USCIS Announces Critical Dates and Process Updates for FY 2026 H-1B Cap Registration Period
USCIS has announced updates for the FY2026 H-1B cap season, including the open registration period, online filing, and fee increases.
The initial registration period for the FY2026 H-1B cap will run from noon (ET) on March 7, 2025, and through noon (ET) on March 24, 2025. This is the period in which prospective petitioners and representatives may submit their registrations for the FY2026 H-1B lottery. USCIS intends to notify prospective petitions and representatives of initial selections by March 31.
Like last year, prospective petitioners and their representatives (“registrants”) will need to use a myUSCIS online account and Organzational Account to register each beneficiary electronically for the selection process. H-1B petitioning employers who do not have existing USCIS online account or Organizational Account will need to set one up before the registration period.
But both company and legal representatives must wait until March 7 to enter beneficiary information and submit the registration with the $215 per person fee.
WSM will reach out to all its clients with information about planning for the Organizational Accounts and registration as needed, and will reach out with specific instructions on completing the registrations during the registration window.
While H-1B registration must be submitted via the Organizational Accounts, we still recommend filing selected H-1B petitions physically, in paper copy.
This year, USCIS will continue to apply the “beneficiary-centric” approach to registration (adopted last year), meaning that registrations will be selected by unique beneficiary instead of by each registration. In other words, each unique beneficiary should only be counted once, based on their passport number or travel document. If a beneficiary is selected, each registrant will that submitted a registration on that beneficiary’s behalf, will be notified of the beneficiary’s selection and will be eligible to file an H-1B petition on that beneficiary’s behalf during the 90-day filing period. This shift aims to minimize fraud and provide equal opportunities for each beneficiary.
USCIS is still updating its official FAQs and we will continue to monitor for these updates, and will incorporate into our advice as appropriate, including in our own FAQs.
