USCIS to Expand Premium Processing Service

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IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The U.S.C.I.S. has released an interim final rule extending the period of Optional Practical Training (OPT) for qualified F-1 non-immigrant students
USCIS Runs Random Selection Process for H-1B Petitions

MEMORANDUM

TO: Interested Parties
RE: USCIS to Expand Premium Processing Service
FROM: Edward R. Litwin
DATE: August 22, 2006

The United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on Friday that they would begin premium processing service for EB3 (Employment-based Third Preference) visa petitions. There is good news and bad news about this.

First, the bad news: It will cost $1,000.

The good news is: Those people who are running out of time on their H-1 visa or are worried about whether they qualify for an EB3 petition can obtain an answer very quickly. Since there is currently about a 5-year backlog for 3rd preference cases, the advantage of premium processing is, for most cases, negligible. However, it is an option that some people may want to consider.

Additional information about the premium processing service is available at http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/prem_process.htm.

Should you have any questions about this, please contact my office.

The international immigration law firm of Litwin & Associates represents clients throughout the United States and California, Ca, Bay Area, Northern Ca, Southern California, San Francisco and San Francisco County, Marin County, San Rafael, Sausalito, San Anselmo, Ross, Mill Valley, San Mateo County including San Mateo, Millbrae, San Bruno, South San Francisco, Burlingame, Pacifica, Daly City, Brisbane, Half Moon Bay, Hillsborough, Atherton, San Carlos, Belmont, Redwood City, Foster City, Redwood Shores, Sonoma County, Solano County, Napa County, Alameda County, Oakland, Berkeley, Hayward, Pleasanton, Livermore, Castro Valley, Fremont, Contra Costa County, Richmond, El Cerrito, Pinole, Martinez, Concord, Walnut Creek, Santa Clara County, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Mt. View, Silicon Valley, South Bay, San Jose, Campbell, Los Altos, Los Gatos, Sunnyvale, Gilroy, Monterey County, Santa Cruz, Salinas, Watsonville, Carmel. Beyond California, many clients come to us from surrounding states including Oregon, Washington, Nevada, and Arizona and beyond the borders of the United States.