How to Register for the H-1B Lottery: Step-by-Step Guide

To submit foreign workers for the H-1B lottery, employers need to register online through their myUSCIS account. The registration window typically opens in March for at least 14 days, and those selected in the lottery can proceed to file cap-subject H-1B petitions.

How to register for the H-1B lottery: Step by step

To register a foreign worker for the H-1B lottery, employers must:

1. Create a registrant account online with USCIS through myUSCIS.
2. Gather the required information for both the employer, company, and the prospective employee.
3. Submit an electronic registration during the March registration window.
4. Wait for USCIS to release results.

If selected, the employer can move forward with filing a cap-subject H-1B petition using Form I-129.

The H-1B electronic registration system is the required first step for all cap-subject petitions. If you skip registration, USCIS will not consider your case in the lottery, and you won’t be able to apply for a cap-subject H-1B visa until at least the following year.

For the current registration timeline and key dates, see our FY 2027 H-1B key dates and timeline. Below, immigration attorney Nicole Gunara also explains how to register for the lottery, step by step:

Who can register for the H-1B lottery—and who can’t

Employers or their authorized representatives (such as an immigration attorney) must register on behalf of the foreign worker they intend to sponsor. Employees are not allowed to self-register, and they cannot self-petition for an H-1B visa.

Attorneys can assist with the registration and filing process, but the employer is always the petitioner of record. Some self-employed workers, such as company founders, may be able to effectively self-sponsor an H-1B by having their own company petition for them. Consult an immigration attorney to determine whether this applies to your situation.

How to create your myUSCIS registrant account

Before you can register anyone for the H-1B lottery, you’ll need to create an account through the myUSCIS portal.

USCIS offers three types of accounts:

• A registrant account
• An applicant/petitioner/requestor account
• An attorney/representative account

Only a registrant account can be used to submit H-1B lottery registrations. This is true regardless of who files the visa petition later. According to USCIS, using the wrong account type is one of the most common mistakes. Do not try to register through an applicant or attorney profile.

⚠️ Create your account before registration starts. Petitioners need to create a registrant account before the H-1B online registration window opens. If you need help setting up a myUSCIS account, request a consultation with one of our immigration attorneys.

Information required for H-1B registration

You’ll need two sets of information to complete lottery registration: details about the petitioning company and details about each foreign worker being registered.

Have all of this ready before the registration window opens. Missing or incorrect information can result in a denied or invalidated registration.

Employer information

• Full legal name of the petitioning company or organization
• Doing Business As (DBA) names, if applicable
• Employer Identification Number (EIN)
• Primary U.S. office address
• Legal name, title, and contact information of the authorized petitioner

Employee information

• Full legal name
• Date of birth, gender, and country of birth
• Country of citizenship
• Travel document or passport number
• Travel document or passport expiration date
• Expected worksite address
• Expected Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code

Registering for the H-1B master’s cap

Each year, USCIS reserves 20,000 additional H-1B visas for foreign workers who have an advanced degree, meaning a U.S. master’s degree or higher. Commonly referred to as the master’s cap, those who are eligible can compete in a separate lottery pool.

Manifest immigration attorney Ana Gabriela Urizar says this can often be beneficial for H-1B workers who may want to maximize their selection chances. “Yes, the number of available visas is smaller, but you’ll be competing with a much smaller number of people,” she says.

H-1B registration fee

It costs $215 to register a single beneficiary for the H-1B lottery, and employers must pay each time they register a beneficiary. This fee is only for lottery registration. It’s separate from the filing fees you’ll pay if you move forward with a full H-1B petition.

Submit payment through the myUSCIS portal, which uses a pay.gov payment process.

After you submit: Confirmation and status codes

Once you submit a registration, USCIS will send an electronic confirmation that it has accepted your application for processing. After the registration window closes and USCIS conducts the lottery, you’ll be notified of the outcome.

To check results, employers can log in to their registrant myUSCIS account. You may see one of the following status codes:

• Submitted: USCIS has received your registration.
• Selected: You can file an H-1B cap petition.
• Not Selected: You did not win this year’s lottery.
• Denied: The passport or travel document information you submitted was incorrect or invalid, or you submitted duplicate registrations.
• Invalidated: USCIS received your registration but could not process the fee with the payment method you provided.
• Deleted: You’ve deleted your registration and will no longer be considered for the lottery.
• Processing: USCIS is still processing your registration.

For a walkthrough of what to do once results are posted, see our guide on how to check your H-1B lottery results.

