How to Enter the H1B Visa Lottery and Where to Check the Results for 2024

If you’re a foreigner who wants to move and work in the US, getting an H1B visa is likely your best option. However, securing one of these has only gotten more challenging over time. Each year, hundreds of thousands of people worldwide apply for the H1B Visa Lottery, so even just getting your application looked at requires a lot of luck. If you are looking for H1B lottery results 2024, let us guide you.

Luckily, even if you don’t get selected one year, you can always try again the next. That’s precisely why staying up to date with the latest news and updates regarding the H1B Visa Lottery is essential.

In this article, we will guide you through everything you need to know about this lottery, including:

• How to know you’re eligible to enter;
• How to enter the lottery;
• The timeline of all the important events regarding the lottery;
• How to check the H1B lottery results 2024;
• And more…

But first, let’s explain what the H1B Visa Lottery even is and how it works…

What Is an H1B Visa Lottery?

The H1B Visa is a temporary US work visa that allows highly specialized professionals to enter, work, and reside in the States for a limited time. Applicants must hold at least a Bachelor’s degree to enter this lottery, unlike the Green Card Lottery, where they can also enter with a high school education. Although the H1B visa is temporary, you can renew it indefinitely. This visa is available to foreigners worldwide, which makes it one of the most popular visas people apply for.

Because of such high demand for this visa, the US government processes only a certain number of applications yearly. That’s why it created an unbiased lottery system called the H1B Lottery to give equal opportunity to individuals of all backgrounds, races, and nationalities, regardless of when they applied. The H1B Visa Lottery is entirely random and is the only way to earn a chance to get your H1B visa application reviewed.

Important: Winning the H1B Visa Lottery only gets your application reviewed and does not guarantee its approval. Your application may still get declined even if you get selected as one of the winners.

How Does the H1B Visa Lottery Work?

The H1B Visa Lottery allows almost anyone to secure a US work visa and get a job on American soil. Although the Lottery is pretty straightforward, there are several points to keep in mind when applying:

1. There is only a limited number of visa applications processed each year (85,000);
2. The process of selection is entirely random, regardless of whether you were one of the first to apply or otherwise;
3. In the first round of the H1B Visa Lottery, employers or their representatives provide the necessary information about their beneficiaries for the visa;
4. The second round of the H1B Visa Lottery is conducted if there are any visa slots left after the first round. This round focuses exclusively on individuals with high-level degrees from American universities.
5. If you get selected in the Lottery, you will then need to submit your full visa application and the mandatory supporting documentation.

If you find yourself one of the lucky winners and get your H1B visa approved, you’ll be able to move to the US and work there for up to three years. After that, you’ll have to renew your visa, apply for permanent residence, or return home.

How Many Applications Are Processed Each Year in the H1B Visa Lottery?

The USCIS processes 85,000 H1B visa requests each year. Although that may seem a lot, there are usually over 700,000 Lottery participants annually, so only about 10% of applicants get their case processed.

This yearly Visa quota, though, is divided into two “quota caps”:

• Regular Quota: 65,000 visas
• Master’s Quota: 20,000 visas (only applicants with at least a Master’s degree from a US university are eligible for this bracket)

If you hold a Master’s degree or a Ph.D. from an American educational institution, you’ll have better odds of winning the lottery and getting a chance to earn a US work visa, as there are typically fewer applicants that fall under that quota cap.

H1B Visa Lottery Application Timeline

Due to the amount of time needed to process all the visa applications, the application deadline for each year’s Lottery is quite short. Users must create their USCIS accounts and submit their Visa requests between late February and mid-March to enter the H1B Visa Lottery for that USCIS fiscal year. The exact dates are always announced in January of each year and may differ from year to year.

If you’re planning to enter the H1B Visa Lottery in 2024, here’s the exact application timeline you’ll need to follow:

If your application passes the Lottery, the next step will be to submit the follow-up documentation (you or your benefactor) and get an H1B Visa Stamp at a US embassy or consulate. Finally, if your visa is approved, you’ll be eligible to start working in the US from October 1, 2024.

H1B Visa Lottery Fees (And Who Covers Them)

The prerequisite to even entering the H1B Visa Lottery is to cover all the mandatory fees associated with it. Although most of these should be covered by your employer, it’s crucial to understand them all since missing even one can result in your application getting rejected automatically.

