On Monday, July 24th, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (CIS) announced the return of premium processing for H-1B petitions filed by institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations related to or affiliated with institutions of higher education, nonprofit research organizations, and governmental research organizations. Premium processing also resumed for H-1B petitions that may be cap exempt if the beneficiary will be employed at a qualifying cap-exempt institution, organization or entity. This was welcome news to many universities and colleges as well as hospitals and school systems affiliated with universities.  Last month the CIS resumed premium processing for H-1B petitions filed for medical doctors under the Conrad 30 and Interested Government Agency waiver programs.

When petitioners pay an additional filing fee of $1225 for premium processing adjudication, the USCIS will respond within 15 days.  Without premium processing it can take several months to receive an approval or other action on the H-1B visa petition.

The CIS will reject requests for premium processing for other types of H-1B petitions until the CIS announces the return of premium processing for those additional types of cases as workloads permit.

To initiate an “upgrade” to premium processing for a pending H-1B petition under one of the categories referenced above, contract your Foster immigration attorney.  Foster LLP will continue to monitor availability of premium processing and will provide additional information via future Immigration Updates© and on our firm’s website at www.fosterglobal.com.