USCIS Premium Processing Expanded & Cost Increased

Congress passes Bill adding new USCIS Premium Processing categories. In good news for those who need their cases decided more quickly, Congress added a number of new premium processing options for those who want to file visa applications.

Bill H.R.8337 calls for the expansion of premium processing for most employment-based immigration application and potentially all USCIS benefits.

Watch the short update video for details.

Before the Bill, USCIS guaranteed processing times of fifteen calendar days and the cost of Premium Processing was $1,440 for petitions for temporary visas that used the form I-129, which includes the following visa types:

E-1 E-2 H-1B H-2B H-3 L-1A

L-1B Blanket L-1 O-1 O-2 P-1 P-2

P-3 Q-1 R-1 TN TN-2

For immigrant petitions, premium processing was available with certain exceptions for the employment-based first, second, and third preferences, that’s the EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3.

The legislation details the maximum cost and timeframes for the processing under benefit types that will now be eligible for premium processing.

For multinational managers and executives under the EB-1 and members of professions with advanced degrees under the National Interest Waiver with the EB-2, the fee is set at an amount not greater than $2,500 and the required timeframe is no greater than 45 days.

For individuals changing to the F, J, or M categories (typically students), the fee is set at an amount not greater than $1,750, and the required processing timeframe is not greater than 30 days.

For foreign nationals seeking to change status to be classified as dependents of E, H, L, O, P, or R categories, or to extend such status, the fee is set at an amount not greater than $1,750, and the timeframe will be no greater than 30 days.

For applications for Employment Authorizations, the EAD card, the fee is set at an amount not greater than $1,500, and the required processing timeframe is not greater than 30 days.

Watch the video here: