Recently, a big stopgap spending bill has been passed by the Senate and signed by the president. Under the optional premium processing service USCIS is required to provide a response within 15 calendar days to most (but not all) employment-based I-129 and I-140 petitions. Fee varies from $1500-$2500. The premium processing fee is paid in addition to the base filing fee and any other applicable fees. Save what resonates, curate a library of information, and share content with your network of contacts. The new law requires USCIS to establish and collect additional premium processing fees, and to use those […] The signed bill came with an interesting stipulation that may hopefully solve the USCIS financial crisis – the law requires USCIS to increase its fee for “premium processing” of currently allowed visa applications to $2,500 from $1400 (except for H-2B and R-1 petitions). Such services are provided solely by member firms in their respective geographic areas. Exceptions will be the R categories and the H-2B categories. On October 16th, U.S. Official websites use .gov USCIS Premium Processing Fee Increase October 19, 2020 Comment: 0. The spending measure authorizes premium processing for the following immigration benefit types (i.e., expanded categories): According to the report published by Forbes, immigration benefit types that qualify for premium processing will be subject to a fee of $2,500 – excluding the H2B and R visa categories, which will be subject to a $1,500 fee. 2. KPMG International entities provide no services to clients. The premium processing fee will increase to $1,440 fo Additionally, apart from the premium processing fee increase, USCIS plans to change premium processing procedures. As part of the year-end appropriations process, Congress passed legislation yesterday that will permanently expand the U.S. PREMIUM PROCESSING FEE INCREASE. US – USCIS Increases Premium Processing Fee. Regarding the case types for which it can provide premium processing services, USCIS has not yet made any changes. However, KPMG Law LLP in Canada can assist clients with U.S. immigration and labor matters. USCIS Premium Processing Fee Increase. The following is a list of key changes included in the stopgap measure: USCIS will increase the premium processing fee for all benefit requests that are already eligible for premium processing from $1,440 to $2,500 (with the exception of H-2B and R-1 petitions). Posted in Uncategorized. As a result of that, the premium processing fees have increased, despite the increase being blocked a while ago. To date, the USCIS has yet to announce when these additional updates to the premium processing program will become effective. The new changes took effect on October 19, while the changes on the increasing fees for premium processing were introduced by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services on October 16. No member firm has any authority to obligate or bind KPMG International or any other member firm vis-à-vis third parties, nor does KPMG International have any such authority to obligate or bind any member firm. The USCIS premium processing service allows applicants to pay an additional filing fee to expedite the adjudication of certain forms. 116-159 also provides USCIS with the ability to expand premium processing to additional forms and benefit requests, but USCIS is not yet taking that action. Premium processing new costs. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the agency is increasing the premium processing fee for certain eligible applications for immigration benefits from $1,440 to $2,500 effective Monday, October 19, 2020. It is applicable to all three categories EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 categories. Premium processing fees are going up (the bad news), but premium processing will be available for more types of cases (the good news) according to changes included in the recently passed Continuing Resolution (CR) that will fund the government until December 11, 2020. The premium processing fee for petitioners of Form I-129 request H-2B or R-1 non-immigrant status has increased from $1,440 to $1,500, VisaGuide.World reports. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the agency is increasing the premium processing fee for certain eligible applications for immigration benefits from $1,440 to $2,500 effective Monday, October 19, 2020. The New Premium Processing Law. Processing time 15 to 45 days. A new law effective October 19, 2020, increased the fee for premium processing requests from $1,440 to $2,500 for almost all filings, except those for nonimmigrant worker petitions requesting H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status. … Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) premium processing program, while also increasing program fees, and the legislation was signed into law by the president today.. How does the current premium processing program work? Generally, expedited forms are processed in 15 calendar days. Without the request for premium processing, the USCIS could take several months to review and process an application for work authorization and visa benefits. No member firm has any authority (actual, apparent, implied or otherwise) to obligate or bind KPMG International or any member firm in any manner whatsoever. Since the presidential debate a week ago and Trump’s recent illness due to coronavirus COVID-19 it seems that Biden has been doing even better in the polls. The USCIS fee for “Premium Processing” (Form I-907) will be increasing by $30 to a new total of $1,440, effective December 2, 2019. Is USCIS placing any additional conditions of availability on premium processing for Form I-140 petitions? Premium Processing: The final rule will not increase the filing fee for premium processing service, however, it will lengthen the timeframe for USCIS adjudicative action (approval, denial, or Request for Evidence) from 15 calendar days to 15 business days, which effectively lengthens the process from 2 weeks to 3 weeks. This will affect the USCIS Forms I-129 and I-140, the two employment-based petitions eligible for Premium Processing. USCIS Increases Premium Processing Fees But Declines to Expand Service November 10, 2020 A new law effective October 19, 2020, increased the fee for premium processing requests from $1,440 to $2,500 for almost all filings, except those for nonimmigrant worker petitions requesting H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status. According to the USCIS, starting on December 2, 2019, the premium processing fee will increase from $1,410 to the new fee of $1,440. We will notify the public with a confirmed date for resuming premium processing. The premium processing fee will increase to $1,440 from the current fee of $1,410 for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, and Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker. The individuals seeking employment-based immigrations can currently expedite the premium processing (15 days processing) by paying an additional fee of $1440, which is optional. KPMG International and its member firms are legally distinct and separate entities. