The speed of the business world and the speed of the immigration system are rarely the same. In the high-paced business world it is difficult to wait weeks or even months to receive immigration approval from the USCIS.
Acknowledging its slowness, the USCIS provides certain employment-based immigration petitioners to receive a response within 15 days. The service, called Premium Processing, comes at a cost – currently $1225 – that is payable to the Immigration Agency. With Premium Processing, the immigration agency guarantees that it will provide a response to a petition within 15 days of receiving a petition. Additionally, the immigration agency provides direct contact information for attorneys to utilize for Premium Processing cases.
Premium Processing is available for many nonimmigrant and immigrant visas. The Premium Processing Chart below show the petitions that can currently utilize premium processing.
| Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker | |||
| Designated Classification Within Form I-129 | Corresponding Nonimmigrant Classification | Availability Date* | Termination Date** |
| Treaty Trader | E-1 | June 1, 2001 | |
| Treaty Investor | E-2 | June 1, 2001 | |
| Alien in Specialty Occupation | H-1B | July 30, 2001 | |
| Temporary Worker performing nonagricultural services | H-2B | June 1, 2001 | |
| Trainee or Special Education Exchange Visitor | H-3 | June 1, 2001 | |
| Intracompany Transferee, Executive or Manager Capacity | L-1A | June 1, 2001 | |
| Intracompany Transferee, Specialized Knowledge Professional | L-1B | June 1, 2001 | |
| A petitioner meeting certain requirements which seeks continuous approval of itself and some or all of its parents, branches, subsidiaries, and affiliates | LZ (Blanket L-1) | June 1, 2001 | |
| Alien of extraordinary ability or achievements in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics | O-1 | June 1, 2001 | |
| Alien providing essential support services for a principal O-1 alien | O-2 | June 1, 2001 | |
| Internationally recognized athlete or member of an internationally recognized entertainment group | P-1 | June 1, 2001 | |
| Essential Support Alien, highly skilled, who performs support services essential to the successful performance of the principal P-1 alien | P-1S | June 1, 2001 | |
| Artist or Entertainer under a Reciprocal Exchange Program | P-2 | June 1, 2001 | |
| Essential Support Alien, highly skilled, who performs support services essential to the successful performance of the principal P-2 alien | P-2S | June 1, 2001 | |
| Artist or Entertainer in a Culturally Unique Program | P-3 | June 1, 2001 | |
| Essential Support Alien, highly skilled, who performs support services essential to the successful performance of the principal P-3 alien | P-3S | June 1, 2001 | |
| International cultural exchange alien | Q-1 | June 1, 2001 | |
| Alien in a Religious occupation | R-1 | July 30, 2001 and reinstated July 20, 2009*** | |
| NAFTA professional, Canada | TN-1 | July 30, 2001 | |
| NAFTA professional, Mexico | TN-2 | July 30, 2001 | |
| Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Permanent Resident Worker | |||
| Designated Classification Within Form I-140 | Corresponding Employment-Based (EB) Immigrant Visa Classification | Availability Date* | Termination Date** |
| Individuals of extraordinary ability | EB-1-1 | November 13, 2006 and reinstated June 29, 2009**** | |
| Outstanding professors and researchers | EB-1-2 | September 25, 2006 and reinstated June 29, 2009**** | |
| Multinational executives and managers | EB-1-3 | Not Yet Available | |
| Members of professions with advanced degrees or exceptional ability not seeking a National Interest Waiver | EB-2 | September 25, 2006 and reinstated June 29, 2009**** | |
| Members of professions with advanced degrees or exceptional ability seeking a National Interest Waiver | EB-2 – National Interest Waiver | Not Yet Available | |
| Skilled workers*** | EB-3 | August 28, 2006 and reinstated June 29, 2009**** | |
| Professionals*** | EB-3 | August 28, 2006 and reinstated June 29, 2009**** | |
| Workers other than skilled workers and professionals | EB-3 | September 25, 2006 and reinstated June 29, 2009**** | |