US To Open H-1B Visa FY27 Registration From March 4 With New Rules, $100,000 Fee: How To Apply

Last Updated:February 02, 2026, 11:38 IST

USCIS said all H-1B cap registrations must be submitted through its online system. Employers without an account must create an organisational account.

US Revises H-1B Process For FY27, Opens Registration March 4 With Fee Changes.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the initial registration period for the fiscal year 2027 H-1B visa cap will open on March 4 at noon Eastern time and close on March 19 at noon Eastern time. 

During this period, prospective H-1B cap-subject petitioners and their representatives must register each beneficiary electronically through a USCIS online account and pay a $215 registration fee for every entry. 

The immigration department said it plans to send selection notifications by March 31.

Electronic registration mandatory

USCIS said all H-1B cap registrations must be submitted through its online system. Employers without an account must create an organisational account.

Representatives can add company clients at any time, but beneficiary details and the $215 fee can be submitted only once the registration window opens on March 4. 

Selections will be made after the registration period ends, and notifications will be sent through online accounts to petitioners with selected registrations.

Changes in selection rules for FY27

The Department of Homeland Security has changed the rules governing how registrations are selected for unique beneficiaries for the FY 2027 cap season.

USCIS said the new selection process will prioritise allocating visas to higher-skilled and higher-paid applicants to protect the wages, working conditions, and job opportunities of American workers. If registrations exceed the annual cap, USCIS will conduct a weighted selection from properly submitted registrations.

Additional $100,000 fee requirement

USCIS also referred to US President Donald Trump’s September 2025 proclamation titled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers."

While the proclamation does not directly affect the electronic registration process, employers with selected registrations who are eligible to file an H-1B petition may be required to pay an additional $100,000 fee before filing the petition.

The H-1B programme allows US employers to temporarily hire foreign workers in specialty occupations.

News world US To Open H-1B Visa FY27 Registration From March 4 With New Rules, $100,000 Fee: How To Apply

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