How do registration and the petition work?
Almost everything in this stage happens in your employer's USCIS account, not yours — your employer registers you, USCIS selects who can file, and only then does the real petition begin. Work through the questions in order.
Why is there a registration step before the petition?
Because the annual cap limits new H-1B numbers, USCIS runs electronic registration first, so employers do not file a complete petition for every worker before knowing whether a cap number is available. Read the registration and lottery guide
Who registers me, and what does a registration contain?
Only your employer, or their representative, can register you — each registration covers one person and includes your passport or travel document details, the job's OEWS wage level, a signed attestation, and the $215 registration fee USCIS states for the FY 2027 cap. Read the registration and lottery guide
How does selection work now?
USCIS selects unique beneficiaries — people, not entries — and describes selection as weighted generally on the highest OEWS wage level that the offered wage equals or exceeds. Read the registration and lottery guide
What do the registration account statuses mean?
Statuses such as Submitted, Selected, and Not Selected appear in your employer's USCIS account, not yours — the guide explains each status and what it does and does not mean. Read the registration and lottery guide
I was selected — do I have the H-1B now?
No — selection only gives your employer permission to file the Form I-129 petition; USCIS then decides the petition on its own merits. Read the registration and lottery guide
Can more than one employer register me?
Different employers may each register you once — but one employer may register you only once, and coordinating registrations to unfairly increase your chances is prohibited. Read the registration and lottery guide
What mistakes ruin registrations?
USCIS names creating the wrong type of account and entering the same beneficiary more than once among its top errors, alongside wrong passport details and failed payments. Read the registration and lottery guide
Does the new $100,000 payment apply to my petition?
It is a one-time petitioner payment that attaches at petition filing, not at registration, for certain petitions filed at or after 12:01 a.m. Eastern on 21 September 2025 — the guide explains exactly which petitions it attaches to, including timing. Read the $100,000 payment guide
Official sources
Guides on this page are verified against official sources before publication. Official starting point: USCIS — H-1B Specialty Occupations.
General information based on official sources — not a confirmation for your case. Always check the linked official page.
General educational information, not individualized legal advice. Follow official instructions and consult a qualified U.S. immigration attorney for case-specific questions.