USCIS sets March 4-19 registration window, $215 entry fee – Firstpost

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced that the initial registration window for the fiscal year 2027 H-1B visa cap will open at noon Eastern on March 4 and close at noon Eastern on March 19, 2026. Employers must submit registrations online and pay a $215 fee per beneficiary. Selection results are expected by March 31, 2026.

The H-1B program permits US employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations. For FY 2027, only employers whose registrations are selected can file cap-subject H-1B petitions, including those under the advanced degree exemption.

Registrations must be on time

USCIS said that all employees must complete their registrations on time and submit through a USCIS online account. Employers who do not have an account do need to make an account. Legal representatives can add company clients at any time, but beneficiary details and payments can only be submitted once the registration period opens on March 4.

Selection process

After the registration window closes, USCIS will conduct the selection process. Notifications will be sent to the employers with respective accounts with the ones selected. Only the ones selected will be processed with the procedure.  

For the FY 2027 cap season, the Department of Homeland Security has amended certain rules and regulations for specific beneficiaries. If registrations exceed the annual cap, USCIS will conduct a weighted selection among properly submitted registrations. If registrations do not exceed the cap, all eligible registrations will be selected.

USCIS also cited a presidential proclamation issued on September 19, 2025, titled Restriction on Entry of Certain Non-immigrant workers. The agency said the order does not directly impact the electronic registration process, but employers with selected registrations may need to pay an additional $100,000 fee before filing an H-1B petition, depending on eligibility criteria.