U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the initial registration period for the FY 2026 H-1B cap will open at 12:00 PM (Eastern Time) on March 7, 2025, and close at 12:00 PM (Eastern Time) on March 24, 2025. During this period, employers or their representatives must electronically register each beneficiary through a USCIS online account and pay a $215 registration fee per beneficiary.
As an experienced immigration law firm, Owen Gu Law Group, P.C. provides comprehensive legal support to employers and applicants, ensuring that H-1B petitions meet USCIS requirements and maximizing the chances of selection and approval.
H-1B Registration Account Requirements
Employers who have not registered for a USCIS account must create an organizational account to complete H-1B registration.
Employers with a previous H-1B registrant account (FY 2021–2024) that was not used for FY 2025 will have their account automatically converted to an organizational account upon their next login.
First-time registrants can create an account at any time—no need to wait until the registration period opens.
Representatives can add clients anytime, but they must wait until March 7 to enter beneficiary details and submit the registration fee.
💡 Tip from Owen Gu Law Group, P.C.:
There is no advantage to registering on the first day, as selections are made after the registration period ends. However, be sure to submit your registration by March 24 to qualify for the lottery.
H-1B Lottery Selection Process
The beneficiary-focused selection process introduced in FY 2025 will continue for FY 2026. Each beneficiary can be registered only once, and USCIS will select applicants based on unique beneficiaries, rather than the number of registrations submitted by employers.
If USCIS receives enough unique registrations by March 24, it will conduct a random selection process and notify selected registrants via their USCIS online accounts.
If there are not enough unique registrations, USCIS will consider all valid submissions from the initial period.
USCIS plans to notify employers with at least one selected beneficiary by March 31.
📌 Services Offered by Owen Gu Law Group, P.C.:
✅ Assisting employers with H-1B registration to ensure accuracy and compliance.
✅ Full petition preparation and submission for selected beneficiaries.
✅ Alternative visa and green card options for applicants who are not selected.
Temporary Increase in Credit Card Payment Limit
To address previous payment issues during the H-1B filing process, the U.S. Treasury has temporarily increased the daily credit card transaction limit:
The daily limit has been raised from $24,999.99 to $99,999.99 for FY 2026 H-1B registrations.
Transactions exceeding $99,999.99 must be processed via Automated Clearing House (ACH), and employers may need to notify their banks in advance to avoid payment blocks.
💡 Tip from Owen Gu Law Group, P.C.:
If your company is planning large-scale H-1B submissions, it is advisable to confirm payment arrangements with your bank ahead of time to prevent delays.
H-1B Petition Filing & Cap-Subject Requirements
Only employers with selected registrations may file an H-1B cap-subject petition for the beneficiary, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption.
📌 How We Can Help:
✅ Complete H-1B petition filing for selected applicants, ensuring USCIS compliance.
✅ RFE (Request for Evidence) and denial response strategies, providing expert legal support.
✅ Alternative visa options, including O-1, L-1, and EB-2 NIW, for applicants who are not selected.
📌 Reference to Official USCIS Announcement
For more details, please refer to the official USCIS announcement:
💡 Reminder from Owen Gu Law Group, P.C.:
USCIS rules and policies may change, so it is important to stay updated. If you need professional legal support for your H-1B application, please contact us at info@owenlawpc.com.
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