H-1B visa lottery results out: What should Indians do next?
What's the story
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has started announcing results for the FY 2026 H-1B visa lottery.
As per immigration law agency Richards and Jurusik, the names are being released in batches.
Applicants from across the world including India, can now verify their registration status through the USCIS online portal, via a sponsoring employer, or through a legal representative.
Status check
Understanding your visa application status
When users log into their USCIS account, they'll see one of a few statuses.
A 'Submitted' status means you have been non-selected for the current round. However, there could be more lotteries in the current season if the visa cap hasn't been reached.
'Selected' means you are now qualified to file an H-1B cap-subject petition from April 1, 2025.
Those marked 'Not Selected' can explore options like employer-sponsored green cards next season.
Additional statuses
Other possible statuses
Other potential statuses are 'Denied - Duplicate Registration' (if more than one entry from an employer led to disqualification), and 'Invalidated - Failed Payment' (if payment processing failed).
'Deleted' means the registration is no longer being considered, while 'Processing Submission' means USCIS is still evaluating the entry.
Action plan
Next steps for selected applicants
Those with a 'Selected' status will have to act fast: their employer will have to file a full H-1B petition with all required documents between April 1 and June 30, 2025.
The employer would have to file Form I-129 under the newly released FY 2026 edition of the petition form, and pay applicable fees under the new fee structure from April 1, 2025.
Alternate pathways
Alternative options for non-selected applicants
For people who weren't picked in the lottery, there are other options available, such as 'Day 1 CPT' programs or employer-sponsored green card applications.
These provide other ways to stay in the US.
However, immigration attorneys are in the best position to advise on which would be most beneficial according to individual circumstances.