The H1B visa category involves a strict application process, with multiple stages and strict timeframes. Given the high level of competition for the H1B visa, applicants and their employers should ensure that they comply with the procedural rules. In the guide, we set out the H1B application deadlines you’ll need to comply with, to avoid errors or issues with your application, to give you the best chance of receiving a positive outcome.

 

H1B registration deadline 2024

 

Each year, the H1B registration period typically opens at noon Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the first business day of March. The registration window remains open for a designated period, allowing employers to submit electronic registrations for potential H1B employees. The exact dates can vary slightly from year to year, so it is important to check for official updates each year.

In 2024, for the financial year 2025, the H1B cap registration window opened at noon Eastern Time on March 6, 2024 and closed noon Eastern Time, March 25, 2024. The closing deadline had initially been set at March 22, but was extended to March 25, 2024. USCIS announced the extension to allow extra time for electronic registrations following temporary system outages experienced by some H1B registrants.

If the number of registrations received during this H1B registration period exceeds the H1B cap limit, as is typically the case each year, a lottery selection process will be used to select registrations at random. While there is no advantage in submitting early in the registration, as the lottery is random, it can be helpful to apply earlier in the registration window, to avoid being impacted by any potential technical issues.

The lottery selection takes place once the registration window closes, and at this point, USICS will notify those who have been successful, which is usually by the end of March.

Filing for H-1B cap petitions and supporting documentation generally opens at the start of April. H1B petitions should then be filed within 90 days of the selection notification being received. This means that if the H1B petition window opens April 1, the H1B application deadline will be June 30.

Further registration notifications may be issued after this date should visas become available, as was the case in the 2023 H1B process.

 

H1B application: key dates

 

The following are the general key dates and deadlines for the H1B application process. The specific dates can, however, vary each year, depending on factors such as USCIS workload.

 

H1B Deadline	H1B Application Stage	Details
March	H1B cap visa annual electronic registration window	Employers or their representatives must register their beneficiaries electronically with USCIS.
March – April	H1B lottery selection and results	USCIS conducts a random selection lottery if the number of registrations exceeds the annual cap. Usually by the end of March, USCIS notifies employers of selected registrations, allowing them to proceed with filing full petitions.
April – June	H1B petition filing period	When the H1B visa petition period starts for the selected registrants, employers must submit the necessary petitions and documentation to USCIS. Usually, petitions must be filed within 90 days of the lottery selection notification.  USCIS will issue receipt notices for filed petitions, confirming that the applications have been received and are being processed.
June – August	Request for evidence, if required	USCIS may issue Requests for Evidence (RFEs) for additional documentation or clarification. Employers must respond promptly to ensure continued processing of the petition.
July – August	Second H1B lottery round, if required	If the H1B cap is not filled from the first selection round, USCIS may conduct additional lottery selections to fill the annual quota.
August – September	Final decisions	USCIS aims to complete the processing of most H1B petitions by the end of September. Employers receive final decisions, and approved applicants can prepare to start their employment on October 1.
October 1	Start of the fiscal year	Approved H1B petitions become effective, and beneficiaries can start working under H1B status from October 1, which marks the beginning of the new fiscal year.
All year	H1B cap-exempt filings	Employers that are cap-exempt (e.g., higher education institutions, non-profit organizations) can file H1B petitions at any time of the year, without being subject to the annual cap and deadlines.

 

How to register for the H1B visa

 

The H1B electronic registration system requires sponsors to make an initial registration for each H1B visa applicant they intend to sponsor. Registrations can only be made during the specified H1B registration period, which in 2024 was between March 6 and March 25.

Following the publication of a Final Rule published January 30, 2024, the H-1B registration process was amended, with each registered beneficiary now being assigned one unique identification number. The aim is to make the H1B lottery “beneficiary-centric” so as to reduce the potential for fraud and ensure each beneficiary has the same chance of being selected, regardless of how many registrations are filed on their behalf. Each registrant also now need to have a myUSICS account.

As such, to register, registrants are now required to provide valid passport information or valid travel document information for each beneficiary. These must be the documents the beneficiary intends to use when traveling to the US.

