Every year 85,000 new H1B Visas are issued by USCIS to meet the annual cap. If we look at H1B cap reach dates from Fiscal Year(FY) 2004 until FY 2024, we notice H1B Lottery conducted every year for the last 11 consecutive years. This lottery every year indicates crazy demand for H1B Visas.
USCIS introduced H1B Registration Process starting from H1B Fiscal Year 2021 season. This online process streamlined the H1B application submission process and made life easier for employers and USCIS, including saving costs. As part of the H1B registration process, USCIS accepts H1B registrations from employers in an online system.
Many prospective applicants are unsure how the registration process works and how they can check the H1B registration or H1B Lottery status online. In this article, we will clarify who can check the status online and how they can check, including common FAQs.
If you are new to the H1B visa filing process, you can check more details on the current H1B season details at H1B Visa 2025 – Lottery, Registration Dates, Quota, News
There is some confusion among a few regarding the H1B Registration vs. H1B petition. Let’s first address that.
Difference between H1B Registration vs. H1B Petition
- H1B Registration: It is the online application submission by an H1B Sponsoring company on behalf of an applicant for whom they intend to file an H1B visa petition in the future if selected in the registration process. As part of H1B registration, the employer only submits basic information about an applicant in the H1B Registration Online Tool. The employer does not send any physical packages or forms to USCIS. The H1B registrations are submitted by H1B sponsoring companies as a first step in the overall H1B process. The registrations submitted are the ones used for H1B Lottery.
- H1B Visa Petition: H1B Petition is the actual H1B Visa application package that includes H1B Labor Condition Application(LCA), H1B filing fee, and all documentation related to applicant, that is submitted on behalf of H1B applicant. Only applicants selected in the H1B Registration Selection Process, also called as H1B Visa Lottery , are eligible to file the H1B Petition. USCIS sends out a Case receipt notice for H1B petition received by their office.
Now that we understand the difference, let’s look at H1B Registration Confirmation number and what it means for checking the status of the registrations.
Update: If you are wondering about checking H1B 2025 Lottery Results, they are out. For more info, you can read the article H1B 2025 Lottery Results and Sample Notice.
H1B Registration Beneficiary Confirmation Number
After the Employer submits the H1B Registration, there is an option for them to print the confirmation with details. Below is the sample H1B Registration submission confirmation that the employer can print out and share with the applicant. If you look at it, there is a section for ‘Beneficiaries‘ and it has the details of the H1B Applicant and there is a “Beneficiary Confirmation Number” that starts with fiscal year and then followed by some digits.
The H1B Registration “Beneficiary Confirmation Number” is a 16 digit alphanumeric number and it starts with the fiscal year. For example, for FY 2025, it would look like 2025-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx. For FY 2024, it would look like 2024-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx. It appears on the submission screen of the H1B Registration System and also the submission confirmation form that can be printed during subsmission. See below screenshots for the same for FY 2022.
You can also see the “Beneficiary confirmation number” on the H1B Registration Selection Notice, as shown in the below screenshot.
In the past, the beneficiary confirmation number for H1B registrations used to be a 19-digit long number, but this changed starting from FY 2022. Below is an old example of the same from a sample H1B Registration Selection Notice from FY 2021 season.
The H1B Beneficiary Confirmation Number does not have any specific format or meaning as such, except the first four digits are the Fiscal Year. Unlike, the USCIS Case/Receipt Number that is given by USCIS for an H1B petition has a specific format and meaning. It usually starts with WAC, EAC, or other letters that signify the service center followed by digits. For complete details, read H1B Receipt Number Meaning
Cam you check H1B Lottery Status with Beneficiary Confirmation Number?
The “Beneficiary Confirmation Number” on the H1B registration submission form or in the H1B Registration Online System is only for internal reference by USCIS for running the H1B Lottery. It cannot be used by the applicant or anyone else to check the status of H1B Registration or Lottery Status. Also, USCIS does not expose any external-facing webpage also like Checking USCIS Case Status online
If you have submitted H1B Registration for H1B FY 2025 season, please add your case to H1B Visa 2025 Case Tracker for community benefit. It is anonymous and used to track macro trends and helps everyone.
How to check H1B Registration or Lottery Status?
The employer or the attorney, who submitted the H1B registrations, can login to the USCIS H1B Registration online system and check the status of the H1B registration or lottery. Usually, they would get a notification in an email telling them that the some action was taken on their case. But, it will not really tell the actual status.
The email message would say “We have taken an action on your case” as in the below screenshot. It is a very generic message and is also sent for many other case statuses.
After the email notification, the employer or attorney can login to the online H1B Registration system and it would show either “Selected” or other statuses in the online system. It looks like in the below screenshot. Also, employers can download the H1B Registration Selection notice by clicking on the “View Notice” link.
If you are selected in the H1B Lottery, you can view the selection notice for the same by clicking on the link next to “Selected” status. The H1B Registration Selection Notice will have your name, your company name, and details about when you can file the H1B Petition.
Below is the screenshot of a sample H1B Registration Selection Notice. If you look closely in the screenshot, it says the case type as “H-1BR – H1B REGISTRATION“, which indicates it is an H1B registration selection notice and the type would say “Registration Selection“.
FAQs
There is nothing you can do if your employer does not share the H1B Registration screenshot or submission confirmation. The entire H1B process is handled by the employer and it is their discretion to share it with the H1B applicant. In most cases, employers share these details. But, some IT Bodyshop kind of companies, may withhold this information.
No, you cannot transfer H1B Registration from one employer to other, only the employer who submitted on your behalf can file the H1B petition.
Well, nothing happens. Your selection was not used, so it kind of expires at the end of 90 days. You cannot use that in the future for filing an H1B petition. In fact, these kinds of expirations are the ones that lead to the second round and third round lottery.
You may also read How to check H1B Visa Petition or Case Status online . What was your experience filing H1B Visa Registration? Share your thoughts in comments below.
Hello,
My employer submitted my application for the H1 B lottery by themselves and since it was their first time so they didn’t know how it works.
Now when they login to their USCIS account which they used to apply for my lottery it says
Form Status Action
H1b Registration Submitted “View pdf”
Beneficiaries Status Action
My name Submitted “N/A”
I don’t understand what does this mean.
It does not say rejected, approved, denied or anything. The application was submitted on March 06.
Can you please clarify what it means?
Thank you
Remaining all details of Beneficiary is correct. Only mismatch with beneficiary confirmation number. Future it would be a major problem?
How can we rectify it?
Check with your attorney
Is there any possibilities mismatch with the beneficiary conformation number in i-797C form and registered time of beneficiary number ?
Priya,
Usually, they should be the same. Very unlikely.
Hi
My employer keeps telling me that they file and register for h1b cap but they never share receipt number with me and ever time I asked they say don’t worry
It still says submitted on the registration status. Does that means it is not selected?
I see there is a barcode in I-797C notice, can we validate or scan that?
Sri,
No, it is not relevant and you cannot do anything with it.
Do you help in filing H1B visa registration process? How to know fos & don’t s to file a hasslefree submission? Thank you
Hello,
An employer sent me an email about being selected, but I would like to verify the authenticity. What do I do?
Who is the employer? Try and find out the authenticity of the employer first.
Is there an update on SEVP portal if we are selected in the Lottery?
Spoorthi,
No, it will not. This is only registration. You may see changes only when the full H1B petition is filed with USCIS.