Avoiding duplicate entries

USCIS does not allow employers to register the same foreign worker multiple times in the same draft, even if that person was registered with a different company. The agency imposed this rule to curb fraud and the chances of unfairly increasing the odds of selection.

Those found guilty of purposely creating duplicate entries may face investigation by federal law enforcement and legal consequences.

While you wait: What employees can do after registration

Being registered for the H-1B lottery means someone else controls the next step. You submitted your documents, your employer filed the registration, and now you wait. That’s the hard part. But there are some useful things you can do during this time to prepare for a favorable outcome—or to build a backup plan if the lottery doesn’t go your way:

1. Prepare your H-1B evidence early
2. Talk to HR about job posting language
3. Use your salary and location strategically
4. Explore alternative visa options in parallel

1. Prepare your H-1B evidence early

Case preparation takes several weeks, so it’s worth getting ahead of it now. If you’re selected, your employer will need to move quickly to file a full petition. That’s why it helps to start gathering documents as soon as possible.

Useful things to prepare include:

• Request your university transcripts. Identify five courses you took that directly prepared you for the complexity of your current role.
• Get translations of any documents that are not in English.
• Gather any additional records that help show you’re qualified for the role.

One especially useful exercise is drafting 20 to 40 full sentences describing your day-to-day job duties. The goal is to show the complexity of the position and how your academic background connects to the work.

Requests for Evidence (RFEs) from USCIS often come down to whether your petition convincingly shows that your job qualifies as a specialty occupation. The stronger your narrative, the less likely you are to face one.

2. Talk to HR about job posting language

This is not always obvious, but job posting language can sometimes create problems later if it isn’t consistent with your petition.

For example, if your company’s HR team posts a job for a similar position and lists a bachelor’s degree as “preferred” rather than “required,” USCIS may interpret that as evidence that your role doesn’t qualify as a specialty occupation.

To get ahead of this, talk to your employer about the language in job postings. That may be someone in HR, a recruiter, or your direct manager. They can make sure the language is consistent in active listings and any listings that may come up during the petition review process.

3. Use your salary and location strategically

USCIS uses a weighted selection system as of the FY 2027 lottery. Registrations for workers with a higher wage level relative to their geographic area receive more entries in the lottery.

If it makes sense for your situation, talk to your employer about the possibility of remote work or relocation to an area where your salary appears more competitive. You can also discuss compensation adjustments, since a higher wage level corresponds to more lottery entries and thus a higher chance of winning.

This is not a guaranteed path to selection, and it shouldn’t drive major life decisions on its own. Talk to your manager and your immigration attorney before making any changes. For a deeper dive on how wage levels affect your odds, see our guide on how to find your H-1B wage level.

4. Explore alternative visa options in parallel

If your skillset and experience qualify you for the H-1B, there’s a good chance you also qualify for other visa categories. Having a plan B doesn’t mean you’re giving up on the lottery. It means you’re being strategic.

For instance, you may qualify for:

• A cap-exempt H-1B petition (which bypasses the lottery entirely)
• An extraordinary ability O-1 visa
• An employment-based Green Card, such as the EB-1 or EB-2

Many applicants assume that if they’re not selected, their only option is to try again next year. That’s usually not the case. Working with an experienced immigration attorney can help you understand which pathways are available to you right now. For more on your other options, see our guide on what to do after the H-1B lottery.

You’re still in control. Use this time strategically, and best of luck!

H-1B electronic registration FAQs

Can an employee register themselves for the H-1B lottery?

No, employees cannot register themselves for the H-1B lottery. The registration must be submitted by an employer or an employer’s authorized representative.

Does lottery registration guarantee approval?

No, successful registration in the lottery does not guarantee approval for an H-1B visa. When USCIS receives more registrations than there are available visas, which happens most years, it selects candidates through a wage-weighted lottery. Registration is only the first step. Winning the lottery allows an employer to file an H-1B petition for an employee, but petition approval is not guaranteed.

Is a job offer required at registration?

Yes, an employer must be able to prove that they have sent a bona fide job offer before registering a worker for the lottery. However, employers are not required to show proof to USCIS until they can file Form I-129.

Who qualifies for the H-1B lottery?

Generally, workers with a qualifying job offer in a specialty occupation may be eligible for H-1B registration, assuming the case is cap-subject, and all other requirements are met.

How much does it cost to register for the H-1B lottery?

The current registration fee is $215 per beneficiary. This is separate from H-1B petition filing fees.