USCIS Announces H-1B Registration Dates for FY 2026

How to Prepare for the FY 2026 H-1B Registration Period

To ensure a smooth and successful H-1B registration process, employers and legal representatives should take the following steps before the registration window opens on March 7, 2025:

1. Set Up or Update Your USCIS Account

• New Users: Create an organizational account on the USCIS online system as soon as possible.
• Returning Users: If you had an H-1B registrant account from FY 2021–FY 2024 but didn’t use it for FY 2025, it will automatically convert to an organizational account when you log in.

2. Gather Required Beneficiary Information

Ensure you have the necessary details for each candidate, including:

• Full legal name (as per passport)
• Date of birth
• Country of birth and citizenship
• Passport number
• Academic qualifications and degree details
• Job title and offered salary
• Employer identification details

3. Plan for Payment Processing

• Confirm your payment method: Credit card or Automated Clearing House (ACH)
• If paying by ACH, check with your bank to authorize transactions in advance
• Be aware of the increased credit card limit ($99,999.99 per transaction for FY 2026)

4. Prepare for Bulk Submissions

• Use the new spreadsheet upload feature to enter beneficiary details efficiently
• Ensure data is formatted correctly to avoid processing delays

5. Coordinate with Legal Representatives

• Attorneys and paralegals should verify their access to USCIS accounts
• Assign paralegals to assist multiple attorneys if necessary
• Use the pre-filled Form I-129 fields to expedite petition preparation

6. Mark Key Dates on Your Calendar

• March 7, 2025, at noon ET – Registration period opens
• March 24, 2025 – Registration deadline
• March 31, 2025 – Selection results announced

By preparing early, employers can avoid last-minute issues and maximize their chances of a successful H-1B registration process.

Changes for FY 2026

USCIS has introduced several updates to improve the H-1B registration process:

• Paralegal Access Expansion – Paralegals can now assist multiple attorneys using a single account.
• Enhanced Legal Team Collaboration – Legal representatives can more easily add paralegals to company accounts.
• Pre-Filled Form I-129 Data – Certain fields will now autofill based on selected registrations.
• Spreadsheet Upload Feature – Employers can upload beneficiary data in a spreadsheet format for faster registration.

Payment Updates

To facilitate bulk registrations, the U.S. Department of Treasury has temporarily raised the daily credit card transaction limit from $24,999.99 to $99,999.99 for the FY 2026 H-1B season.

• Payments exceeding this limit must be made via Automated Clearing House (ACH).
• Some banks may require prior authorization for ACH transactions.

These updates aim to streamline the H-1B registration process and improve efficiency for employers and legal representatives.