The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has declared the commencement of the initial registration period for the fiscal year 2027 H-1B visa cap. The registration window will open at noon Eastern on March 4 and will close at noon Eastern on March 19, 2026.
Employers are required to register beneficiaries online and remit a fee of $215 for each entry. Selection notifications are anticipated by March 31, 2026.
The H-1B program permits US employers to employ foreign workers in specialized occupations. For FY 2027, only those employers whose registrations are selected will be able to submit cap-subject H-1B petitions, including those that qualify under the advanced degree exemption.
H-1B visa registration: Know about process and timelines
According to USCIS, all registrations are required to be submitted via a USCIS online account. Employers who do not currently possess an account must establish an organizational account. Legal representatives have the ability to add company clients at any time; however, beneficiary information and payments can only be submitted once the registration period commences on March 4.
{{/usCountry}}According to USCIS, all registrations are required to be submitted via a USCIS online account. Employers who do not currently possess an account must establish an organizational account. Legal representatives have the ability to add company clients at any time; however, beneficiary information and payments can only be submitted once the registration period commences on March 4.
{{/usCountry}}Once the registration window has closed, USCIS will initiate the selection process. Notifications will be dispatched through online accounts to employers and representatives who have at least one selected registration. Only those registrations that have been selected will qualify to advance to the petition filing stage.
Registration opening date: March 4, 2026.
Application deadline: March 19, 2026.
Announcement of Selection list: March 31, 2026.
Post-selection procedures: Only employers of selected candidates are permitted to advance to the petition filing stage.
H-1B visa: New $100,000 fee for some high-skilled positions
The Department of Homeland Security has revised the current regulations for the FY 2027 cap season. As per the updated guidelines, if the total number of registrations surpasses the annual cap, USCIS will implement a distinct weighted selection process. Conversely, if the total registrations remain within the yearly cap, all submissions will be evaluated.
Moreover, an additional fee of $100,000 will be imposed on employers with selected registrations prior to submitting an application, in accordance with USCIS’s Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers issued on September 19, 2025. More information regarding the updated rules for H-1B visa registration for employment in the US will be provided before the official application period commences.