The National Association of Foreign-BornPremium Processing Service
Premium Processing Service Program Form I-907, I-129, I-140
What is the Premium Processing Service?
Premium Processing Service is a program that allows U.S. businesses to pay a fee of $1,000 to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in order to process their petitions and applications within 15-calendar days. This program applies to certain employment-based petitions and applications, as well as international cultural exchanges. The forms eligible for Premium Processing are USCIS Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker and USCIS Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker (see below for eligible visa categories).
USCIS guarantees that within 15 days of when it receives the request form for Premium Processing Service, USCIS will mail either an approval notice, a notice of intent to deny, a request for evidence or a notice of investigation for fraud or misrepresentation. If the USCIS fails to process the petition within 15 days, it will refund the $1,000 to the company and continue to process the petition as part of the Premium Processing Service. If the notice requires the submission of additional evidence or of a response to an intent to deny, a new 15-day period will begin upon the delivery to the USCIS of a complete response to the request for evidence or notice of intent to deny.
In addition to expedited processing, companies 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.
Am I Eligible for the Premium Processing Program?
The beneficiary of a visa petition (employee) may not seek premium processing. Only the visa petitioner (employer), or the attorney or representative who has filed a notice of appearance (USCIS Form G-28) on behalf of the visa petitioner, may seek premium processing.
Employers who file a USCIS Form I-129 to classify a beneficiary under one of the following nonimmigrant categories may request Premium Processing Service:
- E-1 Treaty Trader
- E-2 Treaty Investor
- H-1B Temporary Workers in Specialty Occupations
- H-2B Temporary Worker
- H-3 Trainee
- L-1A, L-1B and L-BLANKET Intra-company Transferees
- O-1 and O-2 Aliens of Extraordinary Ability or Achievement
- P-1, P-2 and P-3 Athletes and Entertainers
- Q-1 International Cultural Exchange Aliens
- R-1 Temporary Workers in Religious Occupations (with onsite inspection at work site)
- TN NAFTA Professionals
Employers who file a Form I-140 to classify a beneficiary under one of the following immigrant categories may request Premium Processing Service:
- EB-1 Priority Workers
- EB-2 Professionals with advanced degrees or persons with exceptional ability
- EB-3 Skilled or professional workers
How Do I Apply for Premium Processing with USCIS?
Your employer petitioner should complete and sign USCIS Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, in accordance with the instructions on the current version of the form. You should file Form I-907 with Form I-129 or Form I-140 at the Service Center designated as the appropriate filing location on the instructions to the Form I-907. Any Form I-907 premium processing requests that are filed concurrently with a Form I-140 petition at a USCIS office without geographic jurisdiction over the Form I-140 petition will be rejected by USCIS.
In addition to the Premium Processing fee of $1,000, all filing fees relating to the Form I-129 must also be submitted. The Premium Processing fee must be submitted in a separate check or money order.
If you already filed Form I-129 or Form I-140 and you now wish to request Premium Processing Service, file Form I-907 with the Service Center where the Form I-129 or Form I-140 is currently pending. Submit a copy of the Form I-129 or Form I-140 filing receipt. If you received a transfer notice, it is very important that you include a copy of it and that you submit your filing to the transfer location. If you erroneously file a concurrent or standalone Form I-907 relating to a Form I-129 or standalone relating to a Form I-140 petition at the wrong service center, USCIS will not reject the filing, but instead will forward the filing to the correct service center having jurisdiction over the petition or application. For these incorrectly filed Forms I-907, the 15 calendar day period will start on the date the file is received at the correct service center as indicated in the Form I-907 filing instructions.
The unique address shown on the Form I-907 should be used for proper delivery to the Service Center’s Premium Processing Service unit.
The USCIS also will allow USCIS Form I-539 applications for dependents to receive the same expeditious processing as the principal family member’s USCIS Form I-129 petition -- at no additional cost if they are filed at the same time (but without the 15-day guarantee).
Forms are available online, or by calling 1-800-870-3676, or by submitting an online request to receive forms by mail. Further information on forms, filing fees, and fee waivers is available in USCIS Forms / INS Forms and Other US Immigration Forms, Fees & Filing Locations.
Premium Processing Contact Information
In addition to the unique mailing addresses, USCIS provides Premium Processing customers with a special phone number and email addresses for the Service Centers. USCIS will also provide approval notice to the employer or petitioner by email.
This contact information is available to Premium Processing Customers who have filed (for regular customer service information, see the HELP! section below):
- Premium Processing Toll Free phone number: 1-866-315-5718 (you will need to have your receipt number when you call)
- Form I-140 Premium Processing Email Addresses:
- NSC-Premium.140@dhs.gov (Nebraska Service Center)
- TSC-Premium.140@dhs.gov (Texas Service Center)
- CSC-Premium.140@dhs.gov (California Service Center)
- VSC-Premium.140@dhs.gov (Vermont Service Center)
- Form I-129 Premium Processing Email Addresses:
- CSC-Premium.Processing@dhs.gov (California Service Center)
- VSC-Premium.Processing@dhs.gov (Vermont Service Center)
HELP! with the Premium Processing Service
- Have a specific question? To help you find an answer quickly, we have placed "Ask a Visa & Immigration Lawyer" boxes on this page. Simply type a question in any of the boxes to receive a response online from a visa and immigration lawyer.
- For assistance within the U.S., contact your nearest USCIS District Office or Sub Office. This link provides telephone numbers, addresses, directions, office hours, local filing procedures, and more.
- Or, call the national USCIS toll-free information service at 1-800-375-5283.
- For assistance outside of the U.S., contact the nearest U.S. Consulate or Embassy
