Everything employers and beneficiaries need to know about the H-1B electronic registration process and lottery system.
The H-1B electronic registration system is the gateway to filing a cap-subject H-1B petition. Introduced by USCIS in FY2021, it requires employers to submit a brief online registration for each prospective H-1B beneficiary before the full petition can be filed. Understanding the registration process, timeline, and requirements is essential for a successful H-1B filing.
Electronic registration is a preliminary step required for all cap-subject H-1B petitions. During a designated registration period (typically in March), employers or their authorized representatives submit basic information about each prospective H-1B beneficiary through the USCIS online system. Each registration requires a $215 fee. After the registration period closes, USCIS conducts a random selection (lottery) and only employers with selected registrations may proceed to file full H-1B petitions.
The FY2026 registration timeline follows the general pattern established in recent years. The registration period typically opens in early March and remains open for approximately two to three weeks. USCIS announces the exact dates in advance through a Federal Register notice and press releases. After the registration window closes, USCIS conducts the lottery selection and notifies registrants of results, usually by the end of March or early April. Selected registrants then have a 90-day filing window starting April 1 to submit their complete I-129 petitions.
Only the prospective petitioning employer or their authorized representative (typically an immigration attorney) can submit H-1B registrations. The beneficiary (the prospective H-1B worker) cannot register themselves. To submit registrations, the employer or attorney must have a USCIS online account. Each employer must create their own organizational account, and attorneys can link to multiple employer accounts.
The electronic registration form is relatively brief compared to the full I-129 petition. Required information includes:
To maximize your chances and avoid issues during the registration process:
After the registration window closes, USCIS conducts the random selection process. Results are posted in each registrant's USCIS online account. Selected registrations will show a status of "Selected" and include the filing period during which the full I-129 petition must be submitted. Unselected registrations will show "Not Selected" but may be selected in subsequent rounds if USCIS determines additional selections are needed to fill the cap.
Search thousands of verified H-1B sponsors by company, industry, and location.
Search H-1B Sponsors on Wisa →The H-1B electronic registration fee is $215 per registration. This fee is non-refundable regardless of whether the registration is selected in the lottery. The registration fee is separate from the I-129 filing fees, which include the base filing fee ($780), ACWIA training fee ($750 or $1,500), fraud prevention fee ($500), and optional premium processing fee ($2,805).
Yes, multiple employers can submit registrations for the same beneficiary. However, under the beneficiary-centric selection system, each unique beneficiary receives only one chance of selection regardless of how many employers register them. If selected, all employers who registered that beneficiary will be notified and may proceed to file petitions. A beneficiary can only work for an employer whose petition is approved.
The FY2026 registration window typically opens in early March 2025, with the exact dates announced by USCIS through Federal Register notices and press releases. The window usually remains open for approximately two to three weeks. USCIS announces results by late March or early April, and the filing period for selected registrations begins April 1, 2025.
If you miss the registration window, you cannot participate in the H-1B lottery for that fiscal year's cap. Your alternatives include waiting for the next fiscal year's registration period, pursuing cap-exempt H-1B employment at qualifying institutions (universities, nonprofit research organizations), exploring other visa categories like O-1 or L-1, or extending your current status (such as OPT or STEM OPT) if eligible.