On Thursday, January 12, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it is implementing the final phase of its planned premium processing expansion for Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, under the EB-1 and EB-2 classifications.

This phase will apply to new (initial) petitions, in addition to all previously filed Form I-140 petitions under an E13 multinational executive and manager classification or E21 classification as a member of professions with advanced degrees or exceptional ability seeking a national interest waiver (NIW). Petitioners who wish to request premium processing must file Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service.

Beginning January 30, 2023, USCIS will accept Form I-907 requests for:

• All pending E13 multinational executive and manager petitions and E21 NIW petitions; and
• All initial E13 multinational executive and manager petitions and E21 NIW petitions.

As previously announced, USCIS is expanding premium processing to additional form types as part of its efforts to increase efficiency and reduce burdens to the overall legal immigration system. In March 2023, USCIS will expand premium processing to certain F-1 students seeking Optional Practical Training (OPT) and F-1 students seeking STEM OPT extensions who have a pending Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. In April 2023, USCIS will expand premium processing to F-1 students seeking OPT and F-1 students seeking STEM OPT extensions who are filing an initial Form I-765. Specific dates will be announced for each group in February 2023.

As USCIS implements these expansions of premium processing in a phased approach, the Service will continue working toward premium processing availability of Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status. USCIS anticipates expanding premium processing for certain student and exchange visitors with pending Form I-539 applications in May 2023 and certain student and exchange visitors filing initial Form I-539 applications in June 2023.

We will continue to monitor any new updates announced by USCIS.