On March 31, 2027, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) received enough electronic registrations for unique beneficiaries during the initial registration period to reach the fiscal year 2027 H-1B visa limit, including the advanced degree exemption (i.e., master’s cap). USCIS selected enough beneficiaries with properly submitted registrations to reach the H-1B cap and notified all prospective petitioners with selected beneficiaries that they are eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition for those beneficiaries. Registrants’ online accounts will display their registration status.

H-1B cap-subject petitions for FY 2027, including those petitions eligible for the advanced degree exemption, may be filed with USCIS beginning April 1, 2026, with a valid registration confirmation. An H-1B cap-subject petition must be properly filed at the correct filing location or online. The period for filing the H-1B cap-subject petition will be at least 90 days (i.e. June 30, 2026).

Beginning April 1, 2026, USCIS will only accept the 02/27/26 edition of Form I-129. All H-1B cap subject petitions for FY 2027 must use this edition of the form. An H-1B cap petition filed on behalf of a beneficiary must contain and be supported by the same identifying information and position information as the selected registration. Employer must submit evidence of the beneficiary’s valid passport or travel document used at the time of registration to identify the beneficiary and evidence of the basis of the wage level selected on the registration as of the date that the registration underlying the petition was submitted.

The Presidential Proclamation Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers requires certain H-1B petitions filed at or after 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on September 21, 2025, to be accompanied by an additional $100,000 payment as a condition of eligibility. This applies only to new H-1B applicants who are applying for initial H-1B status abroad with a U.S. Consulate.

The H-1B lottery does not apply to current H-1B visa holders applying to extend their status or transfer from one employer to another. Petitioners must file for their selected beneficiaries by June 30, 2025. At that time, if USCIS determines it did not select enough registrants to reach the fiscal year FY 2027 H-1B numerical allocations, it will conduct a second selection, usually during the summer months.

H-1B registrants who were not selected in the FY 2027 cap lottery should consult with their immigration attorney to determine how to proceed. Please reach out to a member of our Immigration team with any questions or assistance.