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ARTICLE · 21 MARCH 2017

Premium Processing Suspended On All H-1B Petitions

Pryor Cashman LLP
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The United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on March 3rd that it will suspend premium processing of all H-1B visa petitions beginning April 3, 2017.

United StatesImmigration
Colleen Caden
Colleen Caden
Avram Morell
Avram Morell
Kimberly Grant
Kimberly Grant
Dina Weinstein
Dina Weinstein
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The United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on March 3rd that it will suspend premium processing of all H-1B visa petitions beginning April 3, 2017. This date deliberately coincides with the H-1B cap opening, but the suspension affects all H-1B petitions, including cap-subject (Master's and Bachelor's cap) and cap-exempt H-1B petitions, as well as H-1B extensions, amendments, and change of employer petitions. USCIS advises that the suspension could last up to six months, or early October 2017. USCIS's stated reason for the suspension of premium processing is to focus on shortening the processing time of regularly-filed H-1B petitions, which has recently lengthened to six months or longer.

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