USCIS announced on 11/8 the addition of a new visa category – the EB-1 Aliens with Extraordinary Ability, now available for requesting Premium Processing Service.

Beginning November 13, 2006, USCIS will begin accepting Premium Processing requests for Form I-140 Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, involving EB-1 Aliens with Extraordinary Ability. Petitioning employers who wish to use the Premium Processing Service must submit Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, along with Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, and a $1000 processing fee.
The premium service will allow applicants to pay a $1,000 Premium Processing fee in exchange for 15-calendar-day processing of their case.
Starting from 11/13, 2006, USCIS will begin accepting Premium Processing requests for Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, involving the following immigrant visa categories:
• EB-1a. Aliens with Extraordinary Ability; EB-1b, outstanding professors and researchers, but EB-1c (Managers and Executive Transferees) is not included yet,
• EB-2, members of professions with advanced degrees or exceptional ability not seeking a National Interest Waiver,
• EB-3 (all category).

Under the Premium Processing Service, USCIS guarantees petitioners that, for a $1,000 processing fee, it will issue either an approval notice, or where appropriate, a notice of intent to deny, a request for evidence or open an investigation for fraud or misrepresentation, within 15 calendar days of receipt. If the petition is not processed within 15 calendar days, USCIS will refund the $1,000 fee and continue to process the request as part of the Premium Processing Service. In addition to faster processing,
petitioners who participate in the program may use a dedicated phone number and e-mail address to check on the status of their petition or ask any other questions they may have concerning their petition.

Note: Immigration knowledge

A First Preference Immigration Petition (EB-1) is an employment-based petition for permanent residence reserved for those who are among the most able and accomplished in their respective fields within the arts, sciences, education, business, or sports. There are three (3) types of EB-1 petitions:

• Alien of Extraordinary Ability EB-1(a)
• Outstanding Researcher/Outstanding Professor EB-1(b)
• Managers and Executive Transferees EB-1(c)
The most notable advantage for those who qualify for an EB-1 petition is the lack of a Labor Certification requirement.