Mar 15 2013

USCIS to Delay Premium Processing of FY 2014 H-1B Visas Until April 15

USCIS will begin accepting petitions for H-1B visas for fiscal year 2014 beginning on April 1, 2013. This year, it is expected that USCIS will receive more than 65,000 cap-subject H-1B petitions and more than 20,000 petitions filed for people with U.S. master’s degrees or higher within the first five days of the H-1B acceptance period. Because of this expected increase in submissions, USCIS is temporarily adjusting when it will begin premium processing of cap-subject H-1B petitions (including those from people requesting a master’s degree exemption). Premium processing will begin on April 15, 2013.

According to USCIS, the federal agency will continue to accept Form I-907, the Request for Premium Processing Service, and its related fee, concurrently with Form I-129, the Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker during the time period in which premium processing is not available (April 1, 2013 – April 14, 2013). Additionally, petitioners will be able to upgrade pending H-1b cap-subject petitions to premium processing after a receipt notice has been issued. The 15-day processing period will begin when premium processing begins on April 15, 2013. Premium processing for H-1B visa petitions not subject to the annual cap will continue as normal.