The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has begun releasing the results of the H-1B visa lottery for the 2026 fiscal year.
Applicants can check their status online via the USCIS portal, through their employer, or their legal representative. Since notifications are being issued in phases, some applicants may experience delays in receiving their results.
The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that enables U.S. employers to temporarily hire foreign professionals for specialized roles requiring advanced knowledge and at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. It is widely used in fields such as technology, engineering, finance, healthcare, and academia.
This year’s registration period ran from March 7 to March 24, 2025. USCIS introduced several changes, including a significant increase in the registration fee—from $10 to $215 per beneficiary—marking a 2,050% hike. This non-refundable fee is required at the time of registration.
The annual H-1B visa cap remains at 65,000, with an additional 20,000 slots reserved for applicants holding advanced degrees from U.S. universities.
Tech companies continue to be the primary beneficiaries of the H-1B program, with Amazon, Cognizant Technology Solutions, and Google among the top employers securing approvals.