H-1B Visa 2027 Registration: Dates, Fees, New ‘Weighted Selection System’ & More

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) opened registrations for the FY 2027 H-1B visa programme on March 4, 2026. The registration window will close at noon ET on March 19, 2026. The H-1B visa allows US employers to sponsor foreign professionals for specialty occupations that require specialised knowledge or expertise. While it is a temporary, non-immigrant visa, it offers “dual intent,” meaning employees can pursue legal permanent residency (a green card) while working in the United States.

Read our article to know what the new, stricter guidelines for non-immigrant US visas mean.

All your questions about the H-1B visa 2027 registration – answered

H-1B 2027 Registration Opens Today: Lottery out, wage-based selection and $100K fee in — What foreign workers need to know https://t.co/GDVIV9XQFZ

— Financial Express (@FinancialXpress) March 4, 2026

How do you start the H-1B visa registration process?

Prospective petitioners and representatives must register online using their USCIS online account. Companies that don’t have an online account must create an organisation account before starting the registration process. The digital registration will help streamline the application process by reducing paperwork and data exchange.

What is the H-1B visa application fee?

The registration fee is USD 215 (approximately INR 19,707) per application, the same as last year. This fee must be paid by employers through the USCIS online system when they’re submitting the beneficiary’s registration. Incorrect payments can result in rejection of the entry.

When will the selection results be out?

The USCIS will commence the selection once the H-1B registration process closes on March 19. Selected registrants will be notified by March 31, 2026, via USCIS’ official accounts.

How many FY 2027 H-1B visas are available?

Every year, the US government releases 85,000 H-1B visas under the annual cap. Of these, 65,000 visas are reserved for specialty occupations that mandate at least a bachelor’s degree in a specific field. The remaining 20,000 visas are for those who have a master’s degree (or higher) from a US university. Since the demand is higher than the available number of visas, the USCIS uses a lottery system to allocate the visas.

#Spotlight: The United States has announced the opening of H-1B visa registration for fiscal year 2027, starting March 4. This year introduces a weighted selection system favouring higher-skilled and higher-paid workers. pic.twitter.com/sGdzyIKR5w

— Firstpost (@firstpost) February 2, 2026

What is the ‘weighted selection process’ for H-1B visas?

For the first time, the FY 2027 cap season will use a ‘weighted selection process’, which will prioritise higher-skilled and higher-paid workers during the H-1B visa selection process.

“For the FY 2027 H-1B cap season, if we receive registrations for unique beneficiaries during the initial registration period that exceed the cap, we will conduct a weighted selection from the unique beneficiaries with properly submitted registrations. If we do not receive registrations for enough unique beneficiaries, we will select all registrations for unique beneficiaries that were properly submitted in the initial registration period,” states the USCIS’ official website.

Who will have to pay an additional fee for H-1B visa registration?

A new rule, introduced under Presidential Proclamation No. 10973, states that certain petitioners – whose registration is selected and who are eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition – may have to pay an additional USD 1,00,000 (INR 91,65,970) fee as a condition of eligibility.

(Feature image credit: Ramaz Bluashvili/Pexels)

Related | Applying For A US Visa? Your Social Media Just Got A New Role

Note:
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.

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