The myUSCIS portal updates hours before the email notification arrives. Here is which portal to check, what the notice says, and how to confirm you are truly selected.
One of the most confusing moments in the H-1B lottery cycle is the gap between portal status changes and email notifications. In FY2027, as in prior years, the myUSCIS portal updates first — often by 6-12 hours before the email reaches you. This matters because many candidates are refreshing their email inboxes when the real answer is already sitting in the portal. This guide explains exactly which portal to check, what the selection notice says, and how to verify your selection is legitimate.
Quick Answer: The myUSCIS portal updates first — usually hours before the email notification. Check my.uscis.gov directly. Employers check their organizational account (separate from the beneficiary account) — this often shows the selection before the individual portal does. The selection notice is titled "H-1B Cap Registration Selection Notice" and includes your registration ID, beneficiary name, and a 90-day filing window. A notification email from USCIS@notify.uscis.gov will follow but is not the official notice — the portal document is.
| Company | H-1B Filings | Portal Monitoring |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | 55,150 | Dedicated immigration team |
| Microsoft | 34,626 | Automated alerts configured |
| 33,416 | Immigration team notifies HR | |
| Infosys | 32,840 | Global immigration desk |
| Tata Consultancy Services | 28,950 | Centralized US immigration team |
| Cognizant | 26,700 | Immigration operations center |
| Deloitte | 18,200 | Global mobility team |
| Apple | 15,800 | Legal and immigration team |
| Meta | 14,900 | Centralized immigration ops |
| JPMorgan Chase | 12,400 | Global mobility desk |
There are two separate myUSCIS portals involved in the H-1B lottery process, and they often update at different times:
Employer Organizational Account: This is where the employer (or their immigration attorney) registered you for the lottery. When USCIS selects your registration, this account shows the selection status first. HR teams and immigration attorneys at large companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google monitor these accounts actively during the notification window. Your employer will typically notify you as soon as they see a selection in their organizational account.
Beneficiary Individual Account (my.uscis.gov): This is the account you can access personally. It shows your registration status but typically updates a few hours after the employer account. Log in at my.uscis.gov, go to "Check Case Status" and look for your H-1B registration under the current period. If you do not have an individual account, create one using the same email used during registration.
Immigration attorneys tracking FY2027 results have consistently observed that the employer organizational account updates 2-8 hours before the individual beneficiary account. This is why your employer's immigration team may call you about a selection before you see it in your own portal.
The H-1B Cap Registration Selection Notice is a PDF document available in the myUSCIS portal. It contains:
This document is the official confirmation of selection. The email notification you receive is a secondary alert pointing you to the portal — it is not itself the official notice and does not contain all the above details.
Search DOL filing data for your employer. See how many H-1Bs they file, at what wage levels, and what roles they sponsor most.
Search H-1B Sponsors Free →Search thousands of verified H-1B sponsors by company, industry, and location.
Search H-1B Sponsors on Wisa →The portal updates first, typically by 2-8 hours. Many applicants see their status change to 'Selected' in the myUSCIS portal hours before the email from USCIS@notify.uscis.gov arrives. Check the portal directly at my.uscis.gov rather than waiting for the email.
Your employer is likely correct. The employer organizational account often updates before the individual beneficiary portal. If your employer's immigration team or attorney tells you they see a selection for you in their organizational account, that is a reliable confirmation. Your individual portal will catch up within a few hours.
It is a PDF document in the myUSCIS portal titled 'H-1B Cap Registration Selection Notice.' It includes your registration number, beneficiary name, employer name, the wage level registered, and instructions to file Form I-129 between April 1 and June 30, 2026. Download and save this document immediately.
No. The email from USCIS@notify.uscis.gov is a secondary alert pointing you to the portal. The official selection notice is the PDF document inside the myUSCIS portal. The email alone is not sufficient documentation — always download the official notice from the portal.