USCIS notifies petitioners of their selection in the H-1B visa registration by March 31, allowing them to file Form I-129 within a 90-day period. If you do not receive any notification by March 31, 2025, it means that your registration was not selected in the H-1B lottery and you will have to wait for the next registration period in 2026.
The H1-B visa registration window for 2026 closed on March 24. Now the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will notify potential petitioners and representatives who have at least one registration in their accounts. The last date for this process is set for March 31. For cap-subject H-1B petitions, employers will have to register electronically during the previously prescribed period.
If selected in the lottery, USCIS notifies petitioners by March 31, allowing them to file Form I-129 within a 90-day period (usually April 1 to June 30). If you do not receive any notification by March 31, 2025, it will generally mean that your registration was not selected in the H-1B lottery.
If not selected, you will have to wait for the next registration period
When the number of registrations exceeds the annual limit (65,000 regular + 20,000 U.S. master's degree exemption), USCIS uses a random selection process. Not being selected means you cannot file Form I-129 for this fiscal year and you will have to wait for the next registration period in 2026.
March 32 is not the deadline for these people
According to reports, March 31 is not the deadline if your petition is cap-free for jobs at universities, higher education non-profit organisations or government research organisations. You can file Form I-129 at any time and the delay in notification may only reflect USCIS' processing time.
What should applicants do?
If your registration is not selected in the lottery, you can consider options such as an O-1 visa (for extraordinary ability) or wait for the next cap season. Registration fees are not guaranteed to be refunded unless there is a duplicate payment error.
In case of delay in receipt, verify the submission details through the USCIS website or customer service (1-800-375-5283). If mailed, confirm delivery with tracking.
When will the next H-1B window open?
While it is difficult to predict the exact date of when the H-1B window for fiscal year 2027 will open, the process is likely to begin in March 2026. Visiting the USCIS website is the best way to get the most updated information.