In a Press Release dated August 18, 2006, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will expand its Premium Processing (PP) service to employment based I-140 petitions.  USCIS has stated that only I-140 Petitions for 3^rd preference (EB-3) Professionals and Skilled Workers will be included in the PP expansion at this time.  Additional types of I-140s will be accepted for premium processing at a later date.  USCIS will begin accepting EB-3 I-140 Petitions for Premium Processing on August 28, 2006.

Until this new rule goes into effect for EB-3 I-140s, only certain non-immigrant visa petitions (Forms I-129) are eligible for Premium Processing.  Under Premium Processing, for a surcharge of $1,000, the USCIS will either approve, deny, or issue a Request for Evidence (RFE) within 15 calendar days of receiving the application or petition.  Premium Processing is limited to applications and petitions filed by employers, and is not available on family-based petitions or individual applications, such as adjustment of status.

In addition to the expansion of the PP service, USCIS also announced a revision of the Request for Premium Processing Services form (Form I-907).  Any PP cases filed before August 28, 2006 must use the existing Form I-907 and any cases filed on or after August 28, 2006 must use the revised I-907 Form.

© 1999-2012, Jackson & Hertogs - All rights reserved