H-1B visa lottery results for FY26 are out: Check your status in 5 simple steps
ByHT News Desk
Apr 02, 2025 06:53 PM IST
Applicants can check their registration status online. Various status updates include Submitted, Selected, Not Selected, and Denied, among others.
The fiscal year 2026 H-1B lottery has been concluded by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Notification has been sent to the chosen candidates, who can use their USCIS accounts to verify their registration status. Although the overall number of submissions is unknown, applicants can check their status by visiting the USCIS website or speaking with their employer or attorney.
Applicants can check their progress by visiting the USCIS website or by contacting their employer or attorney, albeit it is uncertain how many submissions there were overall.(Shutterstock )
Applicants can check their progress by visiting the USCIS website or by contacting their employer or attorney, albeit it is uncertain how many submissions there were overall.(Shutterstock )
Also read: H-1B lottery results are rolling out: Submitted? Selected? Here’s your next move
Applicants will get one of the following status updates when they go into their USCIS account:
*Submitted: If additional spaces become available in subsequent selection rounds, the registration is still in the system and could be taken into consideration.
*Selected: Beginning on April 1, 2025, the applicant may move forward with submitting an H-1B petition.
*Not Selected: This year's registration was not selected.
*Denied - Duplicate Registration: It is prohibited for the same employer to submit more than one entry for the same candidate.
*Invalidated - Failed Payment: The registration was cancelled since the payment was not successful.
*Deleted: The entry has been eliminated and isn't being considered anymore.
*Processing Submission: It could take up to 72 hours for USCIS to review the registration. It is not able to view or change the manuscript during this time.
*It is recommended that applicants monitor their USCIS accounts for any updates and take the appropriate actions in accordance with their selection status.
Additionally, petitioners must certify that the applicant's passport or other travel document used for registration is still valid, according to USCIS. The employer of a chosen applicant must still provide the required paperwork to demonstrate the applicant's eligibility for an H-1B petition. They can only apply if they are chosen in the lottery; fulfilment of all requirements is necessary for approval.
According to the USCIS website, “H-1B cap-subject petitions for FY 2026, including those petitions eligible for the advanced degree exemption, may be filed with USCIS beginning April 1, 2025, if filed for a selected beneficiary and based on a valid registration. Only petitioners with registrations for selected beneficiaries may file H-1B cap-subject petitions for FY 2026. An H-1B cap-subject petition must be properly filed at the correct filing location or online at my.uscis.gov and within the filing period indicated on the relevant selection notice. The period for filing the H-1B cap-subject petition will be at least 90 days. Petitioners must include a copy of the applicable selection notice with the FY 2026 H-1B cap-subject petition."
In comparison to FY 2024, USCIS received fewer applications during the FY 2025 H-1B cap registration period. Between 2025 and 2024, the number of individual applicants for the H-1B visa remained relatively constant at 442,000 and 446,000, respectively. Nonetheless, a somewhat higher number of firms applied for these candidates in 2025 (about 52,700) as opposed to 52,000 in 2024.
Also read: Which companies secured the most H-1B visas in 2024? Here's a list
Eligible registrations decreased; 470,342 applications were submitted for FY 2025, down from 758,994 in FY 2024. The quantity of submissions for fiscal year 2026 has not yet been disclosed.
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