The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said it has completed the initial selection process for the FY 2027 H-1B visa cap adding that only selected beneficiaries can apply from April 1, 2026. The agency confirmed that it has received enough registrations to meet the annual limit, including the advanced degree exemption. Employers of selected candidates have been notified and can now move to the petition stage. USCIS said the filing window will open in April, marking the next step for applicants who were chosen in the lottery process. USCIS said, “H-1B cap-subject petitions for FY 2027… may be filed with USCIS beginning April 1, 2026, if filed for a selected beneficiary and based on a valid registration.” The agency added, “Only petitioners with registrations for selected beneficiaries may file H-1B cap-subject petitions for FY 2027.”This means applicants who were not selected in the lottery will not be eligible to file petitions for this fiscal year.Immigration attorney shared the USCIS letter in an X post, writing: “USCIS announces it has completed the H-1B selection process”. Here’s what the US immigration authority’s letter reads“FY 2027 H-1B Initial Registration Selection Process Completed U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough electronic registrations for unique beneficiaries during the initial registration period to reach the fiscal year 2027 H-113 numerical allocations (known as the H-113 cap), including the advanced degree exemption (master’s cap). USCIS selected enough beneficiaries with properly submitted registrations to reach the H-113 cap and notified all prospective petitioners with selected beneficiaries that they are eligible to file an H-113 cap-subject petition for those beneficiaries. Registrants’ online accounts will display their registration status. For more information, visit the 1-1-1B Electronic Registration Process page. H-113 cap-subject petitions for FY 2027, including those petitions eligible for the advanced degree exemption, may be filed with USCIS beginning April 1, 2026, 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 2027. An H-113 cap-subject petition must be properly filed at the comet filing location or online at my.uscis.gar and within the filing period indicated on the relevant selection notice. The period for filing the HAI cap-subject petition will be at least go days. Petitioners must include a copy of the applicable selection notice with the FY 2027 H-113 cap-subject petition. On Feb. 27, 2026, we published a new edition of Form 1-52q, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker (edition date 02/27/26). Beginning April I, USCIS will only accept the 02/27/26 edition of Form I-129. All H-113 cap subject petitions for FY 2027 must use this edition of the form. An H-113 cap petition filed on behalf of a beneficiary must contain and be supported by the same identifying information and position information as the selected registration. Petitioners must submit evidence of the beneficiary’s valid passport or travel document used at the time of registration to identify the beneficiary and evidence of the basis of the wage level selected on the registration as of the date that the registration underlying the petition was submitted. See the How to Ensure You Properly File Your HAI Cap-Subject Petition section on the H-113 Cap Season webpage for additional information. The Presidential Proclamation Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers requires certain H-113 petitions filed at or after 12:01 a.m. Eastern on Sept. 21, 2025, to be accompanied by an additional $100,000 payment as a condition of eligibility. See the Presidential Proclamation on Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers section on our ELIBII2ec,ialty Occupations page for additional details. Petitioners filing H-113 cap petitions on behalf of selected beneficiaries based on their valid registration must still submit evidence as provided in the Form 1-129 instructions and establish eligibility for petition approval, as registration and selection only pertain to eligibility to file the H-113 cap-subject petition.”
