A press release by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the addition of a new visa category to the premium processing program.  EB-1 Aliens with Extraordinary Ability will soon be eligible to requesting Premium Processing Service.  

On 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.  

Earlier this year, we reported that the USCIS also began accepting Premium Processing Service requests for petitioners in five other immigrant visa categories: EB-1 Outstanding professors and Researchers, EB-2 Members of Professions with Advance Degrees or Exceptional Ability not seeking a National Interest Waiver, EB-3 Professionals, EB-3 Skilled Workers, and EB-3 Workers other than Skilled Workers and Professionals.  Like the new EB-1 category, employers filing for these immigrant visa categories will use Form I-140 as well.  

More information about the expanded Premium Processing Service is available on the USCIS website at http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/prem_process.htm or by calling the USCIS National Customer Service Center toll free at 1-800-375-5283.