U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that they had received enough electronic registrations during the initial registration period to reach the FY 2025 H-1B cap. USCIS completed the random selection process and has notified all selected beneficiaries that they are now eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition.
How to Check Selection Status
Registrants’ online accounts will now show one of the following selection statuses:
- Submitted: You have submitted your registration and it is valid.
- Selected: You are able to apply for an H-1B visa.
- Not Selected: You were not selected to apply for an H-1B visa this time.
- Denied-Duplicate Registration: If you register for the chance to apply for an H-1B visa with the same employer multiple times, USCIS will deem all of your registrations invalid.
- Invalidated-Failed Payment: You registered but your registration payment didn’t go through.
- Deleted: The submitted registration has been deleted and was ineligible for selection.
- Processing Submission: USCIS is processing the registration, and it could take up to 72 hours for all case information to be updated.
Important Cap Season Reminders
Filing Period
H-1B cap petitions can now be filed as of April 1. USCIS announced that the filing period will be at least 90 days. Employers and their prospective employees are encouraged to file as soon as possible to avoid any potential delays.
Important:
Only selected registrants may file H-1B cap-subject petitions for FY 2025.
New Form Edition for Form I-129
Applicants filing Form I-129 (Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker) on or after April 1, 2024 must use the new 04/01/24 editions of the forms. USCIS will automatically reject any application which includes the outdated forms starting on April 1.
When USCIS releases new editions of forms, there is typically a grace period to start filing with the new edition. However, due to the USCIS fee increase on April 1, there is no grace period to start filing the new form and USCIS will reject all prior 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 an H-1B cap-subject petition.
Petitioners must include a copy of their selection notice when filing Form I-129. Petitioners must also include the beneficiary’s valid passport (or travel document) used at the time of registration so USCIS is able to identify the beneficiary.
Filing Location
Online filing is now available for Form I-129 and Form I-907 (Request for Premium Processing Service).
For paper-based filing, be sure to check your filing location. Starting April 1, H-1B petitions will no longer be filed directly at USCIS service centers. All paper-based Form I-129 petitions are now filed at USCIS lockbox locations. USCIS will reject any H-1B petitions received at a USCIS service center on or after April 1, 2024, with no grace period.
There are specific mailing addresses for cases that are subject to the H-1B cap. Check USCIS’ Form I-129 direct filing addresses page to determine the correct mailing address for your petition.
New Form I-129 Filing Fee
As of April 1, there are new fees to file Form I-129. Employers must pay $780 to file Form I-129, or $460 (in the case of small employers and nonprofits).
Boundless Tip
Learn more about H-1B cap season in our detailed guide.