New Delhi: The United States today (Feb 19, 2004) said anyone with an "approved" H-1B petition in hand could still apply for visa.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) had announced on February 17 that it has received enough H-1B petitions to meet this year's Congressionally mandated cap of 65,000 new workers.

After February 17, USCIS would not accept any "new" H-1B petitions for first-time employment, subject to financial year 2004 annual cap.

A US Embassy press release in New Delhi said anyone with an approved H-1B petition in hand could still apply for their visa.

It said the USCIS has processed all petitions filed for first-time employment received by the end of business on February 17 and returned the petitions subject to the annual cap.

For the remainder of the year, returned petitions would be accompanied by the filing fee, it said and added that petitioners might re-submit their petitions when H-1B visas became available for the financial year 2005.