--- title: "USA Work Visa 2026: Cost, Rules & Rates · GetVisaOdds" description: "USA work visa in 2026: requirements, official fees, commonest refusal reasons, and published rates by nationality. Free odds check." url: "https://getvisaodds.com/usa/work-visa-odds" --- 1. [Home](https://getvisaodds.com/) 2. [USA visas](https://getvisaodds.com/usa-visa-odds) 3. Work visa 🇺🇸 USA · Work visa # USA Work visa approval odds US work visas (H-1B, L-1, O-1 and similar) are petition-based: your employer must first file and win a petition with USCIS (for H-1B, usually via the annual lottery); only then do you apply for the visa itself with a DS-160, the US$205 petition-based MRV fee, and an interview. Your own bank balance is not the test — the employer petition is. Last reviewed July 2026 per our [editorial standards](https://getvisaodds.com/editorial-standards). Source: [U.S. Department of State — Bureau of Consular Affairs ](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/employment/temporary-worker-visas.html). USA assesses a work visa on whether you have a genuine, sponsored job you are qualified for. As an approximate starting point, this route runs near a 87% base approval — your finances, ties and history then push your personal odds up or down. [Estimate my personal odds](#estimate) Modelled estimate — not official 87% Modelled estimate, not a published statistic — no rate is published for this route. Derived from US Dept. of State B-visa adjusted refusal-rate patterns; see the methodology page for every parameter. Your personal odds can be much higher or lower — estimate them below. ## Estimate your personal odds Pre-filled for this route. A few taps and it’s done — privately, in your browser. ## Key requirements - USCIS-approved petition filed by your US employer (e.g., Form I-129) - For H-1B: selection in the annual registration lottery, then petition approval - DS-160 application + US$205 petition-based visa (MRV) fee - Consular interview with your petition and role documents - Qualifications matching the petitioned role (degree/experience) ### Visa fee (cost) US$205 MRV fee for petition-based categories (H/L/O) per applicant — the employer’s petition carries separate USCIS fees. ### Money & funds No personal funds test. What matters is the employer's petition and that the offered wage meets the required wage level for the role and location. ### Typical timeline H-1B runs on an annual cycle (registration around March, start dates in October); after petition approval, the visa interview and issuance typically add days to a few weeks, plus any administrative processing. ## Common refusal reasons - Petition problems — the job or qualifications don't hold up - 221(g) administrative processing for missing documents or extra checks - Doubts the role is a genuine specialty occupation (H-1B) - Employer-employee relationship or job-site questions - Prior US immigration violations ## What actually moves the needle ### A confirmed offer from a sponsoring employer This is the heart of work decisions for USA. Make it concrete and documented rather than assumed. ### Qualifications and experience that match the role Officers weigh this alongside everything else — gather clear evidence before you apply. ### A sponsor in good standing Officers weigh this alongside everything else — gather clear evidence before you apply. ### Avoid the common pitfall The most frequent reason this route fails is an unconfirmed offer or a role that does not match your background. Address it directly and you remove the biggest doubt. ## Frequently asked questions Do I need to show my own money for a US work visa? No. Petition-based work visas turn on the employer's approved petition and the offered wage — not your personal savings. How does the H-1B lottery work? Employers register candidates in USCIS's annual electronic registration (typically March). Selected registrations can file full petitions; approved petitions then support visa applications for an October start. What is a 221(g) notice? A temporary hold rather than a final refusal: the consulate wants more documents or checks. Most 221(g) cases resolve, but they add days to months. Can I switch employers on an H-1B? Yes, via a transfer petition filed by the new employer — you generally don't re-enter the lottery once counted against the cap. ## Explore related visa odds ### USA work visa odds by nationality - [Turkish citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/turkish-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Indian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/indian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Nigerian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/nigerian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Pakistani citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/pakistani-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Bangladeshi citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/bangladeshi-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Filipino citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/filipino-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Egyptian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/egyptian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Moroccan citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/moroccan-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Indonesian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/indonesian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Vietnamese citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/vietnamese-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Nepali citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/nepali-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Sri Lankan citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/sri-lankan-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Ghanaian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/ghanaian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Kenyan citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/kenyan-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Ethiopian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/ethiopian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Algerian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/algerian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Ugandan citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/ugandan-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Senegalese citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/senegalese-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Tanzanian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/tanzanian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Cameroonian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/cameroonian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Saudi citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/saudi-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Kuwaiti citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/kuwaiti-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Chinese citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/chinese-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Thai citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/thai-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [South African citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/south-african-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Tunisian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/tunisian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Kazakh citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/kazakh-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Belarusian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/belarusian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Lebanese citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/lebanese-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Armenian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/armenian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Iranian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/iranian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Azerbaijani citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/azerbaijani-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Ecuadorian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/ecuadorian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Qatari citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/qatari-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Jordanian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/jordanian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Angolan citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/angolan-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Iraqi citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/iraqi-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Uzbek citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/uzbek-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Omani citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/omani-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Dominican citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/dominican-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Libyan citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/libyan-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Cuban citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/cuban-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Kyrgyz citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/kyrgyz-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Bahraini citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/bahraini-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Guinean citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/guinean-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Mongolian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/mongolian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Mozambican citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/mozambican-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Gabonese citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/gabonese-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Bolivian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/bolivian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Beninese citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/beninese-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Cambodian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/cambodian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Malian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/malian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Zimbabwean citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/zimbabwean-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Cape Verdean citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/cape-verdean-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Afghan citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/afghan-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Botswanan citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/botswanan-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Burkinabé citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/burkinabe-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Burundian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/burundian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Central African citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/central-african-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Chadian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/chadian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Comorian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/comorian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Djiboutian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/djiboutian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Equatorial Guinean citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/equatorial-guinean-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Eritrean citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/eritrean-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Fijian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/fijian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Bissau-Guinean citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/bissau-guinean-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Haitian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/haitian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Jamaican citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/jamaican-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Laotian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/laotian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Malagasy citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/malagasy-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Malawian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/malawian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Mauritanian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/mauritanian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Namibian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/namibian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Nigerien citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/nigerien-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Palestinian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/palestinian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Russian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/russian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Rwandan citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/rwandan-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Sierra Leonean citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/sierra-leonean-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Somali citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/somali-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Sudanese citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/sudanese-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Surinamese citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/surinamese-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Syrian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/syrian-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Tajik citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/tajik-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Togolese citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/togolese-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Turkmen citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/turkmen-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Yemeni citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/yemeni-citizens/usa/work-visa) - [Zambian citizens](https://getvisaodds.com/zambian-citizens/usa/work-visa) ### Other visas to USA - [Tourist / Visitor visa](https://getvisaodds.com/usa/tourist-visa-odds) - [Student visa](https://getvisaodds.com/usa/student-visa-odds) - [Business visa](https://getvisaodds.com/usa/business-visa-odds) - [Family / Spouse visa](https://getvisaodds.com/usa/family-visa-odds) ### Work visa odds elsewhere - [UK](https://getvisaodds.com/uk/work-visa-odds) - [Canada](https://getvisaodds.com/canada/work-visa-odds) - [Australia](https://getvisaodds.com/australia/work-visa-odds) - [Germany](https://getvisaodds.com/germany/work-visa-odds) - [France](https://getvisaodds.com/france/work-visa-odds) - [Netherlands](https://getvisaodds.com/netherlands/work-visa-odds) - [Italy](https://getvisaodds.com/italy/work-visa-odds) - [Ireland](https://getvisaodds.com/ireland/work-visa-odds) ## Helpful guides [Refused under Section 214(b)? What it means and how to reapply → ](https://getvisaodds.com/guides/us-visa-214b-refusal)[Common DS-160 mistakes and how to avoid them (2026) → ](https://getvisaodds.com/guides/ds-160-mistakes)[How to get an earlier US visa appointment (2026) → ](https://getvisaodds.com/guides/get-earlier-us-visa-appointment)[How to read visa approval and refusal rates → ](https://getvisaodds.com/guides/understanding-refusal-rates)[How to prove strong ties to your home country → ](https://getvisaodds.com/guides/prove-strong-ties)[How to document your finances for a visa →](https://getvisaodds.com/guides/document-your-finances) This is an educational estimate for planning only — not legal advice and not a guarantee. Only a consular or immigration officer can decide your application.