USCIS Extends Initial Registration Period for FY 2025 H-1B Visa Cap

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has made an important announcement regarding the initial registration period for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 H-1B visa cap. Originally scheduled to close at noon Eastern on March 22, 2024, the registration period has been extended until noon Eastern on March 25, 2024.

This extension was prompted by a temporary system outage that affected some registrants. USCIS aims to accommodate these individuals by providing additional time to complete their registrations without disruption.

During the extended registration period, prospective petitioners and their representatives, if applicable, are required to use a USCIS online account to electronically register each beneficiary for the H-1B visa selection process. Furthermore, they must ensure payment of the registration fee for each beneficiary.

USCIS has reaffirmed its commitment to notifying selected registrants by March 31, 2024, as stated in their official statement.

In a related development, on February 28, 2024, USCIS introduced new myUSCIS organizational accounts. These accounts facilitate collaboration among multiple individuals within an organization and their legal representatives for H-1B registrations, petitions, and associated Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service. It’s important to note that participation in the H-1B Electronic Registration Process for FY 2025 requires the use of these new organizational accounts.

To assist organizations and legal representatives in navigating this new process, USCIS initiated Tech Talks sessions in February 2024. These sessions provide a platform for individuals to seek clarification regarding organizational accounts and the online filing of Form I-129 for H-1B petitions.

This extension and the introduction of new organizational accounts underscore USCIS’s commitment to enhancing efficiency, transparency, and accessibility in the H-1B visa program, benefiting both petitioners and beneficiaries alike.