Complete H-1B Cap Registration Checklist

For FY2026, USCIS received approximately 339,000 unique beneficiary registrations and selected about 118,660 beneficiaries. The selection rate has remained consistent at approximately 25-26% since the beneficiary-centric selection process was implemented in FY2025.

The beneficiary-centric approach means each unique person is counted once in the lottery, regardless of how many employers register them. This has significantly reduced fraudulent multiple registrations.

On September 19, 2025, President Trump signed a proclamation requiring a $100,000 fee for new H-1B petitions filed on behalf of beneficiaries who are outside the United States and do not hold a valid H-1B visa.

Who is NOT subject to the fee:

• Current H-1B visa holders
• H-1B extensions and amendments
• Change of status petitions (beneficiary in the U.S.)
• Petitions filed before September 21, 2025

The fee must be paid through Pay.gov before filing the petition, and proof of payment must accompany the petition. The proclamation expires after 12 months unless extended.

Starting with FY2025, USCIS implemented beneficiary-centric selection for the H-1B lottery. This means:

• Each unique beneficiary is counted only once, regardless of how many employers register them
• If selected, all registrations for that beneficiary are selected
• This prevents gaming the system through multiple registrations

Data shows this approach dramatically reduced multiple registrations - from an average of 1.7 registrations per beneficiary in FY2024 to 1.01 in FY2026.

If selected, you have a 90-day window (April 1 - June 30, 2025) to file your complete H-1B petition with USCIS. You'll need to:

• File a Labor Condition Application (LCA) with the Department of Labor
• Prepare and file Form I-129 with all supporting documents
• Pay all applicable filing fees ($2,595 - $4,400 for most petitioners)
• Consider premium processing ($2,805) for 15-day adjudication

If your petition is approved, H-1B employment can begin October 1, 2025.

In addition to the regular 65,000 H-1B cap, there are 20,000 additional visas for beneficiaries who have earned a Master's degree or higher from a U.S. institution.

How it works:

• Qualified beneficiaries are first entered into the regular cap lottery (65,000)
• If not selected, they're entered into the advanced degree lottery (20,000)
• This gives U.S. advanced degree holders two chances at selection

The degree must be from an accredited U.S. institution and in a field related to the specialty occupation.