Premium processing for all Form 1-129 and 1-140 petitions stands suspended until further notice due to pandemic.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced Friday afternoon a temporary suspension of premium processing service due to the growing coronavirus pandemic in the US and around the world.
The ruling effective from Friday March 20 applies to all I-129 petition for non-immigrant workers and I-140 petitions for immigration until further notice.
Going further USCIS will not be processing any new petition for premium processing.
However, USCIS will be processing any petition with a previously accepted request for premium processing, according to the announcement.
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But petitioners who have already filed a Form 1-129, Petition for a Non-Immigrant Worker or Form 1-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers for premium processing, but have received no agency action on their case within the 15-day period will be receiving a refund.
USCIS also posted that it will be notifying the public with a confirmed date for resumption of premium processing service.
So, in case you have filed for a I-907 request for premium processing recently, but have not received any acceptance notice on it yet then you may have to look out for a refund check in your mail box. The filing fee for premium processing has been $1140.
The temporary suspension of services includes premium processing services for all H-1B petitions. A few days ago, USCIS had announced a temporary suspension of premium processing for cap subject petitions for FY 2021.
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Even though the earlier notice was a repeat of an exercise done by USCIS last year too, this new notice has been issued in light of the Coronavirus pandemic and disruption of many SWIFT services across the US.
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