Published on Jan 13, 2023
USCIS announced plans to expand premium processing in phases over Spring 2023 to certain F-1 students with pending and initial Form I-765 OPT and STEM OPT applications, and certain students and exchange visitors seeking a change or extension of status on Form I-539.
According to USCIS, its anticipated timeline for the next expansion phases are as follows:
- March 2023 – expansion to pending Form I-765 applications filed by certain F-1 students seeking OPT and STEM OPT
- April 2023 - expansion to F-1 students filing initial Forms I-765 seeking OPT and STEM OPT
- May 2023 – expansion to certain student and exchange visitors with pending Forms I-539
- June 2023 – expansion to certain students and exchange visitors filing initial Forms I-539
USCIS says it will announce details on the Form I-765 phase of premium processing expansion in February 2023. The agency could change its projected timeline at that point.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is implementing the final phase of its expansion of premium processing for Forms I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers in the EB-1 Multinational Executive and Manager and EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) categories. Starting January 30, 2023, the agency will accept premium processing requests for all pending and initial I-140 petitions in these categories.
The agency also announced upcoming plans to expand premium processing in March and April 2023 to Form I-765, Applications for Employment Authorization for certain students, and to Form I-539, Applications to Extend/Change Nonimmigant Status in May and June 2023 for certain students and exchange visitors.
USCIS Press Release (Jan 12, 2023)
OIA will continue to update this page as new information becomes available.