The USCIS has begun releasing H-1B visa lottery results for FY 2026. Applicants can check their status via employers or the USCIS portal. Selected candidates must file petitions, while others remain in the pool or seek alternatives. A registration fee hike and procedural changes mark this year’s process.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has started releasing the results of the H-1B visa lottery for the fiscal year 2026. Applicants can check their selection status through their employers, legal representatives, or the USCIS online portal.
Those marked as “Selected” have successfully passed the lottery phase and must now submit a complete petition, ensuring accuracy in all paperwork and preparing for potential requests for additional evidence. If the status remains “Submitted,” the application is still under consideration, and the applicant must wait for further updates. However, if there is no change to “Selected” by April 1, 2025, it indicates that the application was not chosen in this round.
For individuals who were not selected, alternative visa pathways exist, including the O-1 visa for those with exceptional skills and the L-1 visa for intracompany transfers.
This year’s H-1B registration was open from March 7 to March 24, 2025, during which U.S. employers applied on behalf of specialized workers in sectors like technology, healthcare, and engineering. Notably, the registration fee rose from $10 to $215 per beneficiary, a change aimed at covering administrative expenses and reducing speculative applications.
USCIS has also implemented procedural improvements to ensure a fairer selection process. As notifications continue to roll out in batches, applicants are advised to monitor their status closely and prepare for the next steps accordingly.
