U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it will increase the premium processing fee for most petitions currently eligible for premium processing to $2,500 (yes, that’s a 75% increase!). The new processing fee takes effect on Monday, October 19. For petitions requesting H-2B or R-1 (religious workers) classification, the fee will increase from $1,440 to $1,500.
Read MoreAs part of an appropriations bill that was passed last week to fund the US government, Congress has authorized U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to raise its premium processing fees from $1,440 to $2,500, and to expand the petitions and applications eligible for premium processing to include applications for employment authorization (Form I-765), applications to change or extend status (Form I-539), and immigrant petitions for multinational managers and executives (Form I-140). The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also will have the authority to designate other cases for premium service.
Read MoreU.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it will increase most of its government filing fees effective October 2, 2020, due to budgetary shortfalls. It also will change the premium processing time from 15 calendar days to 15 business days. Finally, it will issue new versions of Form I-129 and Form I-765 in the next 30 days, which also will take effect on October 2, 2020.
Read MoreAfter temporarily suspending premium processing for nonimmigrant (I-129) and immigrant (I-140) petitions due to COVID-19, USCIS announced on May 29, 2020 they will resume premium processing services in the following four phases:
Read MoreUSCIS has extended its temporary suspension of all in-person services from April 1 to May 3 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Face-to-face services have been cancelled at all field offices, asylum offices, and Application Support Centers (ASCs) until May 3.
Read MoreUSCIS announced last night that premium processing will not be available for most H-1B petitions selected in this year’s lottery until June 29, 2020 (at the earliest). However, H-1B petitions filed on behalf of international students (F-1) seeking a change of status to H-1B may request premium processing by May 27, 2020.
Read MoreU.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) plans to increase most of its government filing fees, and change the premium processing time to 15 business days instead of calendar days due to budgetary shortfalls.
Read MoreUSCIS has announced that it will resume premium processing on Tuesday, February 19, 2019, for all H-1B petitions (transfers, extensions, amendments, etc.) filed on or before December 21, 2018.
Read MoreUSCIS announced today that premium processing will become available for pending H-1B cap cases as of Monday, January 28, 2019. Employers who have received requests for evidence (RFEs) for pending H-1B cap petitions should include their RFE reply with their request for premium processing.
Read MoreUSCIS announced today that it will temporarily suspend premium processing for most H-1B petitions filed at the Vermont and California Service Centers beginning September 11, 2018. USCIS expects that the suspension will last until February 19, 2019.
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