US has modified the form filed by petitioners on behalf of a non-immigrant worker coming to the United States. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has released a revised edition of Form I-129 for the 2027 update, featuring expanded compliance language, additional data fields, and a more structured format for temporary worker petitions by employers. On February 27, 2026, USCIS published a new edition of Form I-129, edition date 02/27/26.
Starting April 1, 2026, USCIS will accept only the 02/27/26 edition. Until then, one can also use the 01/20/25 edition. The edition date is at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions.
USCIS 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.
What’s New in the Updated Form I-129 version
The new Form I-129 version reorganizes employer and beneficiary information for clarity and includes expanded attestations requiring employers to certify compliance with fee payment rules, relevant labor condition requirements, and prohibitions on passing specific filing costs to workers, emphasizing employer accountability and accurate disclosures.
“The updated Form I-129 now requires details used to determine the LCA wage level (minimum job requirements, degree field, supervision, etc.). For H1B cap cases, employers must also list the wage level selected during H1B registration,” according to Reddy Neumann Brown PC, an Houston based Immigration Law Firm.
The form enhances detail in sections regarding worksite locations, diverse employment scenarios, and beneficiaries’ immigration histories. It presents classification categories in a more organized manner to minimize ambiguity in visa selection, thus aiding precise adjudication.
While the core visa classifications remain intact, the amended form requires more data and expands employer certifications, indicating that Form I-129 petitions will face stricter procedural scrutiny.
Form I-129
Certain visa categories need an approved labor certification. First, the prospective employer must apply for the labor certification with the Department of Labor. Then, the prospective employer can file the Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, Form I-129, with USCIS.
Form I-129 is to be used not only by H-1B petitioners but they can use this form to file on behalf of any nonimmigrant worker to come to the United States temporarily to perform services or labor, or to receive training, as an H-2A, H-2B, H-3, L-1, O-1, O-2, P-1, P-1S, P-2, P-2S, P-3, P-3S, Q-1 or R-1 nonimmigrant worker.
Petitioners may also use this form to request an extension of stay in or a change of status to E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B1 or TN, or one of the above classifications for an alien.
Form I-129 is also used for those shifting from study to work permits. The new guidance has exempted the US employers hiring F-1 students under the H-1B program. If you are an F-1 student interested in changing to H-1B status, your prospective employer must sponsor you and file a Form I-129 petition. An F-1 student’s current or prospective employer may petition USCIS for H-1B status on their behalf by filing a timely cap-subject Form I-129, “Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker.”