If your status still says 'Submitted,' do not panic yet. USCIS releases FY2027 selections in staggered batches through at least March 31, 2026.
It is March 27, 2026, and thousands of FY2027 H-1B registrants are refreshing their myUSCIS portals constantly. If your status still shows 'Submitted' rather than 'Selected,' you are not alone — and it does not necessarily mean you were not picked. USCIS releases selections in staggered batches over approximately 10-14 days following the lottery close date. This page covers what we know about the remaining selection timeline and when to realistically start considering backup plans.
Quick Answer: Yes, FY2027 selections are still being released as of March 27, 2026. USCIS sends selections in staggered batches through at least March 31. Selections at ALL wage levels (including Level 1) are still appearing. Do NOT start backup planning until at least April 7 — 10 business days after the lottery close date of March 19.
| Date | What Happened / Expected | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| March 19 | FY2027 registration period closed | ~343,981 registrations |
| March 22-23 | First batch of selections appeared | Primarily Level 3 and Level 4 |
| March 24-26 | Additional batches released daily | All wage levels appearing |
| March 27 (Today) | Selections continuing | Level 1 and 2 appearing more |
| March 28 (Friday) | Selections expected to continue | Business day — portal updates likely |
| March 29-30 (Sat-Sun) | Weekend — no portal updates expected | USCIS does not update on weekends |
| March 31 (Monday) | Final batch expected | Historically last major batch day |
| April 1-7 | Stragglers / edge cases | Very rare after April 2 |
USCIS does not flip a switch and release all selections at once. The lottery itself runs as a single event, but the results are communicated to registrants and their attorneys through myUSCIS portal updates that happen in waves. This is partly a technical limitation (updating hundreds of thousands of records simultaneously would crash the system) and partly procedural. Each batch typically includes selections across all wage levels, though early batches have historically skewed toward higher wage levels under the weighted system.
A critical detail for the March 28-30 window: USCIS does not update the myUSCIS portal on weekends. March 29 is a Saturday and March 30 is a Sunday, so if your status has not changed by end of day Friday March 28, you will not see any update until Monday March 31. This two-day blackout period creates enormous anxiety, but it is purely a system timing issue — it has zero bearing on whether you were selected.
Historical precedent supports patience. In FY2025, selections trickled through April 2 — a full 12 days after the lottery close. FY2024 saw a similar pattern. The 35.3% overall selection rate for FY2027 means roughly 121,400 of the 343,981 registrants will be selected. If you were registered at Level 1, your odds are 15% — lower but not zero. Level 1 selections are appearing in every batch, just in smaller numbers proportionally. Do NOT withdraw your registration under any circumstances — a second lottery round is possible in July if enough selected candidates fail to file.
While you wait for results, research cap-exempt employers and alternative visa paths on Wisa.
Search Cap-Exempt Employers →Search thousands of verified H-1B sponsors by company, industry, and location.
Search H-1B Sponsors on Wisa →Not exactly. The wage-weighted lottery selects from all levels simultaneously, but Level 1 has only a 15% selection rate compared to 62% at Level 4. This means fewer Level 1 selections appear in each batch, creating the impression they come last. In reality, Level 1 selections have appeared in every batch since March 22 — they are just less frequent. If you registered at Level 1, your odds are 15% regardless of when in the batch cycle the result appears.
Do not make any drastic decisions yet. Selections are still being released through at least March 31. The critical date is approximately April 7 — 10 business days after the March 19 lottery close. If your status still shows Submitted by April 7, it is very likely you were not selected. However, do NOT withdraw your registration. A second lottery round is possible in July. In the meantime, researching cap-exempt employers as a backup is prudent but not urgent yet.
No. USCIS does not update the myUSCIS portal on weekends. If your status shows Submitted at end of day Friday March 28, it will not change until Monday March 31 at the earliest. This is purely a system timing issue and has no bearing on your selection outcome. Avoid refreshing your portal obsessively over the weekend — nothing will change.
No. Each registration is evaluated independently in the wage-weighted lottery. Your friend's Level 2 registration had 31% odds versus your 15% at Level 1 — so statistically they were more likely to be selected. But your registration is still in play until all batches are released (through approximately March 31). Different registrations from the same employer can appear in different batches. Wait until at least April 7 before concluding you were not selected.