What is the official start date of the U.S. fiscal year?

The U.S. government fiscal year officially begins on October 1 and ends on September 30 of the following year. This is the cycle the government uses to organize its annual budget of revenues and expenditures.

For anyone tracking the H-1B visa, this calendar is a useful reference. Several procedures and policy definitions tend to be organized around the start of each fiscal year, including the annual cycle in which petitions can be filed and processed.

It is worth noting that the fiscal year is simply a calendar marker. Specific deadlines, filing windows, slot limits, and process rules vary each cycle and are defined by the relevant authorities, so it is not advisable to rely on dates or numbers from memory.

Before planning any step of your process, confirm the current calendar and requirements directly with the USCIS or a trusted specialist. This way you can align your strategy with the correct cycle and avoid surprises.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.