Lighthouse combines smart technology with legal expertise from licensed, independent attorneys to help you prepare your H-1B visa application with clarity and confidence.
The H-1B visa allows professionals with a degree to work in specialty occupations for U.S. employers. This employer-sponsored status provides work authorization for three years, with a possible extension to six. It creates a pathway for experts in fields like technology, finance, and healthcare to contribute their skills in the United States.
A major benefit is dual intent, which lets you pursue a green card while you work. This feature helps you build a career with top companies and keep long-term immigration options open. While the new H-1B fee rule has added some complexity to the process, the visa remains a valuable route for skilled professionals.
You may qualify for the H-1B visa if you meet these core requirements:
Lighthouse combines legal expertise with our platform to prepare your H-1B petition in weeks, not months. An expert H-1B visa lawyer handles every detail so you can focus on your work.
Our platform helps you explore your visa options. It walks you through the requirements, explains what you need, and shows how to build a stronger case. Submit your information, and we will follow up with guidance on potential paths forward.
Experienced H-1B attorneys review your petition to ensure it meets all USCIS standards. Our team identifies potential problems, helps resolve complex situations, and works to minimize the risk of delays or denials. You have access to expert legal guidance throughout the entire H-1B process.
You always know where your petition stands. Our platform shows your petition status, what we need from you, and all deadlines. With clear timelines and next steps for each stage, you reduce uncertainty and can plan with confidence.
We work with professionals in technology, engineering, and research for their H-1B petitions. Our team understands the specific requirements and qualifications for roles like software engineer, data scientist, and other advanced specialty occupations.
"Still trying to process this — my second O-1 has been approved! Thank you everyone, truly. Shoutout to for living up to their name when I needed help the most
-min.avif)
"Lighthouse is insanely fast. Your new colleague might not even have finished their work trial by the time Lighthouse has already gotten them an O1 visa. Highly recommend working with them!"
-min.avif)
"If you also want to join the league of extraordinary aliens, you should use Lighthouse. Impressively fast, but also confidently handled with the minimum fuss and very responsive which is just so calming in an otherwise very stressful process."
“US O1A visa approved! Thanks to Lighthouse that was much faster and less effort than I expected, they just took care of everything!”
“The weight of dealing with the immigration stuff has been some of the heaviest in my life...so her calm, extreme competence and her warmth made me so cared for.”
"O-1A approved! Thanks to Minn and Lighthouse for their guidance and support throughout the whole process. Would recommend working with them for your visa needs. Blazingly fast, no fuss and very responsive!"
"It was really great working with Minn and I strongly recommend a chat with her if you need help getting a visa!"
"I am forever grateful to Minn for helping me get O1A. Having dealt with a number of visas and attorneys over the past 5 years, working with Minn was the first time I felt supported and safe! Can't recommend enough. Awesome people, incredible product."
Read our comprehensive resource to understand the full process from eligibility to approval and beyond, including:
%201.svg){kind=icon}
Each March, employers submit registrations for prospective employees. USCIS then conducts a random lottery to select from the 85,000 available H-1B spots annually. If your registration is selected, your employer can then file a full petition. Note that some employers, like universities and certain nonprofits, are exempt from this cap and can sponsor professionals anytime.
You generally need a bachelor’s degree or its foreign equivalent in a specific field. The job must also qualify as a "specialty occupation," which means it requires the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and which requires the attainment of a bachelor's or higher degree in the specific specialty.
Employers register candidates in March, with lottery results announced by the end of the month. If selected, your employer files the complete petition between April and June. Upon approval, the earliest you can start work is October 1, which is the first day of the U.S. government's next fiscal year.
You can move to a new employer through H-1B portability. Your new employer must file a new H-1B petition on your behalf. Once U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services accepts the case and issues a receipt notice, you can start the new job. You do not need to wait for final approval.
Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 receive H-4 dependent status. An H-4 spouse may apply for work authorization, but only if the H-1B visa holder has an approved I-140 immigrant petition, which is a major step toward a green card. Without this, your spouse cannot legally work in the U.S.
A recent presidential proclamation introduced a new fee for some H-1B petitions. This fee only applies to petitions for workers who are outside the United States and do not already hold a valid H-1B visa. If you are in the U.S. and your employer files for a status change or an extension, you are exempt.
Answer
With Lighthouse, you get clarity on your options and an H-1B visa lawyer to carry your case from preparation through USCIS submission.
%201-min.avif)
