USCIS Extends H-1B Registration Period for FY 2025 Cap Due to System Outage

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an extension for the initial registration period for the fiscal year (FY) 2025 H-1B visa cap. The extension comes after some registrants experienced temporary system outages during the initial registration window.

The registration period, which opened on March 6th, 2024, was originally scheduled to close on March 22nd. USCIS has extended the deadline to March 25th, 2024, at noon Eastern Time to allow impacted individuals additional time to register.

“USCIS is aware of a temporary system outage experienced by some registrants,” the agency said in a statement. “We are extending the registration period to provide additional time due to this issue.”

The H-1B visa is a popular option for companies seeking foreign workers in specialty occupations. The number of visas available each year is capped, and USCIS uses a lottery system to select applicants.

This year, USCIS launched a new system for H-1B registration and petition filing. The system requires organizations to create a myUSCIS organizational account to participate in the electronic registration process. This account allows for collaboration among internal teams and legal representatives on H-1B registrations, petitions, and premium processing requests.

USCIS highlighted resources available to help organizations navigate the new system, including an updated FAQ page on organizational accounts and upcoming Tech Talks sessions where individuals can ask questions about the process.

The agency still intends to notify selected registrants by March 31st, 2024.