Premium Processing

Subscribe to Premium Processing via RSS

On Jan. 9, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will publish a final rule increasing USCIS fees for premium processing.

Premium processing provides expedited processing for certain case types for an additional government filing fee.

In the announcement, USCIS stated that the premium process fee increase…

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on Aug. 8, 2025, that it is updating its guidance on Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) age calculations. The new guidance applies to adjustment of status (AOS) applications and related CSPA age calculation requests filed on or after Aug. 15, 2025, while AOS applications pending before that date…

As students from around the world settle into U.S. college campuses for the 2023/2024 academic year, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offers a reminder about the timeline to produce expedited employment authorization documents (EADs) for F-1 students.

The USCIS Ombudsman’s Office emphasizes that premium processing timelines are separate from EAD production timelines, according to…

  • USCIS will allow premium processing for applicants filing change of status applications to F-1, M-1, and J-1 nonimmigrant status.
  • Beginning June 13, 2023, USCIS will allow paper and online filing of premium processing to be applied to pending F-1, M-1, and J-1 change of status applications.
…

U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the expansion of premium processing for certain applicants filing Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, requesting a change of status to F-1, F-2, M-1, M-2, J-1, or J-2 nonimmigrant status.

The expansion of premium processing for these categories will occur in phases. Starting June 13, 2023, USCIS…

USCIS has made it easier for certain F-1 students who are seeking Optional Practical Training (OPT) and F-1 students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) OPT extensions to apply for premium processing. Beginning March 6, 2023, students who have already filed Form I-765 and fall under the categories of (c)(3)(A) Pre-Completion OPT, (c)(3)(B) Post-Completion…

USCIS has issued a Proposed Rule to increase filing fees for many visa applications, with the majority being employment-based. USCIS will host a public engagement session to discuss the proposed rule on Jan. 11, 2023.
Continue Reading USCIS Proposed Rule Increases Many Filing Fees as Country Expects to Enter Recession

On May 24, USCIS provided additional information related to implementation of its expanded premium processing program. First announced March 29, 2022, USCIS stated its intention to expand premium processing to certain Form I-140 employment-based immigrant visa petitions, Form I-539 applications to extend/change nonimmigrant status, and Form I-765 applications for employment authorization. As promised, USCIS has…

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has announced that there will be an adjustment to the filing fees for certain applications and petitions requesting an immigration benefit. The new fees will be effective on Oct. 2, 2020.  These fees have been adjusted to cover the full cost of providing adjudication and operating costs. Moreover, USCIS…