USCIS Expands Premium Processing Service for Certain Form I-140 Petitions

As of March 2, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has expanded Premium Processing Service for designated Forms I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker) to include alien beneficiaries who have reached, or are reaching, their limitation of stay in H-1B nonimmigrant status.  Previously, only certain alien beneficiaries who were in H-1B nonimmigrant status at the time of filing were able to request premium processing for Form I-140. 

As a result of this action (further details are available in a fact sheet), USCIS will accept Form I-907 (Request for Premium Processing Service) for alien worker petitions filed on behalf of alien beneficiaries who, as of the date of filing the Form I-907:

    • are the beneficiary of a Form I-140 petition filed in a preference category that has been designated for premium processing service;
    • have reached the sixth-year statutory limitation of their H-1B stay, or will reach the end of their sixth year of H-1B stay within 60 days of filing;
    • are only eligible for a further H-1B extension under section 104(c) of the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-first Century Act of 2000 (AC21); and
    • are ineligible to extend their H-1B status under section 106(a) of AC21.

Information contained in this publication is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or opinion, nor is it a substitute for the professional judgment of an attorney.