U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is implementing the final phase of the premium processing expansion for Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, under the EB-1 and EB-2 classifications.
Unlike previous phases of the expansion, this phase applies to new (initial) petitions, in addition to all previously filed Form I-140 petitions under an E13 multinational executive and manager classification or E21 classification as a member of professions with advanced degrees or exceptional ability seeking a national interest waiver (NIW).
Petitioners who wish to request premium processing must file Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service.
Beginning Jan. 30, 2023, USCIS will accept Form I-907 requests for:
– All pending E13 multinational executive and manager petitions and E21 NIW petitions; and
– All initial E13 multinational executive and manager petitions and E21 NIW petitions.
As previously announced, USCIS is expanding premium processing to additional form types as part of USCIS efforts to increase efficiency and reduce burdens to the overall legal immigration system. In March, USCIS will expand premium processing to certain F-1 students seeking Optional Practical Training (OPT) and F-1 students seeking STEM OPT extensions who have a pending Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. In April, USCIS will expand premium processing to F-1 students seeking OPT and F-1 students seeking STEM OPT extensions who are filing an initial Form I-765. USCIS will announce specific dates for each group in February.
As USCIS implements the expansion of premium processing in a phased approach, USCIS will continue working toward premium processing availability of Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status. USCIS anticipates expanding premium processing for certain student and exchange visitors with pending Form I-539 applications in May and certain student and exchange visitors who are filing initial Form I-539 applications in June. USCIS will make an announcement when they are ready to implement these phases. USCIS will also adhere to the legislative requirement that the expansion of premium processing does not result in an increase in processing times for immigration benefit requests not designated for premium processing or an increase in regular processing of immigration benefit requests so designated.
If you have any questions about how the immigration and nationality laws in the United States may impact you or your family members or if you want to access additional information about the United States or Canadian immigration and nationality laws, please feel free to get in touch with the immigration and nationality lawyers at NPZ Law Group. You can send us an email at info@visaserve.com or call us at 201-670-0006 extension 104. In addition, we invite you to find more information on our website at www.visaserve.com