Here’s a short overview of the most common fees associated with the H1B Visa Lottery:

• Registration Fee — $10
• Filing Fee — $460
• Premium Processing (Optional) — $2,500
• Public Law 114-113 Fee — $4,000
• ACWIA Education and Training Fee — $750 (companies with fewer than 25 employees) or $1,500 (companies with over 25 employees) 
• USCIS Anti-Fraud Fee — $500
• Attorney Fee — Depends on individual attorney’s fees.

How Do You Check If You’re Eligible For An H1B Visa Lottery?

Before you can even enter the H1B Lottery, you must ensure you meet all the criteria proposed by the US government. Due to the high demand for working and living in the United States, applicants will need to tick many boxes before entering the Loterry:

1. You need to possess at least a bachelor’s degree or higher in a specialty occupation;
2. A US employer must vouch for you and serve as your benefactor;
3. Your employer needs to sign and submit the H1B petition on your behalf;
4. You must be proficient in the English language (and provide proof);
5. You must pass a criminal background check;
6. Applicants must not be employed under an H1B work visa anywhere else except the US;
7. You must be available to start working by October 1 of the current Lottery season year;
8. Applicants may not apply if they show a desire to immigrate permanently.

If you meet these criteria, you can proceed with your application. If not, you can always try next year, as there’s no limit to how many times you can apply.

How to Apply for the H1B Visa and Check H1B Lottery Results 2024?

The applications for the H1B Visa Lottery open on March 1, 2024, and close on March 17, 2024. It’s crucial to get everything ready before then so you can immediately apply. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. Create an Online USCIS Account

The first thing you need is to register an account at the USCIS website, (and in order to do that, you will need your USCIS Account Number). You should do that before the deadline in February 2024, as your benefactor (your employer) will need to submit your application through your USCIS account. 

2. Pay for the Registration Process

Before your employer can submit your personal information, you’ll need to cover the $10 processing fee. Make sure to handle this before March 1, when the registrations officially open.

3. Wait for the H1B Lottery Results 2024

After your employer forwards your data and submits the application, you’ll need to wait for the USCIS to process all the applicants and publish the results. If you pass the 2024 H1B Lottery, you should receive a notification in your USCIS account by March 31.

How to Check H1B Lottery Results 2024?

Even if you don’t receive a notification for your case’s update, you can still check the H1B Visa Lottery results in a few clicks.

Firstly, when entering the lottery, you will receive a 16-digit number called the “Beneficiary Confirmation Number.” The first three digits of the number represent the fiscal year of your application, so finding it shouldn’t be difficult.

However, there’s a catch — if your benefactor applied for you, only they will be able to check the results of the lottery. If that’s the case, you’ll need to contact your employer and ask for the results.

But if you applied as an individual, you can check your H1B Visa Lottery results in your online USCIS account. All you’ll need is to enter the receipt number provided by the USCIS and click “Check Case Status.”

From there, you’ll be presented with one of the following statuses:

• Submitted — This status means your application was successfully submitted and will keep being considered for any remaining selections in the current fiscal year.

• Selected — If you are selected, you have successfully won the lottery and can proceed with filing your H1B petition.

• Not Selected — This status means you haven’t passed the lottery and will need to try again next year.

• Denied — If you see this status, your applications have been annulled for that fiscal year due to a breach of terms or some kind of violation of USCIS’s policy (e.g., submitting several applications).

• Invalidated-Failed Payment — You will find this status if your payment has been declined, reconciled, or disputed.

The Final Steps: What to Do After Winning the H1B Visa Lottery

Finally, once you’ve won the lottery, you are one step closer to moving and working in the US. However, the process is not over.

After being selected in the 2024 H1B Visa Lottery, there are a few more things to do before getting a visa:

1. File the H1B Petition — Winning the lottery only gives you the right to submit your H1B petition. Once you are selected, your benefactor should prepare and send the petition and your data to the USCIS by June 30. 
2. Wait for Your Documents to be Processed — After receiving your documentation, the USCIS will need to process them before coming to the final decision. This process can last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. You may also need to conduct an interview with the US government representatives as well, so keep an eye out for any updates during the process.
3. Check Your Application’s Results — Once you receive your petition’s result, you’ll either become eligible to move to the US starting October 1 or will be rejected and need to re-apply next year.

FOnce you finally get accepted, all that’s left is to prepare for your relocation to the US by October 1! If you need help with planning your move, read our comprehensive guide on moving to the US.

Good luck checking the H1B lottery results 2024!