The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has completed the initial registration for the FY 2026 H-1B selection process.
During the initial registration, USCIS received a large number of electronic registrations for beneficiaries, including those under the advanced degree exemption (master’s cap).
Beneficiaries were randomly selected from the properly submitted registrations to meet the H-1B cap.
USCIS has notified the petitioners of selected beneficiaries, allowing them to file an H-1B cap-subject petition.
Petitions for FY 2026 can be filed starting April 1, 2025, for beneficiaries who were selected, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption.
Only petitioners who have designated beneficiaries can file an H-1B petition for FY 2026.
How to Check Your H-1B Visa Selection Status for FY 2026
Applicants who registered for the FY 2026 H-1B cap must check their online account for one of the following status updates for each registered beneficiary:
Submitted: Registration has been submitted and is eligible for consideration. If the first selection round is complete, it may still be considered in future rounds unless invalidated.
Selected: This registration was selected to file an H-1B cap petition.
Not Selected: This registration was not selected, and the beneficiary cannot file an H-1B petition.
Denied – Duplicate Registration: Multiple registrations for the same beneficiary were submitted, leading to denial for the fiscal year.
Deleted: The submitted registration has been deleted and is no longer eligible for selection.
Invalidated – Failed Payment: The payment for the registration was declined or not processed correctly, invalidating the registration.
Processing Submission: USCIS is still processing the submission, and it may take up to 72 hours to show an update.
