USCIS annouced that starting June 29, 2009 it will resume the premium processing service for the I-140 petitions. Under the premium processing service, the petitioner can pay a $1000 processing fee to have the USCIS begin the process of the petition within 15 calendar days from its receipt of the petition. It shortens the processing time versus the general time of I-140 petitions.
For certain employees it can be very important for them to have faster results on their I-140 petitions. For example, if an employee is almost at the end of his or her 6-year H1B status, he or she will be benefitted by having an approved I-140 petition. Under the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-first Century Act (AC21), the employee can apply for another three-year extension on the H-1B status notwithstanding the H-1B 6-year limit. The employee can use the additional time to wait for his or her immigration visa in H-1B status.
The resumption of the I-140 premium proprocessing can be a great new development to certain I-140 beneficiaries.