In employment-based immigration cases, timing can affect practical decisions. An employer may be waiting for a professional to begin work. An investor may have already transferred capital into a U.S. business. A company may be planning contracts, payroll, or expansion based on a pending petition. When those plans depend on approval, uncertainty about adjudication timing can delay action.
When a petition remains under standard processing, there is no guaranteed timeframe for adjudication. For certain forms, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offers an optional service called premium processing. This service allows eligible petitioners or applicants to request faster adjudicative action.
Premium processing is requested by filing Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service.
Under premium processing, USCIS guarantees adjudicative action within a specific number of business days, depending on the form category. For many classifications filed on Form I-129, Petition for a Non-immigrant Worker, and certain classifications filed on Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, USCIS guarantees action within 15 business days. The agency may approve the case, deny it, issue a Request for Evidence, or issue a Notice of Intent to Deny within that period.
USCIS has announced that premium processing fees will increase effective March 1, 2026.
According to USCIS, the Department of Homeland Security is adjusting premium processing fees based on inflation, as authorized by federal law. The updated fees apply to Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, that are postmarked on or after March 1, 2026.
If a filing is received with an incorrect premium processing fee on or after that date, USCIS will reject the request.
The premium processing fee is separate from the underlying petition filing fee. Petitioners must submit the correct premium processing amount in addition to the required fee for Form I-129, Petition for a Non-immigrant Worker, Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, or other eligible form.
Fee table
| Form | Previous Fee | New Fee |
| Form I-129, Petition for a Non-immigrant Worker, H-2B or R-1 non-immigrant status | $1,685 | $1,780 |
| Form I-129, Petition for a Non-immigrant Worker, all other available Form I-129 classifications:
E-1 |
$2,805 | $2,965 |
| Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, employment-based classifications:
E11 |
$2,805 | $2,965 |
| Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Non-immigrant Status, requesting:
F-1 |
$1,965 | $2,075 |
| Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, for certain eligible applications (OPT and STEM-OPT Classifications) | $1,685 | $1,780 |
Sources:
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
Premium Processing Fee Increase Announcement. https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-to-increase-premium-processing-fees - Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service. https://www.uscis.gov/i-907
- Premium Processing Eligibility and Timeframes. https://www.uscis.gov/forms/all-forms/how-do-i-request-premium-processing
- Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker. https://www.uscis.gov/i-129
- Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker. https://www.uscis.gov/i-140