How to Check H-1B Lottery Results in 2026
- H-1B beneficiaries cannot check lottery results directly—only the employer or their attorney can view registration statuses in the USCIS online system.
- “Selected” allows petition filing, “Not Selected” ends eligibility, and “Submitted” means you may still be chosen if USCIS runs another selection round.
- FY 2027 is the first wage-weighted H-1B season, so expect greater scrutiny of wage levels and compliance at both registration and petition stages.
If you’re an H-1B candidate and want to check the results of the cap lottery, you have to rely on the employer who submitted your registration. Registrants and their legal representatives—meaning employers and their lawyers—can view status updates in their online myUSCIS registration accounts.
The Fiscal Year 2027 H-1B cap lottery required more details upfront than in previous years, and the selection process has changed, but how you check lottery results remains largely the same.
| 🗓️ USCIS has completed the initial selection process for FY 2027 and notified selected registrants via employers’ myUSCIS accounts as of March 31, 2026. |
When to check your H-1B lottery status
USCIS has announced it plans to send notifications to employer accounts by March 31, 2026.
If the status hasn’t changed as of March 31 or April 1, check weekly for updates. The registration may remain eligible for additional selection rounds later in the fiscal year if USCIS needs more filings to reach the fiscal year cap.
How to check H-1B lottery results
Only employers or their legal counsel can check the lottery results for an H-1B cap electronic registration.
1. Gather a few details before you log in
- USCIS online account credentials, usually email and password, for the organizational account that submitted the registration
- Beneficiary’s personal information, including full legal name and date of birth
- Registration confirmation number, assigned by USCIS after submitting the beneficiary’s lottery registration
2. Sign in to your USCIS online account
Visit the USCIS online account page to sign in. Companies with multiple entities might have more than one organizational account, so make sure you’re in the one that was used for the registration you want to check.
Once logged in, you will see the myUSCIS landing page.
3. Navigate to your H-1B registrations dashboard
USCIS posts selection results and related notices in the registration dashboard for the relevant fiscal year.
4. Find a specific beneficiary’s registration
You can search for a specific registration record using a beneficiary’s name or your internal tracking info.
5. Check the status line
The status line will show whether or not the registration has been selected in the H-1B lottery. It may also show as “Submitted” if USCIS has not yet completed all rounds of the lottery. (You can see the meaning of all possible statuses in the next section.)
| 💡Manifest tip: Make sure to save a screenshot of the status for your records and for sharing with the beneficiary. You can also download the selection notice. |
6. If selected, prepare to file a petition
Download the selection notice from your account, and you can immediately move into preparing an H-1B visa petition, Form I-129, and a Labor Condition Application (LCA). To help you avoid missing deadlines, add the filing window to your calendar.
7. Don’t forget to share the result with the beneficiary
The prospective employee cannot view the registration or lottery status directly in the USCIS registration system, so they’re relying on you or your attorney to communicate the results.
What the H-1B registration statuses mean
There are seven possible statuses that you could see for a specific H-1B registration:
- Processing submission: USCIS is processing your registration.
- Submitted: The registration has been properly submitted online and is eligible for the cap lottery. After the initial lottery, registration that says “submitted” can remain in the system for any additional lottery USCIS runs in order to meet the number of cap-subject petitions.
- Selected: An H-1B petition may be filed for this beneficiary and role.
- Not Selected: USCIS has made all its selections for the fiscal year, and this registration was not selected. You are not eligible to file an H-1B petition for this beneficiary. This status typically will show up after all cap lottery selections have been made, and after any subsequent rounds of lottery are conducted.
- Denied: A duplicate registration was submitted by the same employer for the same employee in the same fiscal year. USCIS may also deny a registration that contains invalid passport or travel document information.
- Invalidated: A registration is invalidated if the payment fails
- Deleted: The registration has been deleted.
If your registration is denied or invalidated and you don’t understand why, consult an immigration attorney to find out what happened and what your options are moving forward.
How workers can check H-1B lottery status
As the beneficiary, you can’t see the registration or lottery results. Only the employer who submitted the registration or their authorized attorney can view the status through their organizational account.
Here is a script you could use when you reach out to your employer or their human resources department:
“Hi [Name],
Hope you’re doing well.
Can you please confirm my FY [YEAR] H-1B registration status in your myUSCIS organizational account and share a screenshot of the status line (Submitted / Selected / Not Selected / Denied / Invalidated)?
Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.
Sincerely,
[Your name]”
H-1B lottery status vs. petition status
There are two phases to pay attention to for H-1B visas: registration selection status and petition case status.
Registration applies only to the lottery. An employer cannot file an actual H-1B visa petition unless they submit a lottery registration for you, and then get selected.
A petition case status is available after you are selected in the lottery and the employer has submitted the full H-1B visa petition. Once the H-1B petition is filed, USCIS issues a receipt number, which you can use to track the status of your visa application through USCIS Case Status Online. Make sure to enter the 13-character receipt number exactly as shown on the receipt notice.
Know what to do with your H-1B lottery status
At the end of the day, there are only a few possible results from the H-1B lottery. You can save yourself time and stress by planning out your next steps now.
To create a clear, practical plan for any H-1B lottery result, reach out to Manifest Law. Our immigration attorneys can help you and your employer determine the next best move, no matter your situation. Request a consultation today.
FAQs about checking H-1B lottery status
I got an email from USCIS. Does that mean I was selected?
Not necessarily. USCIS emails are often notifications to log into your account or are alerts that something has changed with your case. The actual selection result is viewed inside the employer’s myUSCIS registration account.
Does premium processing increase H-1B lottery chances?
No. Premium processing applies to an H-1B petition. There is no premium processing for the cap lottery selection.
If my OPT expires soon, what should I do while waiting?
Don’t just wait. Talk to your employer or immigration attorney and your designated school official now about your options. Find out if you’re eligible for a STEM OPT extension, and explore what a cap-gap scenario would require.
What’s the deadline to file an H-1B petition?
USCIS sets a specific filing window for selected registrations each year. Your employer or attorney will need to follow the dates on the selection notice. Ask your employer or attorney to confirm the start and end dates of the filing window.
