Premium Processing for H-1B Reinstated

Earlier this month USCIS announced that it will once again begin accepting premium processing requests for all categories of H-1B petitions. In March, the agency had suspended premium processing for H-1B petitions to address their increasing backlog of H-1B petitions. Over the next six months, USCIS had been incrementally permitting certain H-1B cases to take advantage of the expedited adjudication process. However, the latest announcement allows petitioners to file premium processing requests for all H-1B categories, including H-1B visa extensions. For those responding to Requests for Evidence (RFEs), employers can upgrade pending petitions to premium processing. In fact, any pending H-1B petition filed under the standard program now can be upgraded to premium processing.  Premium processing costs an additional $1,225 in filing fees and ensures that the case will be adjudicated in 15 days.