DingBabb｜ 2026 H-1B Lottery Registration Open!

Keywords: H1Bvisa, USCIS, WorkVisa, H1B2026, H1BLottery, H1B, EB1A, GreenCard, StudentVisa, NIW, OPT

The FY2027 H-1B cap registration has officially started. According to information released by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the electronic registration period this year is:

Start: March 4, 2026, 12:00 PM Eastern TimeEnd: March 19, 2026, 12:00 PM Eastern Time

The system will close exactly at 12:00 PM Eastern Time on March 19. Applicants and employers should complete the registration early to avoid missing the deadline.

According to the current USCIS timeline, lottery results are expected to be released in late March. After selection, the full H-1B petition can be submitted between April 1 and June 30.

Compared with previous years, this year’s H-1B registration system includes more information fields. In addition to the basic information of the employer and the beneficiary, the system now requires several job related details, including:

1. Wage Level

2. SOC Code (occupation classification code)

3. Intended work location information (City, State, County)

The remaining questions are the same as last year. After successful registration, a Registration Number will be generated.

Q: Is an attorney needed at the lottery registration stage?

Because of the three newly added questions this year, we strongly recommend that applicants without experience contact an attorney for consultation and representation at this stage. If the information entered during registration is inconsistent with the information in the later petition, such as changes in SOC code, wage level, or work location, it may create issues during the adjudication process.

Ding Babb Law Group can review the details of your case and provide guidance based on your specific situation.