A new, online organizational account system was also introduced in 2024, and went live on February 28, 2024 ahead of the March’s H-1B registration process. Organizational accounts allow petitioning employers and legal representatives to create, review, and submit H-1B lottery registrations, H-1B petitions, and premium processing forms, entirely online.

 

 

When to file your H1B application

 

Selection in the H1B lottery does not guarantee a visa will be granted. It merely takes the application to the next stage, which involves filing a full H1B petition to establish eligibility under the visa rules. Applications for the H1B visa can only be made by registrants who have been selected in the initial registration process.

For the 2025 fiscal year, H1B petitions were accepted from those selected lottery registrants from April 1, 2024.

The H1B petition must be prepared well and in accordance with the latest visa rules. For example, a new version of Form I-129 with the H-1B Registration final rule and Fee Schedule final rule changes was introduced in April 1 2024.

Errors or omissions may result in a refused petition, and the applicant missing out on this year’s allocation and having to wait for the next year to resubmit.

 

H1B visa cap rules

 

For the fiscal year 2025, the H1B cap totals 85,000 petitions. USCIS will first randomly select

Thereafter, USCIS will randomly select 65,000 H1B petitions, of which 6,800 are reserved for citizens of Singapore and Chile, and in a second lottery, a further 20,000 will be selected from holders of US advanced degrees.

Cap-limited H1B visas will have a start date of October 1, 2024, or after – ie 6 months or less from the receipt date of the petition, or the petition will be rejected or denied.

 

H1B visa cap exemptions

 

There are circumstances where you may be exempt from the annual cap:

 

• You may qualify for the Master’s cap if you received your degree from a US-based institution that is public or non-profit in nature and has been recognized by a national accrediting agency as being accredited.
• If you have been counted against the cap in prior years and haven’t reached the maximum 6-year limit then you may qualify for an exemption.
• Existing H1B visa holders who are seeking to transfer to another company are not subject to the cap.
• If the petition is filed by a non-profit organization or institute of higher learning.

 

Take advice on your circumstances if you believe you may be eligible under the cap-exempt route.

 

H1B visa application costs

 

There are a number of fees due as part of the H1B application, some of which are increasing following the implementation of USCIS’s Fee Schedule final rule in 2024:

 

• I-129 H-1B Filing Fee: $780
• H-1B Registration Fee: $215
• Premium Processing: $2805
• Asylum Processing Fee: $600
• AICWA fee: $750 for employers with 1 to 25 full time employees; $1,500 for employers with 26 or more full time equivalent employees
• Fraud prevent & detection fee: $500 – only applies to new H1Bs and change of employers petitions
• Fee based on Public Law 114-113: $4000 – applicable, if 50 or more employees and more than 50% of employees are on H1B or L1 Visa status, required for new H-1B filing and change of employers.

 

Note however that H1B filing fees must be paid by the petitioning employer – and not the beneficiary. This does not apply to the premium processing fee, under certain conditions.

 

Tips for making an H1B application

 

The H1B visa is a nonimmigrant visa for non-US workers with specialty skills who typically hold an advanced degree. The eligibility criteria, application process and deadlines are stringent, resulting in considerable room for error, which can impact application processing.

The H1B visa category remains notoriously over-subscribed and competitive. Even where the registration is selected in the initial round, this is no guarantee the visa will be secured. For prospective H1B employers and employees alike, this means applications require planning and preparation to meet the required criteria and collate the documentary support, ensuring the petition is filed on time and ahead of the H1B filing deadline.

Read our full guide to optimizing your prospects of success in the H1B application process here.

From our extensive experience of working with US employers and H1B applicants, we have identified the following common challenges and areas of risk, requiring specific attention and knowledge to avoid application issues:

 

H1B specialty occupation

 

Under the Labor Condition Application process, the employer has to prove the need for a specialty worker as the minimum requirement for taking up the job on offer.

