I will begin with a sincere thanks for all the information I have got from these forums over the last few months and the amount of confidence I have gained through it.
Now, its my turn give back something by sharing my experience and hope this helps in giving some information to the others like me.
My visa was scheduled for 08:15 AM I reached the car parking in the nearby Malcha Marg parking by 7:45 AM. It is few minutes walk from there. I reached embassy by 7:55 or so. I was with my wife who would get an H4.
Release Date
12/23/2025
WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security is amending regulations governing the H-1B work visa selection process to prioritize the allocation of visas to higher-skilled and higher-paid aliens to better protect the wages, working conditions, and job opportunities for American workers. The new rule replaces the random lottery for selecting visa recipients with a process that gives greater weight to those with higher skills.
Published by: Financial Express - January 8, 2026
https://www.financialexpress.com/business/investing-abroad-my-h-1b-approved-but-stuck-in-a-34-month-queue-attorney-shares-legal-fixes-for-missing-form-i-824-4100306/
Quotes and Excerpts from Rajiv in the article:
Although precise dates and processes for this year are not yet clear, we recommend planning and initiating the H-1B lottery registration now to ensure it is ready to submit when registrations open in March 2026.