Saved by the Bell! H-1B registration period EXTENDED until March 25, 2024 at 12:00 EST.
Late Thursday evening the USCIS announced the registration period for H-1B applicants will be EXTENDED. Citing technical difficulties and outages with the new online portal, the USCIS will extend the filing window until Monday, March 25, 2024 at 12:00 EST. Employers are reminded that you have to be in it to win it. Only those with selected registrations are eligible to file H-1B cap-subject petitions.
Additional updates from this H-1B registration period include:
- All H-1B registrants are required to have a valid passport or travel document to be registered. The USCIS clarified it would make certain exceptions for countries that have implemented automatic extensions for expired passports, such as Venezuela.
- The H-1B registration filing fee remains $10.00. It is expected to increase next year.
- The H-1B selection process will be employee centric. If an individual has multiple H-1B registrations, with different employers, and they are selected in the lottery process, all employers will be notified of the registration selection. This creates the possibility that multiple employers could submit independent H-1B petitions for the same individual.
- All H-1B applicants who are selected in the lottery, and plan to file an H-1B petition with the USCIS, will be subject to the new USCIS filing fee increases. Noting, there is ongoing litigation challenging the legality of the fee increases.
For additional information on the H-1B registration process and H-1B requirements, please view the webinar: Business Immigration: H-1B Visa Lottery Season Is Here. Take Action Now Before Time Runs Out!
