H-1B visa lottery results start rolling out: USCIS raises fees, changes lottery method

The wait is officially over for thousands of H-1B visa hopefuls. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has started releasing the results of the Fiscal Year 2026 H-1B visa lottery, with notifications rolling out in phases, according to Richards and Jurusik Immigration Law.

 Applicants are advised to check their status via the USCIS online portal, through their employer, or a legal representative. Since the results are being announced in batches, those still waiting are encouraged to monitor updates regularly.

The registration window for this cycle opened on March 7, 2025, and closed on March 24, 2025. During this period, U.S. companies filed entries to sponsor foreign professionals in high-demand sectors such as technology, healthcare, and engineering.

This year’s H-1B season came with a significant change — a steep increase in the registration fee. The cost per beneficiary surged from $10 to $215, marking a staggering 2050% jump. The non-refundable fee, now required at the time of registration, is part of a broader move by USCIS to “cover administrative costs and reduce non-serious applications.”

Alongside the fee hike, USCIS rolled out a new selection process that came into effect on March 20, 2025. The agency introduced a beneficiary-centric model, where each individual can only be entered once into the lottery — regardless of how many employers want to sponsor them. This change is aimed at eliminating duplicate entries and offering a fairer selection landscape.

The updated system also mandates electronic registration, requiring employers to file online entries before submitting full petitions. These updates are intended to simplify the process and cut down on paperwork.

Once selected, candidates must move swiftly. A “Selected” status means the applicant has cleared the lottery phase. Their employer must now submit a full H-1B petition, complete with documentation, between April 1 and June 30, 2025.

For those not selected, alternative pathways such as Day 1 CPT or employer-sponsored green cards remain options. Immigration attorneys can help identify viable routes based on individual circumstances.

Big-name companies like Amazon, Google, Infosys, and Microsoft continue to be top sponsors. In recent years, firms like OpenAI, Scale AI, and TikTok have also become prominent H-1B employers — underscoring the visa’s central role in powering U.S. innovation and talent acquisition.