USCIS has confirmed that from July 16, 2008, USCIS will resume premium processing for I-140’s in limited circumstances. For example, it will resume premium processing for those beneficiaries whose H-1B will expire within 60 days of filing the request, and who need the I-140 approval to become eligible for that additional H-1B extension. Details about the resumption have not yet been issued by USCIS. We will keep you posted at the first time when further details become available.
Under premium processing service, USCIS guarantees it will process these applications within 15 calendar days for an additional processing fee of $1,000. On July 2, 2007, USCIS temporarily suspended the Premium Service for all I-140 petitions.
An alien in H-1B status is allowed a maximum of six years of stay. However, AC21 Act allows an alien to extend H-1b status beyond the six year limitation so long as an I-140 petition has been approved and a visa number is not available, which would restrict the alien from filing the I-485 or receiving I-485 approval. In this exception, H-1B status may be extended in three-year increments. So, if the premium service for some I-140 petitions is resumed, beneficiaries can extend their H-1B in three-year increments.

Actually, our offices have been advocating for the resumption for I-140 premium services in the past several months. Many readers have helped us to push for the resumption by contacting their representative legislators. The reported policy change is a promising progress. However, we believe we need more people to push for the resumption for all I-140 petitions. We still need your help to bring the big change. Please join our advocating effort at:

http://www.hooyou.com/Premium%20Service/news042908uscis.html

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Founded in 1996, Zhang & Associates, P.C. offers legal services to clients nationwide in all aspects of U.S immigration law. We have successfully handled thousands of immigration cases.
At Zhang & Associates, P.C., not only are we dedicated to our clients, but we also advocate for legal immigrants’ rights and benefits. We bring the issues related to legal immigrants to the public and lobby lawmakers to address them. We believe in the American democratic process and are working hard to bring about a better immigration system. Please visit our homepage to learn more about our immigration advocacy.
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