USCIS Resumes H-1B Premium Processing: 2018 Filings

Recently the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) announced that the service would resume premium processing on February 19thfor those regular pool H-1B petitions filed on or before December 21stof 2018. This announcement follows an earlier resumption of premium processing for fiscal year 2019 masters-cap petitions.

Those petitioners who have received a transfer notice must request premium processing through the service center where the petition is pending along with a copy of the transfer notice, or Form I-797. If the premium processing and transfer notice are not filed concurrently, there could be potential delays to the beginning of the 15-day processing time. If a premium processing request is sent to the wrong center, USCIS will forward the request to the correct service center, however, the premium processing deadline will not begin until the request reaches the appropriate service center. USCIS will not refund the premium processing fee until 15 days after the request has reached the service center that possesses the appropriate petition. Additionally, those who have received a request for evidence for an application pending from submission on or before December 21stof 2018, should include the request for evidence response along with the premium processing request. As the fiscal year 2020 filing season begins, USCIS is making efforts to clear a backlog of pending application made in 2018. USCIS notes that it will announce when other classes of petitions regain access to premium processing.