The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it received enough electronic records during the initial registration period to reach fiscal year 2025. H-1B cap. USCIS has completed the random selection process and has informed all selected beneficiaries that they are now eligible to file a petition subject to the H-1B cap.
How to check selection status
Registrants’ online accounts will now display one of the following selection statuses:
- Submitted : You have submitted your registration and it is valid.
- Selected: You can apply for a H-1B visa.
- Not selected: You have not been selected to apply for an H-1B visa this time.
- Duplicate registration refused: If you register multiple times for the opportunity to apply for an H-1B visa with the same employer, USCIS will consider all of your registrations invalid.
- Payment invalidated or failed: You have registered but your registration payment has not been made.
- Deleted: The submitted entry was deleted and was not eligible for selection.
- Submission processing: USCIS processes the registration and it can take up to 72 hours to update all case information.
Important reminders for cap season
Deposit period
H-1B capping applications can now be filed starting April 1. USCIS has announced that the filing period will be at least 90 days. Employers and their potential employees are encouraged to file as early as possible to avoid any potential delays.
Important:
Only selected filers may file petitions subject to the FY 2025 H-1B cap.
New edition of form I-129
Submission of candidates Form I-129 (Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker) from April 1, 2024, you will need to use the new editions of the forms dated 01/04/24. USCIS will automatically reject any application that includes outdated forms starting April 1.
When USCIS releases new editions of forms, there is usually a grace period to begin filing with the new edition. However, due to the USCIS fee increase on April 1, there is no grace period Start filling out the new form and USCIS will reject all previous versions of Form I-129.
What to include when filing
This year, USCIS also included additional instructions on what supporting documents to include when filing a petition subject to the H-1B cap.
Petitioners must include a copy of their notice of selection when filing Form I-129. Petitioners must also include the beneficiary’s valid passport (or travel document) used at the time of registration so that USCIS can identify the beneficiary.
deposit local
Online filing is now available for Form I-129 and Form I-907 (Request for Premium Processing Service).
For paper filing, be sure to check your filing location. Beginning April 1, H-1B petitions will no longer be filed directly at USCIS service centers. All paper Form I-129 petitions are now filed in USCIS vaults. USCIS will reject any H-1B petition received at a USCIS service center on or after April 1, 2024, without a grace period.
There are specific mailing addresses for cases subject to the H-1B cap. Check USCIS Form I-129 Direct Deposit Addresses Page to determine the correct mailing address for your petition.
New Form I-129 Filing Fees
As of April 1, there are new fees for filing Form I-129. Employers must pay $780 to file Form I-129, or $460 (in the case of small employers and nonprofit organizations).