USCIS Reminds Employers About H-1B I-129 Filing Location Change and FY 2025 H-1B Cap Updates

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued several H-1B-related announcements and reminders:

USCIS reminded employers that starting April 1, 2024, H-1B and H-1B1 (HSC) Form I-129 petitions must no longer be filed at USCIS service centers. All paper-based H-1B and H-1B1 (HSC) Form I-129 petitions must be filed at USCIS lockbox locations, including cap, non-cap, and cap-exempt H-1B filings. USCIS said it will reject such petitions received at a USCIS service center on or after April 1, 2024. There will be no grace period.
USCIS also reminded employers that the initial registration period for the FY 2025 H-1B cap season closed at noon ET on March 25, 2024. USCIS said it “will soon randomly select enough unique beneficiaries of properly submitted registrations projected as needed to reach the FY 2025 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap), including the advanced degree exemption (master’s cap), and will notify all prospective petitioners with selected beneficiaries that they are eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition for such beneficiaries.”
Topics also included new fees and when to use the new I-129 form edition (04/01/24), online filing and organizational accounts, and prepaid mailers no longer being used.