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Apply for an H-1B Visa and Sponsor Yourself as an Entrepreneur in 2026
At RelisLaw, We've Helped Many Entepreneurs to achieve their immigration status in the U.S!
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Effective January 17, 2025, a new H-1B option allows entrepreneurs and startup founders to sponsor themselves through their own U.S. company—even if they own a majority of the business. If your role requires specialized knowledge and your company meets certain requirements, you may be eligible to live and work in the United States while growing your startup.
The H-1B visa for entrepreneurs offers an opportunity to build and grow your own business in the United States while maintaining legal work authorization. Eligible founders can sponsor themselves through their U.S. company, even if they own more than 50% of the business.
At RelisLaw, we protect your status by getting you an H1B visa as a self sponsor.
Don’t miss your chance for a case evaluation!
How to get a Waiver Approval?
Before applying for an H-1B visa as an entrepreneur, it is important to understand that your business must be a legitimate U.S. entity and your role must qualify as a specialty occupation. The majority of your job duties should require specialized knowledge related to your education and expertise, not simply general business ownership or management responsibilities.
Entrepreneur H-1B petitions have specific requirements and limitations that differ from traditional H-1B cases. Initial approvals are granted for 18 months, and your company must demonstrate that it can pay the required prevailing wage. Proper business documentation and a clear explanation of why your expertise is essential to the company are key to building a strong petition.
- Your business must be properly formed and actively operating in the United States.
- Your position must qualify as a specialty occupation requiring specialized knowledge.
- You must be paid the prevailing wage through your company.
- Initial H-1B approval for beneficiary owners is generally limited to 18 months, with extension options available.
- 1. Who qualifies?: Determine whether your business ownership, educational background, and professional role qualify for an entrepreneur H-1B visa.
- 2. Gather Supporting Documents: Gather evidence demonstrating your company's financial viability, your specialized role within the business, and why your expertise is essential to its success.
- 3. Submit your H-1B petition during the appropriate filing period and complete any required government filing procedures.
- 4. The Lottery: If registrations exceed the annual cap, USCIS holds a random lottery to select the beneficiaries invited to apply.
- 5. Once approved, you can work for your own U.S. company in accordance with your H-1B status while continuing to develop and scale your startup.
What is the 10 day rule for H-1B?
The 10-day grace period applies, for example, if you finish a full three years of H-1B employment but the employer does not file for an extension. Usually, during entry, the CBP limits the date of authorized stay on the I-94 as the 3-year period marked on the H-1B approval notice, plus 10 days.
Will there be no H-1B lottery in 2027?
FY 2027 marked the first year DHS replaced the traditional random lottery with a weighted selection system based on Department of Labor prevailing wage levels.
H1B application deadline 2026-2027
The FY 2027 H-1B cap initial registration period ran from March 4 to March 19, 2026, and the deadline for employers to submit full petitions for selected candidates ended on June 30, 2026. Because the cap quota of 85,000 was fully met, USCIS will not run a second lottery for FY 2027
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