USCIS Extends Suspension of Premium Processing for H-1B Visa Petitions

USCIS Announces it will Continue its Suspension of Premium Processing for H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa Petitions Into Next Year

In a declared effort to reduce the overall processing time of H-1B Petitions that have been long-pending or are nearing job or processing time-related deadlines, USCIS has announced that it will be extending its temporary suspension of H-1B premium processing past the original end date of September 10th, 2018, until a new estimated date of February 19th, 2019. 

USCIS will therefore continue rejecting Form I-907 Requests for Premium Processing Services submitted with affected I-129 Petitions for Nonimmigrant Workers applying for the H-1B visa. It is important to note that if a petitioner submits a combined check covering the H-1B fees for both Form I-129 and Form I-907, then both forms will subsequently be rejected.

Although premium processing for non-cap-exempt H-1B petitions will remain suspended, petitioners may still request for applications to be expedited. In these cases the petitioner must demonstrate that they meet at least one of the listed expedite criteria with the support of documentary evidence.

H-1B Petitions that will Not be Affected

USCIS will continue premium processing of Form I‐129 H-1B petitions that are not currently suspended for forms that were properly submitted before September 11th, 2018, and of which USCIS did not adjudicate within the 15-day processing period.

Furthermore, the extended suspension does not apply to cap-exempt petitions filed at USCIS's California Service Center or petitions filed at its Nebraska Service Center by employers requesting a continuation of previously approved employment without any change of employer.