The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has completed the initial registration process for the FY 2026 H-1B visa selection.
During this process, USCIS received many electronic registrations for unique beneficiaries applying for the H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap), including those under the advanced degree exemption (master’s cap).
Beneficiaries were selected randomly from properly submitted registrations to meet the required H-1B cap.
USCIS has notified all prospective petitioners whose beneficiaries were selected, confirming their eligibility to file an H-1B cap-subject petition.
Filing H-1B Petitions for FY 2026
Starting April 1, 2025, petitioners can file H-1B cap-subject petitions for FY 2026 with USCIS. This includes petitions for those eligible under the advanced degree exemption.
However, only petitioners with selected beneficiaries can submit H-1B petitions, and the petition must be based on a valid registration.
Checking Your H-1B Selection Status
Applicants who registered for the 2026 H-1B cap season should check their online USCIS accounts for their registration status. The possible statuses include:
Submitted: The registration is submitted and under consideration. If the first selection round is complete, it may still be considered in later rounds unless invalidated.
Selected: The beneficiary is selected and eligible to file an H-1B cap petition.
Not Selected: The registration was not chosen, and an H-1B cap petition cannot be filed.
Denied – Duplicate Registration: Multiple registrations were submitted for the same beneficiary by the same registrant, leading to denial and invalidation.
Deleted: The registration was removed and is no longer eligible for selection.
Invalidated – Failed Payment: The payment method was declined, not reconciled, or otherwise unsuccessful, making the registration invalid.
Processing Submission: The registration is being processed by USCIS and may take up to 72 hours to reflect.
Applicants should regularly check their USCIS accounts for updates on their registration status.
