers with no labour certification required.

O-1 individual visa

Extraordinary-ability temporary visa for arts, sciences, business, athletics and film.

F-1 to OPT to H-1B

Classic student-to-worker pipeline with 36 months of OPT + STEM-OPT for eligible degrees.

Visa categories

United States visa categories we file

Every category below is a full standalone service line with dedicated advisor, written scope and fixed fee. Click through for the complete 2026 guide.

Updated for 2026

United States in-demand & shortage occupation list

Sector-wise shortage occupations with official codes, indicative salaries and the visa route each one unlocks.

View occupation list →

2026 policy desk

Latest United States immigration updates

Beneficiary-centric H-1B lottery

Since FY 2025 USCIS uses beneficiary-centric selection — each unique candidate is entered once in the lottery, regardless of how many employers register them.

H-1B modernisation rule active

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 expanded

Premium Processing available for a broader set of I-140 categories including EB-1C multinational managers.

Visa Bulletin trends

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 processing wait times

Consular visa appointment wait times at Mumbai/Delhi/Hyderabad/Chennai/Kolkata remain elevated; drop-box (interview waiver) available for eligible renewals.

Why Mark Consultant

Best visa & immigration consultants for United States in Pune

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.

  • US immigration attorney co-signature on I-129, I-140 and I-485 filings
  • H-1B lottery registration and cap-exempt strategy
  • EB-2 NIW petition drafting for exceptional-ability professionals
  • L-1 blanket and individual petition preparation
  • F-1 university shortlisting, I-20 tracking and CGI DS-160 filing
  • Consular interview preparation for Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata

FAQs

United States immigration — FAQs

Is H-1B still worth trying in 2026?

+

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.

How long does US Green Card take for Indians?

+

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.

Do I need an attorney for US visa filing?

+

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

Ready to move to United States?

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

  • ✓ 9+ years in Pune — since 2016
  • ✓ 4.9★ average rating, verified reviews
  • ✓ Written fee agreements, no surprises
  • ✓ ICCRC-aligned filing processes
  • ✓ Post-landing support in destination country

Free visa assessment

Get a free eligibility check for your visa

Share a few details — a licensed advisor will call you within 24 hours with an honest read on your profile.

  • ✓ Response within 24 hours by a licensed advisor
  • ✓ Written scope and fixed fee — no hidden charges
  • ✓ 9+ years, 12,000+ successful cases across India

By submitting you agree to be contacted by Mark Consultant. We never share your data.