U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced on June 12, 2023 that it is expanding premium processing to certain I-539 applicants filing to change status to F-1 academic student, F-2 dependent, M-1 vocational student, M-2 dependent, J-1 educational and cultural exchange visitor, and J-2 dependent nonimmigrant status. With premium processing, these applicants can pay a USCIS premium processing filing fee and should receive a response from USCIS within 30 days once all prerequisites, including biometrics, are met.  

The expansion of premium processing for these Form I-539 applicants will occur in phases and does not apply to extensions. Applicants can make the request for premium processing with an online or paper filing of Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service. Beginning June 13,2023, USCIS began premium processing I-907 requests for applicants who have a pending I-539 application that requested a change of status to F-1, F-2, M-1, M-2, J-1, or J-2 nonimmigrant status. Beginning June 26, USCIS began  premium processing I-907 requests for applicants who file their I-907 request concurrently with an I-539 application requesting a change of status to F-1, F-2, M-1, M-2, J-1, or J-2 nonimmigrant status.  

Previously, USCIS had announced starting April 3, 2023, that certain F-1 students could request premium processing of their employment authorization based on Optional Practical Training (OPT) or a STEM extension. This further expansion of premium processing to certain change of status I-539 filings is welcome news given the long USCIS processing delays. Foster will continue to monitor USCIS programs, regulations, and guidance and will make future updates available via the Foster website at www.fosterglobal.com.