US releases H-1B Visa lottery results: How to check it

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has started releasing the results of the H-1B visa lottery for the fiscal year 2026.

Applicants can check their selection status through their employer, legal representative, or the USCIS online portal.

Understanding Your Status

Selected: If your status shows “Selected,” you’ve cleared the lottery stage.

For those selected, the next challenge is filing a strong petition, ensuring all paperwork is accurate, and preparing for potential requests for additional evidence from USCIS.

Submitted: If your status remains “Submitted,” your application is still in the lottery pool. You’ll need to wait for a final update.

Not Selected: If your status doesn’t change to “Selected” by April 1, 2025, it means you weren’t chosen in this round.

However, there are alternative visa options, such as the O-1 visa for individuals with extraordinary abilities or the L-1 visa for intracompany transfers may be worth exploring.

Key Dates and Changes

The H-1B registration process for FY 2026 was open from March 7 to March 24, 2025.

During this time, U.S. employers submitted electronic registration for potential employees working in specialized fields such as technology, healthcare, and engineering.

This year saw a significant increase in the H-1B registration fee, from $10 to $215 per beneficiary. This hike aims to cover administrative costs and reduce non-serious applications.

USCIS has also introduced procedural updates to streamline the selection process and ensure fairness in visa allocations.

Data from the US State Department shows a sharp increase in student visa rejections.

In the past fiscal year (October 2023–September 2024), 41% of international student visa applications were denied.

This represents a significant increase compared to the 2014 fiscal year, when the rejection rate was nearly half of the current percentage.

Applicants awaiting H-1B lottery results are advised to stay updated as USCIS continues releasing selection notifications in batches.