H-1B Lottery Registration Process 2025
The H-1B lottery registration process is employer-driven, your employer (or their attorney) submits the registration on your behalf. Here is exactly how it works, what each step costs, and what you need to do.
Step 1, Employer Creates myUSCIS Account
Your employer (or their immigration attorney) must have a myUSCIS organizational account. If they don't, they need to create one before the registration window opens. Employers without accounts who wait until March may miss the deadline. Confirm with your employer in January/February that their account is active.
Step 2, Submit Registration ($215/beneficiary)
During the registration window (typically early March, ~2 weeks), the employer submits a registration for each H-1B candidate. The fee is $215 per registration per beneficiary. This fee is non-refundable. The registration includes basic info: beneficiary name, date of birth, country of birth, country of citizenship, passport number, degree level and issuing institution.
Step 3, USCIS Runs the Lottery
After the registration window closes (~late March), USCIS conducts the computer-generated random selection. Results are typically announced in late March or early April. Each beneficiary's myUSCIS account (or employer's account) will show 'Selected' or 'Not Selected' for each registration.
Step 4, File Full Petition (if selected)
If selected, the employer must file a complete H-1B petition (Form I-129) by June 30. The petition requires: detailed job description, LCA (Labor Condition Application) filed with DOL, evidence of specialty occupation, beneficiary's degree and credentials, employer financial ability, and filing fees ($730 base + ACWIA training fee $750–$1,500 + Asylum Program Fee $600 for most employers).
Step 5, USCIS Adjudication
USCIS adjudicates the petition. Standard processing is 3–6 months. Premium processing ($2,805) guarantees a response (approval, RFE, or denial) within 15 business days. Most employers use premium processing to get an answer before October 1 employment start.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Wrong passport number on registration, if it doesn't match your passport exactly, USCIS can invalidate. 2. Employer not having a myUSCIS account ready before March. 3. Missing the registration window, it closes sharply, no exceptions. 4. Not filing the full petition by June 30 after selection, selection lapses. 5. Relying on a staffing firm that files duplicate/sham registrations, USCIS now flags and invalidates these.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who submits the H-1B lottery registration, the employee or employer?
The employer submits. The employee cannot self-register. The employer (or their immigration attorney) must have an active myUSCIS organizational account and submit the registration during the ~2-week window in March, paying $215 per beneficiary.
What is the H-1B registration fee in 2025?
$215 per registration per beneficiary. This fee is non-refundable regardless of lottery outcome. The employer typically pays this fee, though it is legal for the employer to require the employee to pay it (though most large employers absorb the cost).
What happens after H-1B lottery selection?
The employer has until June 30 to file a complete H-1B petition (Form I-129) with USCIS. If the petition is filed correctly, employment can begin October 1. Premium processing ($2,805) gets a 15-business-day decision guarantee.
Can I register for the H-1B lottery myself without an employer?
No. The H-1B registration must be filed by an employer. You cannot self-petition for an H-1B. If you want to self-petition for work authorization, EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) is the primary self-petition pathway, though it leads to a green card, not an H-1B.
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