The H-1B visa lottery is a random selection process used by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services （USCIS） when the number of H-1B visa petitions exceeds the annual cap. The lottery is conducted electronically and selects petitions for further processing.
First, employers must submit H-1B registrations for potential employees during the designated registration period. If USCIS receives more registrations than the available H-1B visas, they conduct a random lottery to select which registrations will be eligible to file full petitions.
The lottery typically occurs in March each year, with selected registrants notified and given a specific period to submit complete H-1B petitions. There are two lotteries: one for the regular cap of 65,000 visas and another for the advanced degree exemption of 20,000 visas.
Selected petitions then undergo detailed review by USCIS, including verification of qualifications, job requirements, and employer legitimacy. Unselected registrations remain on standby in case additional selections are needed later in the fiscal year. |
