USCIS Will Temporarily Suspend Premium Processing for All H-1B Petitions

By: Navneet S. Chugh

USCIS has stated it will temporarily suspend premium processing for All H-1B petitions filed on or after April 3, 2017. The suspension may last up to 6 months. This suspension will apply to all H-1B cap cases, including Masters advanced degree cap and cap-exempt cases.

During the suspension period, an Employer will not be able to process any H-1B petitions via premium processing or converting any H-1B petitions to premium processing.  All H-1B filings will be done via regular process.   Once the suspension is lifted, the Employer can resume filing H-1B petitions via premium processing or covert any pending H-1B petitions to premium processing.

Per USCIS, they are doing this to process long-pending petitions, and to prioritize adjudication of H-1B extension of status cases that are nearing the 240-day mark. It is also because the number of premium processing case filings had increased a lot.

While premium processing is suspended, we can submit a request to expedite an H-1B case processing if it is causing undue hardship, or is an emergency or USCIS has made a mistake.