BBI Law Group, P.C.

03/08/2026

01/31/2026

FY 2027 H-1B Cap Initial Registration Period Opens on March 4:

Key dates to remember:
- Registration Opens: March 4, 2026 at 12:00 PM (Noon) Eastern.
- Registration Closes: March 19, 2026 at 12:00 PM (Noon) Eastern
- Selection Notifications By: March 31, 2026

All selections and notices will be issued through the USCIS online accounts.
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Mandatory Electronic Registration:
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During the registration window, employers must:
- Submit an electronic registration for each beneficiary
- Pay the $215 registration fee per beneficiary
- Use a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) online account
- Attn: No paper filings. No early submissions. The system will only allow beneficiary entry and fee payment starting March 4 at noon Eastern.
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Who Needs an Online Account:

* Employers (Petitioners):
- Must create an Organizational USCIS Online Account if they don’t already have one
- Can prepare their account before March 4, but cannot submit registrations until the system opens

* Attorneys / Representatives:
- May add company clients to their representative accounts at any time
- Must also wait until March 4 to enter beneficiary data and submit registrations
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Selection Process (After March 19):
Selections occur only after the registration period closes.
- USCIS will notify selected registrants by March 31, 2026
- Only those selected may file a full H-1B cap petition
- This applies to:
• Regular cap cases
• Advanced Degree (Master’s Cap) cases
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Major Changes for FY 2027 – New Selection System:

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a new rule changing how H-1B registrations are selected.

Instead of a simple lottery, USCIS will now use a weighted selection process that:
- Prioritizes higher-skilled
- Prioritizes higher-paid positions
- Aims to better protect U.S. worker wages and job opportunities

How it works:
* If registrations exceed the cap
→ USCIS will conduct a weighted selection among properly submitted registrations for unique beneficiaries

If registrations do NOT exceed the cap → All properly submitted registrations will be selected.

01/14/2026

Source: Fox News
Published: January 14, 2026

DOS Freezes Visa Processing for 75 Countries, Including Somalia, Russia, and Iran
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The U.S. Department of State is pausing immigrant visa processing for 75 countries in an effort to crack down on applicants deemed likely to become a public charge.

The pause will begin on January 21 and will continue indefinitely while the department conducts a reassessment of its immigrant visa processing procedures.

The guidance instructs consular officers to deny visas to applicants who are considered likely to rely on public benefits. Officers are directed to weigh a wide range of factors, including health, age, English proficiency, financial resources, and the potential need for long-term medical care.

Under the guidance, older or overweight applicants could be denied, as well as individuals with any past use of government cash assistance or a history of institutionalization.

The full list of affected countries includes: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.

BBI Law Group PC

01/14/2026

DHS Reduces Wait Times for Thousands of Religious Workers Abroad:
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a rule removing the requirement that R-1 religious workers must reside outside the United States for one year after reaching the statutory five-year maximum period of stay. Although R-1 religious workers are still required to depart the U.S., the rule eliminates the minimum time they must remain physically present abroad before seeking readmission in R-1 status.

By eliminating the one-year foreign residency requirement, USCIS aims to reduce the time religious organizations are left without their trusted clergy and non-ministerial religious workers.

The interim final rule is effective immediately.

USCIS is inviting written comments and related materials within 60 days of the rule’s publication in the Federal Register.

Thanks.

BBI Law Group PC

12/30/2025

https://youtu.be/mdEOvr19B50?si=s4vkIYxUpf-rRMMi

NRI Immigration Lawyer Bhanu Babu Ilindra | Latest Immigration Updates | America | Mahaa News USA This content discusses the ongoing H-1B visa immigration ch...

12/23/2025

The Department of Homeland Security is set to publish a Final Rule on December 29, 2025, which will implement an H-1B Lottery Registration based on a wage-based weighted selection process. This rule will take effect on February 27, 2026, which is 60 days after publication.

The new selection process will work alongside the existing beneficiary-centric approach. The initial registration period for H-1B cap-subject petitions will last a minimum of 14 days and will begin at least 14 days before the earliest filing date, with specific dates to be announced by USCIS on its website.

Here’s how the new process will function:
- In cases of random selection, USCIS will enter each unique beneficiary (or petition) into the selection pool based on wage levels:
- Wage level IV: entered four times
- Wage level III: entered three times
- Wage level II: entered two times
- Wage level I: entered once

To submit H-1B Lottery Registrations, registrants must:
- Select the highest OEWS wage level that the beneficiary’s wage generally equals or exceeds.
- Provide the SOC code for the proffered position.
- Indicate the area of intended employment that corresponds with the selected OEWS wage level.

Regarding H-1B Petition Filing Requirements, the final rule mandates that petitions filed after registration selection must include the same identifying information and position details, such as OEWS wage level, SOC code, and area of intended employment, as provided in the selected registration. USCIS will have the authority to deny or revoke petitions if misrepresentation is found.

The anticipated impact of this rule includes:
- A reduction in the selection of H-1Bs for entry-level or Level 2 positions.
- Lack of clarification in the unpublished final rule regarding the entry of individuals into the lottery pool when using alternative wages, such as collective bargaining agreement wages. It is expected that registrations using these wages will be entered similarly

11/27/2025

Appreciative of the individuals, experiences, and opportunities that rendered everything exceptional. My heartfelt appreciation!! Happy Thanksgiving! 🍂❤️