Similar to the previous year, USCIS conducted the H1B Visa lottery for the fiscal year 2027 and started sending out selection notices starting from March 27th, 2026. Today, they have made an official press release indicating the completion of the lottery process for the H1B FY 2027 season and indicated that they have sent notifications to all employers with selected applicants.
In this article, we will review the summary of the key points from the official USCIS news release and outline the next steps, including common FAQs.
Background: H1B Visa Fiscal Year 2027 Lottery Results, Updates
- USCIS accepted H1B visa registrations for the Fiscal Year 2027 season from March 4th, 2026, Noon EST, until March 19th, 2026, 5 PM EST. You can read more at H1B 2027 season starts on March 4th. How does it work?
- USCIS, in its official press release, states that it will announce the results by March 31st, 2026. But, similar to past H1B lottery results, they slowly released the H1B 2027 lottery results starting from March 27th, 2026.
- There was no official update about the results on March 27th or later until today. Only attorneys and community members updated that they were seeing selection notices for FY 2027. You can read the full details on the same H1B Lottery Results released for FY 2027, Sample Selection Notice.
- Today, March 31st, 2026, USCIS has made an official press release that they have completed the H1B Lottery and informed all the selected applicants. Let’s look at deatails of the same in the sections below
USCIS Update: H1B FY 2027 Lottery Completed, Notified All
Below is the summary of the USCIS press release that was released today, March 31st, 2026:
- Received Enough Registrations: USCIS said that they had received enough number of unique H1B registrations to reach the H1B Visa cap quota during the registration period for the Fiscal Year 2027, both for the regular cap(65,000) and master’s cap(20,000).
- H1B FY 2027 Lottery Completed, Notified all Employers: USCIS conducted a wage-based, weighted selection process, known as the H1B Visa Lottery, and selected enough applicants to meet the H1B cap for both regular and master’s cap. They also notified all of the employers/attorneys of the selected applicants in the lottery, indicating that they are eligible to file an H1B petition for their selected applicants.
- H1B Selection Status in USCIS Accounts: They say that all employers or attorneys who submitted H1B registrations can see the H1B selection status online in their USCIS accounts, once they log in and check.
- H1B Petition Filing Dates for FY 2027: USCIS said that Employers or Attorneys can submit H1B petitions for the selected applicants starting from April 1st, 2026. They have 90 days to submit the H1B petition, starting from April 1st, 2026, until June 30th, 2026.
- File with Valid Registration, Passport Info, Correct Wage Levels:
- Only the applicants selected in the H1B Lottery can submit H1B petition by submitting the H1B registration selection notice along with the petition.
- They also need to submit a passport copy, which they used during registration as proof of the applicant’s unique identity.
- Employers also need to submit proof of the wage level they used, along with the location and other supporting information for the same.
- Use the New I-129 Form from April 1st, 2026: For FY 2027, employers need to submit the new I-129 form that was published on Feb 27, 2026 to the correct location or online. It will have an edition number that says “Edition 02/27/26”, see the screenshot below. Also, in the new edition of the I-129 form, employers must fill in additional details, such as the following:
- SOC Code
- Education Level
- Fields of Study
- Years of Experience
- Special Skills
- Wage Level
- Submit Relevant Documents for H1B Eligibility: USCIS says that Employers or Attorney must submit all the relevant documentation that indicates the eligibility of the H1B program, all the details relevant to the H1B registration submission, and other documentation so that the petition can be approved by USCIS. Employers should include documents such as H1B Labor Condition Application(LCA), I-129 form, education documents, etc. You can check H1B Petition Documents Checklist for USCIS.
- $100K Fee Applicable as per Proclamation: USCIS also indicated that certain employers may need to submit a $100K Fee as applicable if they are submitting an H1B petition for an applicant currently living outside of the US. You can read more about $100K Fee Guidance by USCIS
USCIS has not given any details on how many H1B registrations were submitted for FY 2027 season, we will likely know these details anytime between April and July 2026.
What are the Next Steps after the H1B Lottery?
- If you were selected in the FY 2027 H1B Lottery, your employer, if they do not have an LCA, they will need to file an H1B Labor Condition Application(LCA) with the US Department of Labor at FLAG.gov website
- The employer or attorney would ask the applicant to submit all the documents related to their education, passport, experience, taxes, etc. and create a H1B petition package to send it to USCIS. You can read H1B Petition Documents Checklist for USCIS for more.
- The employer or attorney will send the H1B petition for the selected applicant in the next 90 days. USCIS, if all documents are accurate, will accept the petition and give a receipt notice. You can check H1B case status online on USCIS website.
- USCIS will adjudicate the petition and inform the employer/ attorney.
You can read more information at Next Steps after H1B Lottery – Process Flow Chart, FAQs.
H1B Second Round Lottery for FY 2027 Season?
- USCIS has not provided any indication of the second-round lottery.
- They will only announce this after June 30th, once they know how many H1B petitions were received by them.
- It is too early to predict whether we will have a second round of the lottery or not.
- Last year, during the FY 2026 season, there was no second-round lottery. The year before, for FY 2025, there was a second round lottery. You can read more at H1B Visa Lottery History – Extra Counts, Lottery Rounds
‼️ If you have submitted H1B Registration for the H1B FY 2027 season, please add your case to the H1B Visa 2027 Case Tracker for community benefit. It is anonymous and used to track macro trends, which helps everyone to understand trends. ‼️
Common FAQs
No one knows at this point. USCIS has not given out any data on the numbers. We will know a little more once we have that data. Last year, for FY 2026, there was no second round, the year before for FY 2025, USCIS conducted an H1B Second Round Lottery.
USCIS has not released any numbers for the FY 2027, we would likely know it anytime between April and July.
No, you cannot transfer an H1B registration selection notice to another employer; it is only valid with the current employer, and they can only file an H1B petition for you.
Unfortunately, you have no option left, as you cannot transfer the H1B selection notice.
What do you think of the H1B FY 2027 Lottery with the changes ? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Reference: USCIS Press Release for FY 2027 H1B. Below is the screenshot of the press release
