On May 4, 2015, United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) announced its completion of data entry for all FY 2016 H-1B cap-subject petitions selected in the computer-generated lottery process. All unselected H-1B cap-subject petitions will be returned in the weeks to come.

When to Expect Notice of Receipt

Petitioners who filed their cases under premium processing should have received a petition receipt notice. If a notice was not received, it is likely that their case was not selected in the H-1B cap lottery.

Petitioners who filed their cases under regular processing should receive a receipt notice by mid-May if their case was selected in the H-1B cap lottery. Applicants who do not receive a receipt notice by the end of May are likely to have had their cases rejected in the H-1B cap lottery process.

Unselected Petitions to Be Returned

Due to the high volume of H-1B petitions received, USCIS cannot provide a time frame within which the unselected petitions will be returned. USCIS asks that petitioners do not inquire about the status of submitted cap-subject petitions until they have received a receipt notice or return package.

An announcement will be issued by USCIS once all petitions have been returned.

If you find that your H-1B petition was not selected, you may have other options for extending your stay in the US.