Premium Processing Expanded to Initial NIW and Multinational Manager I-140s on January 30, 2023

USCIS has announced the final phase of Premium Processing expansion for EB-1 I-140 petitions. Starting on January 30, 2023, USCIS will accept Form I-907 applications for all pending multinational manager and executive petitions as well as National Interset Waiver (NIWs) petitions AND all initial filings for these categories. USCIS has also announced that additional Premium Processing expansions will be announced in March for F-1 students seeking work authorization throuhg Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM OPT. 

These announcements continue the slow roll out of addtional categores of USCIS applications in which the Premium Processing service is available.  This service costs $2500 and guarantees the applicant that USCIS will take some action on a petition with in 15 calendar days for most petitions, including I-129s and many I-140s. For NIWs and Multinational Manager I-140s USCIS has increased the time frame to 45 days.  

This is a welcome announcement for applicants and employers alike. Current procesing times for NIWs and Multinational Manager petitions can run upwards of 18 months leaving applicants in bureacratic limbo for long periods of time. However, careful consdideration must be given when deciding whether to opt for the Premium Processing Service.  Immigration practitioners and hard data both confirm that applicants who choose Premium Processing are much more likely to receive Requests for Evidence (RFE) on their petitions from USCIS.  Once an RFE is recieved, the clock stops, and does not restart again until the applicant responds to the RFE. 

More information on Premium Processing and application eligibility can be found here

F-1 Student Ban from 100% Remote Education Rescinded

On July 14, 2020, the Trump Administration rescinded SEVP guidance issued last week,  which forbid F-1 students from attending universities that were planning to be 100% remote during the fall 2020 semester.  With the rescission, schools may now revert to following  the SEVP March 9 Broadcast Message: Coronavirus Disease 2019 and the March 13  COVID-19: Guidance for SEVP Stakeholders . Read more about this important development in our education law blog, UpdateED.

 

 

 

J-Visa Program Changes Now In Effect

The J-Visa International Exchange Visitor Program is designed to foster international exchange between the United States and the world. The program has categories for scholars, trainees, college interns, camp counselors, au pairs and many others. In spite of its original intentions, the program has gotten increasingly complex, expensive and difficult to use for employers and international visitors. This is due to stricter requirements and scrutiny now required of and by J-Visa program sponsors. The latest changes to go into effect now include the following: Continue reading “J-Visa Program Changes Now In Effect”

© 2009- Duane Morris LLP. Duane Morris is a registered service mark of Duane Morris LLP.

The opinions expressed on this blog are those of the author and are not to be construed as legal advice.

Proudly powered by WordPress