Individuals are required to hold a degree, and this must relate in some logical sense to the specialty position(s) being applied for. Qualifying positions in specialty occupations include roles in tech, architecture, chemistry, physics, accounting and data communications. With new roles and areas of expertise emerging, we can provide guidance and insight into current application determinations, as to whether the position may be eligible as a specialty occupation for the purposes of the H1B.

 

 

Get your submission right

 

Once you’ve completed the submission, check and check again! Include all the information that’s requested including evidence that the employer can pay the required salary. Missing information or forgetting to sign a section can result in issues with your application.

 

Be ready to push the button on the day the H1B window opens

 

Submitting the petition early means if there are issues or questions, there should be time to address the queries. This means preparing your application thoroughly and in good time. Avoid the rush of completing forms and compiling supporting evidence. The annual window opens in the of April, typically April 1 if this is a business day. Double-check the opening date for the year you are applying.

 

Have a ‘plan B’

 

Competition and demand for the H1B visa is incredibly high, so it is advisable to consider alternative US work visa options in the event you are not able to secure an H1B this year? Do you qualify for the cap exempt H1B? What are the alternative

 

Need assistance?

 

NNU Immigration are specialist US immigration attorneys. We work with employers and individuals seeking to secure a visa to work in the USA, including the H-1B visa route. We can advise on all aspects of the eligibility requirements and can guide applicants through the petitioning process, including advice on the H-1B filing deadline and meeting the strict timescales.

If you have a question about the H-1B visa, speak to our experts.

 

H1B Application Deadline FAQs

 

When is the deadline for submitting H1B visa applications?

The H1B visa application period is open for a limited window each year for those successful in the H1B lottery. Usually, the H1B application deadline is at the end of June, however, this can vary, and applicants should check the deadline that applies to their petition. It is advisable to submit applications as early in the application window as possible, to allow more time should there be any issues.

 

What happens if I miss the H1B visa application deadline?

If you miss the H1B visa application deadline, you will have to wait until the next fiscal year and go through the registration and application process again.

 

Are there any exceptions to the H1B visa cap and deadlines?

Certain applicants are exempt from the H1B visa cap, such as those applying for positions at higher education institutions, non-profit research organizations, and government research organizations. Additionally, some extensions and changes of employer for current H1B holders are not subject to the cap. Our immigration attorneys can advise on the specific eligibility criteria for cap-exempt petitions.

 

How can I ensure my H1B application is submitted on time?

To ensure your H1B application is submitted on time, start preparing early. Gather all required documents, complete the necessary forms, and coordinate with your employer well before the April opening date. We work with US employers and H1B applicants to support with petition filings, ensuring deadlines are met.

 

What is the H1B visa lottery, and how does it affect the deadline?

Due to the high demand for H1B visas, the USCIS typically conducts a lottery if the number of applications exceeds the annual cap. To enter into the H1B lottery, employers have to file an electronic registration for each H1B applicant they intend to sponsor. Being selected in the lottery is the first step; if chosen, your application will then be processed.

 

Is there a different deadline for premium processing of H1B visas?

Premium processing does not have a separate deadline; it is a service that can expedite the processing of your H1B visa application once it has been filed during the application window. You can pay for premium processing when you submit your application or upgrade to it later. The USCIS guarantees a 15-calendar-day processing time for premium processing.

 

Can I make changes to my H1B application after submission?

Once your H1B application has been submitted, making changes can be difficult. If you need to update or correct information, it’s best to consult with an immigration attorney. We can advise on the best course of action, whether it’s amending the application or providing additional documentation.

 

What should I do if my H1B application is rejected?

If your H1B application is rejected, review the reasons for rejection provided by USCIS. Depending on the issue, you may be able to reapply in the next cycle or address the problem through an appeal or motion to reopen. Our immigration attorneys can help determine the best strategy.

 

Are there any additional steps after submitting the H1B application?

After submitting the H1B application, you should monitor its status through the USCIS website. If USCIS request further information, you should act quickly to avoid any further delay in processing. Ensuring all subsequent communications and requests from USCIS are handled promptly is crucial for the success of your application.

 

This article does not constitute direct legal advice and is for informational purposes only.