USCIS Announces Final Phase of Premium Processing Expansion for EB-1 and EB-2 Form I-140 Petitions

Also Future Expansion for F-1 Students Seeking OPT and Certain Student and Exchange Visitors

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, we 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.

USCIS is expanding premium processing to additional form types as part of its efforts to increase efficiency and reduce burdens to the overall legal immigration system. In March, USCIS plans to 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, they plan to 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.

If you think these changes might apply in your case, contact our office.