USCIS Announces FY2026 H-1B Lottery Details

February 6, 2025

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the dates for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2026 H-1B Cap Initial Registration process to be held in March 2025. This year, H-1B registrations will be accepted from noon Eastern on March 7th until noon Eastern on March 24th, 2025. USCIS has also increased the H-1B registration fee from $10 per registration to $215 per registration.

USCIS will continue to implement the beneficiary centric process introduced last year. This process provides for registrations to be selected by unique beneficiary rather than by registration, which will ensure each beneficiary will have the same chance of being selected, regardless of the number of registrations submitted on their behalf by an employer. This process is designed to decrease the potential of fraud.

Registrants will be required to provide valid passport information or travel document for each beneficiary, which must match the passport or travel documents used to enter the United States if an H-1B visa is issued.

Employers who wish to register foreign national beneficiaries in the H-1B lottery process can begin to create their organizational accounts now but will need to wait until March 7th to submit registrations.  LHSCD will communicate with our clients in the coming weeks and provide support and guidance throughout the process.

If you have questions about the upcoming H-1B lottery, please request a consultation with one of our attorneys by filling out our Consultation Request Form.

By: Andrew A. Fuller

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TAGS: H-1B Cap, H-1B Cap Lottery, USCIS