The US government has released details for quicker visas for foreign students. The US government has announced plans to expand the premium processing of some of the important categories of green card applicants and some categories of visas on Tuesday, essentially related to the training of foreign students.
According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), historically, the premium processing provides expedited processing for Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, and Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, for a fee.
“We recommend expanding premium processing services, giving applicants the option to pay between $2,500 ( ₹2,02,496) to expedite their applications,” the USCIS said.
The Biden administration told the media that the expansion would be carried out in phases beginning with the premium processing of EB-1 and EB-2 applications for Green cards.
This will be in addition to all previously filed Form I-140 petitions under an E13 multinational executive and manager classification, or E21 classification as a member of professions with advanced degrees or exceptional ability seeking a National Interest Waiver (NIW), USCIS said.
“In March, we will expand premium processing to certain F-1 students seeking Optional Practical Training (OPT) and F-1 students seeking STEM OPT extensions who have a pending Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization,” USCIS said.
“In April, we will expand premium processing to F-1 students seeking OPT and F-1 students seeking STEM OPT extensions who are filing an initial Form I-765,” it added.
News agency PTI said that USCIS has taken these decisions on the basis of recommendations of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), made last year by one of its Indian American members, Ajay Jain Bhutoria.
The Presidential Advisory Commission had recommended, “Expanding premium processing services, giving applicants the option to pay between $2,500 to expedite their applications. It is recommended USCIS Expand premium processing to additional employment-based green card applications, all work permit petitions, and temporary immigration status extension requests, allowing applicants to pay $2,500 to have their cases adjudicated within 45 days in a phased approach”.
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