August 21, 2006

Premium Processing Services Extended to Two New Classifications

For a fee of $1,000.00, the Premium Processing Service  (PP) expedites the processing of cases to 15 calendar days.  This option is now being extended to immigrant visa processing. For now, while the Service gets its feet wet in this endeavor, they have selected a very small group of I-140, Immigrant Petitions that will be able to utilize this expedited service. Initially PP will only be able to be used by two different I-140 preference categories; the first category includes EB-3 professionals (professionals with jobs requiring a bachelor degree).  The second category is for EB-3 skilled workers whose job duties and responsibilities require a minimum of  two years of education, training, or experience. Unfortunately for unskilled immigrant workers in the EB-3 category, whose positions do not require two years of education, training, or experience, the option to premium process is not available.   With priority date retrogression in full swing, a very limited number of people will actually utilize this service as a time saving benefit for  permanent residence. However those with 245 (i) petitions that are finally being certified by the Department of Labor should welcome this new service.

The PP service will be available for use August 28, 2006.  As a reminder, the list of non-immigrant and visa petitions that can be premium processed is as follows:

• E: Treaty Traders and Investors

• H-1B: Specialty Occupation Workers

• H-2B: Temporary Workers performing agricultural services

• H-3: Trainees

• L: Intracompany Transferees

• O: Aliens of Extraordinary Ability and those performing essential support services

• P: Performers and Athletes and those performing essential support services

• Q: International Cultural Exchange Visitors

• R: Religious Workers

• NAFTA Professionals from Canada and Mexico