Latest reports by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have confirmed the expansion of premium processing for certain categories of international students.
Additionally, starting on April 3, USCIS will accept Form I-907 requests for F-1 students in the aforementioned categories when submitted with Form I-765, whether they are submitted online or on paper.
USCIS Confirms Expansion of Premium Processing of Certain Visa Categories
From March 6, if an F-1 student is applying under one of the three OPT programs, which are pre-completion OPT, post-completion OPT, or 24-month extension of OPT for STEM students, and already has a pending Form I-765 application for employment authorization, USCIS will accept Form I-907 requests submitted on paper or online.
According to the official notification, this expansion is for students looking for Optional Practical Training (OPT) and F-1 students opting for STEM OPT extensions who have a pending Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, and wish to request a premium processing upgrade.
Forms I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, and certain categories of Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, can all be requested for expedited processing using the I-907 form. The application for employment authorization is submitted using Form I-765.
We recently reported that the US is planning to resume “domestic visa revalidation” in certain categories on a pilot basis with the goal of scaling it up in the next few years. This move could benefit tens of thousands of foreign tech workers on H-1B and L1 visas.
International Students’ Immigration Experiences To Be Streamlined
Candidates should keep in mind that USCIS will reject premium processing requests for pending Form I-765 if they arrive before March 6 and will reject any premium processing requests for newly filed Form I-765 or Forms I-765 filed concurrently if they arrive before April 3.
As per USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou, many international students’ immigration experiences will be streamlined thanks to the ease of filing documents online and the availability of premium processing for specific F-1 students.
He also said, “The ongoing expansion of online filing is a priority for USCIS as we continue to create operational efficiencies and increase access to the immigration system for stakeholders, applicants, petitioners, requestors, and those we serve.”
The pilot project will be launched later this year. Until 2004, certain categories of non-immigrant visas, particularly the H-1B, could be renewed or stamped inside the US.
