H-1B visa FY 2027 registration opens March 4: Know rules, fees, key changes

H-1B visa application deadline 2027: H-1B visa registration opens March 4 and closes March 19, with selections due by March 31

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has opened the initial registration window for the H-1B visa cap for the financial year 2027, setting the process in motion for employers looking to hire foreign professionals.

 

The registration period will begin on March 4 and close on March 19, according to an official notification issued on Saturday. Selection notices are expected to be issued by March 31.

 

How the H-1B registration will work this year

 

During the registration window, prospective H-1B cap-subject petitioners and their authorised representatives must register each beneficiary electronically through a USCIS online account. A non-refundable registration fee of $215 must be paid for each beneficiary.

   

“All registrations for the H-1B cap must be submitted electronically using a USCIS online account,” the agency said.

 

Employers that do not already have an online account will need to create an organisational account before submitting registrations. Representatives can add company clients to their accounts at any time, but beneficiary details and the associated $215 fee can only be submitted once the registration window opens on March 4.

 

The H-1B programme allows US employers to temporarily hire foreign workers in specialty occupations, including roles that require specialised knowledge and a bachelor’s degree or higher.

 

What happens after registration closes

 

USCIS said selections will be carried out after the initial registration period ends on March 19. Employers with at least one selected registration will receive notifications through their USCIS online accounts by March 31.

 

Only employers whose registrations are selected will be eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition for FY 2027.

 

“For FY 2027, a petitioner can file an H-1B cap-subject petition only if their respective registration for the beneficiary has been selected in the H-1B registration process,” the agency said.

 

Changes to the selection process for FY 2027

 

The Department of Homeland Security has introduced changes to how registrations are selected for the FY 2027 cap season. According to USCIS, the selection process will now be based on unique beneficiaries rather than individual registrations.

 

“The new H-1B selection process prioritises allocating visas to higher-skilled and higher-paid aliens to better protect the wages, working conditions, and job opportunities of American workers,” the USCIS said.

 

If the number of registrations exceeds the annual H-1B cap, the agency will conduct a weighted selection among unique beneficiaries whose registrations have been properly submitted.

 

Trump proclamation and the $100,000 fee

 

USCIS also addressed questions around a September 2025 proclamation issued by US President Donald Trump titled, “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers”.

 

The agency clarified that the proclamation does not directly affect the electronic registration process for H-1B visas.

 

However, employers with selected registrations who are eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition may be required to pay an additional $100,000 fee before filing the petition, depending on the applicability of the proclamation.

 

The agency has not yet issued further operational details on how the additional fee will be implemented during the filing stage.