H-1B Visa FY 2026 Registration Opens March 7: Key Changes and Updates

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the initial registration period for the fiscal year (FY) 2026 H-1B visa cap season will begin on March 7, 2025, and close on March 24, 2025.

The H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign professionals in specialty occupations that require at least a bachelor’s degree.

H-1B Registration: Key Dates and Deadlines

Registration Period: March 7 – March 24
Selection Notification: By March 31

How to Register for the H-1B Lottery

Prospective petitioners and legal representatives must register their beneficiaries electronically using a USCIS online account and pay a $215 registration fee per beneficiary.

First-time registrants can create a USCIS account at any time.
Returning users with previous H-1B accounts will have their accounts converted to organizational accounts upon their next login.

Key Changes for the FY 2026 H-1B Cap Season

1. Beneficiary-Centric Selection Process

The beneficiary-centric approach, introduced in FY 2025, ensures that each unique beneficiary has an equal chance of selection, regardless of the number of registrations submitted on their behalf.

If the number of unique registrations exceeds the H-1B cap, USCIS will conduct a random selection process.
Employers and representatives will be notified of their selection status by March 31, 2025, through their USCIS online accounts.

2. Increased Credit Card Transaction Limits

To facilitate payments, the U.S. Department of Treasury has temporarily increased the daily credit card transaction limit from $24,999.99 to $99,999.99 for H-1B visa registration payments.

Payments exceeding this limit must be made via Automated Clearing House (ACH).
Employers should notify their banks in advance to avoid ACH transaction blocks.

3. Enhanced Account Features for Legal Representatives

Paralegals can now collaborate with multiple legal representatives using updated organizational and representative accounts. This change allows them to prepare H-1B registrations and petitions for different attorneys within a single paralegal account.

Eligibility and Selection Process

Only those whose registrations are selected will be eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition, including those qualifying for the advanced degree exemption. If USCIS does not receive enough unique registrations, all properly submitted registrations will be selected.

Fraud Prevention Measures

USCIS issued a final rule on January 30, 2024, to ensure fairness and prevent fraudulent multiple registrations. This rule aims to:

Ensure each beneficiary has an equal chance of selection, irrespective of the number of registrations filed on their behalf.
Allow only selected beneficiaries to file an H-1B cap-subject petition, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption.
Select all properly submitted registrations if the H-1B cap is not met.