Virginia Tech® home

H-1B Request Procedure

To initate a H-1B request with GSS, complete the H-1B Case Initiation Request Form.

Once the form is submitted GSS will review it and contact the department if there are any questions or issues.

To submit the form, you will need the following:

  • ToFO (Terms of Faculty Offer) or other contract/offer letter. Please do not submit the request until all of the terms of the offer have been finalized and the employee has accepted the ToFO. 
  • PageUp Position Description or similar if PageUp PD is not available
  • Employee's CV/Resume
  • Conviction check completion from HR
  • OESRC Non-Immigrant Export Compliance sign-off sheet: 
    • The supervisor should complete form and submit to OESRC.
    • After OESRC clears and approves, the supervisor will receive the required one-page sign-off sheet
  • If any employee(s) in your department/unit currently hold(s) a similar position as the position being offered in this request, such as title, duties, research area, etc., you will need to complete the Wage Analysis Worksheet
    • Further information and instructions are provided in the Actual Wage Analysis section in the H-1B Case Initiation Request Form.
  • GSS Department Approval-Signature Form

You will need to upload each of these documents at the end of the H-1B Case Initiation Request Form. You will not be able to submit the case initiation request until all documents have been uploaded.

What you can expect from GSS

After GSS has reviewed the H-1B Case Initiation Request Form, GSS will contact the employee and give access to our Tracker case preparation software.  The employee will be requested to complete an online questionnaire and upload Required Documents, such as passport ID pages, I-94 record, diplomas & transcripts, etc.  

GSS will prepare the Labor Condition Application (LCA) and upload to the Electronic Posting system.  The system will note the dates of posting and automatically remove the LCA from the site at the completion of the ten-day period.  The information contained in the LCA will be publicly available to view by scanning the posted QR code on the notices posted in the departments.  No action will be required of the department for the LCA posting.  

GSS will email the department an Interdepartmental Service Request (ISR ) request/invoice for the USCIS filing fees and the GSS processing fee.  Detailed payment instructions will be contained in the email. 

GSS will prepare and file the petition and will pay the filing fees by P-card.  GSS will notify the employee and the department when the H-1B petition is filed. 

When USCIS receives the petition and issues a receipt, this will be uploaded to Tracker. Tracker will automatically send an email to the employee and the department contact identified on the case initiation form.  The department will be able to use the receipt as documentation of the filing fees paid by ISR.