USCIS Premium Processing Expansion Moves Forward

The expansion of the premium processing program took a significant step this week when the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) submitted a final rule to the White House for a review of the regulations that would implement the 2020 USCIS Stabilization Act.  This act significantly expands the categories of applications that are eligible for premium processing, including applications for many dependent family members and for applications for employment authorization documents.

• Immigrant visa petitions on behalf of EB-1 multinational managers and executives and EB-2 national interest waiver cases
• Applications to change or extend status by dependents of E, H, L, O, P, and R visa holders
• Applications for change of status to F, J, or M visa status
• Applications for employment authorization documents

The law also establishes the maximum premium processing fees and times for these newly eligible visa types. While there is still no date as to when the rule will become effective, the review by the White House’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs is typically among the final steps in the process of creating new regulations. We will provide an update as soon as the rule is finalized and USCIS announces a date when premium processing expansion becomes official.

If you have questions about how this may affect you, please contact Brad Hendrick or Ashlyn Kahler-Rios in our Immigration Law practice.