US to restart premium processing of visas from June

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced a phased opening of premium processing for various visa applications.

On June 1, premium processing will be open for all eligible employment-based green card (I-140) applications. From June 8, requests for premium processing can be filed for H-1B applications that are pending adjudication and those that are cap-exempt (certain category of US employers such as higher educational institutions are not subject to the annual H-1B quotas).

Premium processing for H-1B cap subject applications will not begin until the last phase of the timeline which is expected to start on June 22. These dates may be subject to change, USCIS cautioned.

Employers sponsoring H-1B staffers find premium processing useful, as USCIS is required to make a decision on an application within 15 days.

Currently the fee is $1,440 (about Rs 1,08,753) per application, but there is speculation that an increase will be announced shortly, especially as USCIS is strapped for funds.

Premium processing also helps take care of the cap-gap situation for international students who post their optional training programme are migrating to an H-1B. These students need to stop work on October 1, if their H-1B application is still pending.

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