H-1B FY 2026 Registration: USCIS Announces Key Dates and Process Updates

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has officially announced the initial registration period for the fiscal year 2026 H-1B cap lottery. Employers and representatives seeking to petition for an H-1B visa can electronically register their beneficiaries from 10:30 PM IST on March 7, 2025, to 10:30 PM IST on March 24, 2025. This critical window provides the opportunity for prospective H-1B applicants to secure a chance in the lottery selection process.

New and Existing USCIS Online Accounts: What Employers Need to Know

To participate in the FY 2026 H-1B registration, petitioning employers must have a USCIS online account. Employers without an account must create an organizational account before registering beneficiaries. Those who previously had an H-1B registrant account for FY 2021–FY 2024 but did not use it for FY 2025 will see their accounts automatically converted to organizational accounts upon their next login.

Key points for account creation:

• First-time registrants can create a USCIS account at any time.
• Organizational accounts allow multiple users within a company to collaborate on H-1B registrations.
• Representatives and employers can find step-by-step guides and video tutorials on the USCIS Organizational Accounts FAQ page.

Registration Fee and Process

Both petitioning employers and representatives can add clients to their accounts at any time. However, registration entries for beneficiaries can only be submitted starting March 7, 2025, along with the required $215 registration fee per beneficiary. Employers do not need to rush, as selection is not based on who registers first but rather through a random lottery process once the registration window closes.

Beneficiary-Centric Selection Process for FY 2026

One of the key changes introduced in FY 2025 that continues for FY 2026 is the beneficiary-centric selection process. This means that selections will be based on unique beneficiaries rather than multiple registrations by different employers. If USCIS receives enough registrations by March 24, 2025, it will conduct a random selection and notify successful registrants via their online accounts by March 31, 2025.

In the event that USCIS does not receive enough registrations, all properly submitted applications for unique beneficiaries will automatically be selected.

Temporary Credit Card Transaction Limit Increase

To accommodate the high volume of H-1B registrations, the U.S. Department of Treasury has temporarily increased the daily credit card transaction limit from $24,999.99 to $99,999.99 for the FY 2026 H-1B cap season. For payments exceeding this amount, transactions can be made via Automated Clearing House (ACH), though employers may need to pre-authorize these transactions with their banks to avoid processing blocks.

Enhanced Features for H-1B Filing

USCIS has rolled out multiple enhancements for organizational accounts in FY 2026, including:

• Paralegal Access Expansion: Paralegals can now work with multiple legal representatives, preparing H-1B registrations, Form I-129 petitions, and Form I-907 premium processing requests within a single account.
• Streamlined Client Management: Legal representatives now have an easier way to add paralegals to their client accounts.
• Pre-Population of Form I-129 Fields: Certain fields in Form I-129 will now be automatically filled based on the H-1B registration details.
• Bulk Uploads for Beneficiary Data: Employers can prepare and upload a spreadsheet of beneficiary data, reducing manual entry and improving efficiency.

These enhancements are expected to simplify the H-1B petitioning process, improving accuracy and reducing administrative burdens for petitioners and representatives.

Key Takeaways for Employers and Petitioners

1. Registration for FY 2026 H-1B visas opens on March 7, 2025, and closes on March 24, 2025.
2. A USCIS online account is mandatory for employers and representatives to register beneficiaries.
3. A $215 registration fee per beneficiary must be submitted during the registration period.
4. The beneficiary-centric selection process continues, ensuring a fair and transparent lottery.
5. USCIS will notify selected registrants by March 31, 2025.
6. Paralegal and organizational account enhancements improve efficiency for legal representatives and petitioning companies.
7. A temporary increase in the daily credit card transaction limit to $99,999.99 helps facilitate large-scale registrations.

Employers and representatives should begin preparations early by creating or updating their USCIS accounts, gathering required information, and familiarizing themselves with the new organizational account enhancements to ensure a seamless registration process.

For more details, visit the H-1B Electronic Registration Process page on the USCIS website before the registration period begins.

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