USCIS Expands Premium Processing

Effective January 30, 2023, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will offer Premium Processing services for all new and currently pending Form I-140, Immigrant Petitions for Alien Workers, including:

• multinational executives and managers (EB-1); and
• members of professions with advanced degrees or exceptional ability (EB-2) seeking a national interest waiver.

Additionally, in their announcement, USCIS provided  guidance on the agency’s plans to further expand premium processing. In the coming months, USCIS is planning to provide premium processing to the following individuals:

• March 2023- certain F-1 students seeking Optional Practical Training (OPT);
• March 2023- F-1 students seeking STEM OPT extensions who have a pending Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization (Form I-765); and
• April 2023- F-1 students seeing OPT and F-1 students seeking STEM OPT extensions who are filing an initial Form I-765.

Specific dates for each group will be announced by USCIS in February.

The agency’s plans for expansion do not stop there. In May, USCIS is hoping to provide premium processing for certain student and exchange visitors with pending Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status and, in June, certain student and exchange visitors who are filing initial Form I-539 applications.

Overall, USCIS is implementing these changes to try and reduce processing times and increase the agency’s efficiency.

For additional information or to receive assistance with requesting premium processing, please get in touch with any Butzel Immigration Practice Group Attorney.

Yasmeen Farran
313.225.5303
farran@butzel.com