The recent expansion of premium processing for specific F-1 students seeking Optional Practical Training (OPT) and F-1 students seeking science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) OPT extensions who have a pending Form I-765, Application for Work Authorization and who wish to request a premium processing upgrade, has been announced by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Also, US CIS now permits F-1 students in these categories to submit Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, online. The most recent paper version of this form can still be mailed to USCIS. According to Ur M. Jaddou, Director of USCIS, the simplicity of online filing and the availability of premium processing for some F-1 students will simplify the immigration procedure for overseas students.
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Students wanting premium processing shouldn’t file before specified deadlines because the expansion of premium processing for some F-1 students will happen in stages. Beginning on March 6, USCIS will accept Form I-907 requests for specific F-1 students who already have a pending Form I-765, Application for Work Authorization, either on paper or electronically.
The filing deadline for F-1 students in the aforementioned categories is April 3. Prior to March 6, USCIS will refuse premium processing requests for pending Form I-765s, and before April 3, USCIS will reject any premium processing requests for newly filed or concurrently filed Form I-765s.
An applicant must first register for a USCIS online account in order to submit Form I-907 online. This account offers a simple and secure way to submit forms, pay fees, and keep track of the progress of any pending USCIS immigration requests during the adjudication process.
You can connect with USCIS through a secure email and answer Requests for Evidence online by creating a free USCIS online account, which includes several benefits. Refer to the USCIS Account Access Notification you got for the Online Access Code and instructions on how to link your paper-filed cases to your online account for applicants who previously submitted a paper Form I-765 and wish to file Form I-907 online to request premium processing.
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This premium processing extension is being implemented gradually as part of USCIS’s attempts to improve productivity and lighten the stress on the overall immigration system. Form I-907 can now be filed online through USCIS, bringing the total number of forms that can be filed online to 16.
The most recent paper copies of every form are still accepted by mail from USCIS. A 53% rise from the 1.2 million applications, petitions, and requests submitted online in FY 2021 to over 1.8 million in FY 2022.
