What Is the Premium Processing Option for H-1B Visas?

If you wish to work in the United States, you may be able to do so with an H-1B visa. More specifically, an H-1B visa is a type of non-immigrant work visa designated for foreign workers searching for temporary employment that generally requires specialty knowledge gained by a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent education level (i.e., information technology, finance, engineering, architecture, etc). But if you are earnest to begin work in the United States, you may be able to opt for premium processing of your application. Follow along to find out what the premium processing of an H-1B visa is and how a proficient work authorization permit lawyer in Milwaukee, WI, at the Sesini Law Group, S.C., can help you attain this.

What is premium processing?

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provides expedited processing, otherwise known as premium processing, for individuals who apply for work authorization in the United States via Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker. Notably, this opportunity has been made eligible for this classification since July 30, 2001.

Importantly, this premium processing is available to you if you are willing to pay a fee of approximately $2,500. So if you are willing and able to pay this fee, the USCIS can guarantee that they will take adjudicative action on your case within a specified time period. Otherwise, they will refund you the $2,500 fee.

For Form I-129, this specified time period is 15 calendar days. These 15 calendar days start when the USCIS properly receives your application at the correct filing address. And with this, they will likely take an additional two weeks to mail you back the notice of approval, denial, or otherwise.

How does the premium processing option for my H-1B visa work?

To ensure that the USCIS properly receives your application, you must ensure that you provide the proper signature and the proper filing fee (i.e., $460). From here, within the designated 15-day time period, the USCIS will take any one of the following actions on your case:

  • They will issue an approval notice.
  • They will issue a denial notice.
  • They will issue a notice of intent to deny.
  • They will issue a request for evidence.
  • They will open an investigation for fraud or misrepresentation.

Hopefully, the outcome will be that you receive an approval notice. But in the instance that the USCIS finds that your application requires the submission of additional evidence, rest assured that your opportunity for premium processing has not ended. Rather, this 15-day premium processing time will stop and reset. Then, a new time period will begin once they receive your response to the request for evidence.

For more information on this processing option, you must consult with a talented work authorization permit lawyer today.

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