USCIS announced it had received 19,390 applications as of July 26. In addition, an estimated 655 petitions seeking the Advanced Degree exemption had yet to be receipted or entered into the database. These petitions were received primarily on July 25 and 26, 2006. That means, the 20,000 advance degree H1B has en facto run out. USCIS has not indicated how to process petitions received on July 26 and July 27. We will closely monitor this matter and keep you updated.