Reminder: H-1B electronic registration period opens March 9

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services will open this year’s H-1B electronic registration period at noon EST on Tuesday, March 9. The registration period will close at noon EDT on March 25.

Here is some of the key information for those new to the process or in need of a refresher:

• Petitioners for cap-subject H-1B visas must submit an electronic registration during the registration period for each prospective H-1B candidate. Petitioners or their representative must submit registrations via a myUSCIS online account and pay a $10 government filing fee for each registration.
• Registrations cannot be submitted after the March 25 deadline. No priority is given to early submissions.
• Following the registration period, USCIS will conduct a random lottery of properly submitted registrations if there are more registrations than visas available. The agency intends to send selection notifications via users’ myUSCIS accounts by March 31.
• Petitioners whose registrations are selected in the lottery will be invited to file full H-1B petitions beginning April 1.

Additional Information: This year marks the second year that USCIS has used the H-1B electronic registration process. Earlier this week, USCIS began allowing H-1B petitioners and registrants to create new myUSCIS online accounts. Those who already had an active H-1B registrant account do not need to create a new one. USCIS will continue to post information about registration on its H-1B Electronic Registration Process website.

BAL Analysis: Employers who do not already have an active H-1B registrant account are encouraged to create one as soon as possible to ensure that any technical issues can be addressed before registration opens. Those with existing accounts are encouraged to log in before the registration period to ensure they have continued access. BAL will continue following developments during the H-1B registration period and will provide updates as information becomes available.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.

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