- The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will reject outdated Form I-129 submissions starting April 1, 2026
- The updated form now requires detailed educational and experience information from employers
- Changes align with new wage-weighted lottery system for FY27 H1B cap season
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues.
Washington DC, United States – The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has shared details of the form it will start rejecting from visa applaicants from April 1, 2026.
The USCIS notified visa applicants about the updated edition of Form I-129, dated 02/27/26.
The updated form includes significant changes to the H Classification Supplement that employers and practitioners should understand.
As reported by Times of India, this is in preparation for the fiscal year 2027 (FY27) H1B cap season under the new wage-weighted lottery system.
What is Form I-129
USCIS explained that the Form I-129 is used by employers to file on behalf of a nonimmigrant worker to come to the United States.
This is temporarily to perform services or labour, or to receive training, as a nonimmigrant worker.
In the the revised Form I-129, employers are asked to detail the minimum educational requirements for the position it is hiring for, along with other information like exact field of study.
It also ncludes requirement of minimum experience and if the role includes supervisory responsibilities, among others.
In the updated edition, USCIS is now collecting this information directly to verify that the correct wage level has been selected.
USCIS’ alert on Form I-129
The USCIS, in a statement issied on its website, “USCIS’ alert on Form I-129” wrote:
“On Feb. 27, 2026, USCIS published a new edition of Form I-129 (edition date 02/27/26).
“Starting April 1, 2026, we will accept only the 02/27/26 edition. Until then, you can also use the 01/20/25 edition. The edition date is at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions.
“If you file Form I-129 please note that we will:
Accept the 01/20/25 edition of Form I-129 if it is received on or before March 31, 2026; and Reject the 01/20/25 edition of Form I-129 if it is received on or after April 1, 2026.”
US Embassy cancels visa appointments in Abuja
Recall that the US Embassy in Abuja cancelled all visa appointments amid the protests trailing the unrest in Iran.
The embassy also advised US citizens in the city to remain indoors and take added precautions.
Officials have paused visa services temporarily while keeping other consular operations open in Abuja and Lagos.
U.S. visa application: Requirements Nigerians must meet
Legit.ng also reported that six new requirements were released for Nigerians applying for US visa.
The United States Mission in Nigeria has asked applicants to submit all social media usernames and handles.
The new requirements cover other aspects of the visa application and process for Nigerians travelling to the United States.
Source: Legit.ng