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) premium processing program, while also increasing program fees, and the legislation was signed into law by the president today.. How does the current premium processing program work? The agency has recently been experiencing financial crisis after years of Trump administration policy changes and after months of the Covid-19 pandemic. KPMG refers to the global organization or to one or more of the member firms of KPMG International Limited (“KPMG International”), each of which is a separate legal entity. Find out how KPMG's expertise can help you and your company. The fee for premium process is increasing to $2500 for all filings except those from requesting H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status. It cannot be waived. This will affect the USCIS Forms I-129 and I-140, the two employment-based petitions eligible for Premium Processing. You will not receive KPMG subscription messages until you agree to the new policy. Most, but not all, Form I-129 nonimmigrant and Form I-140 immigrant visa petitions are eligible for premium processing service at … KPMG International provides no audit or other client services. The New Cost of Premium Processing: For immigration benefit types eligible for premium processing on or before August 1, 2020, the fee will be $2,500, except for … This increase, which is done in accordance with the Immigration and Nationality Act, reflects the full amount of inflation from the implementation of the premium processing fee in June 2001 through August 2019 based on the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U). EB-1C (multinational executives and managers) – The maximum processing fee will be $2500 with the processing time of 45 days. According to USCIS, any Form I-907 postmarked on or after Oct. 19 must include the new fee amount. On October 16, 2020, the U.S. All rights reserved. Photo by Skitterphoto on Pexels The USCIS final rule increasing the premium processing fee for Form I-129 and Form I-140 from USD $1,410.00 to $1,440.00 takes effect December 2, 2019. U.S. USCIS will reject the I-907 and return the $1,440 filing fee for all petitions requesting premium processing that were mailed before March 20 but not yet accepted. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it was increasing the fee for Premium Processing, effective almost immediately. Click anywhere on the bar, to resend verification email. The USCIS will reject any Form I-907 the agency receives postmarked on or after October 19, 2020 with the incorrect filing fee. Under this service, the USCIS guarantees a 15-calendar-day processing time to petitioners or applicants who submit a Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, and remit the corresponding government filing fee. In accordance with the accordance with the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act, Pub. USCIS raises premium processing fee from Oct. 19. Current Changes. © 2021 KPMG LLP, a Canada limited liability partnership and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International, a Swiss entity. H1B, L work visa fees increase. USCIS will increase the premium processing fee for all benefit requests that are already eligible for premium processing from $1,440 to $2,500 (with the exception of H-2B and R-1 petitions). Employers typically consider using the USCIS premium processing service to expedite adjudication for eligible employment-based visa petitions requiring notice of urgent approval. Rationale of Fee Increase. USCIS Premium Processing Fee Increase October 19, 2020 Comment: 0. We will endeavor to keep readers of GMS Flash Alert posted on any important developments as and when they occur. Member firms of the KPMG network of independent firms are affiliated with KPMG International. The U.S. You will not continue to receive KPMG subscriptions until you accept the changes. WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Flash Alert is an Global Mobility Services publication of KPMG LLPs Washington National Tax practice. Effective October 19, 2020 the premium processing fee is $2,500 for Form I-140 and most Form I-129 premium processing requests, as authorized by the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act signed into law on October 1, 2020. Premium Processing submissions ( Form I-907) postmarked on or after October 19, 2020, must include the new fee amount. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a $30 fee increase for premium processing of eligible employment-based petitions beginning on 12/2/19. 8337), which went into effect September 30, 2020, to implement increased premium processing fees for certain case types. November 10, 2020. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the premium processing fee for all cases will increase from $1,440 to $2,500, except those from petitioners requesting H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status, which will increase from $1,440 to $1,500 effective October 19, 2020. USCIS increased the fee for Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing, from $1,440 to $2,500, for all filings except those from petitioners filing Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, requesting H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status. A lock ( A locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. The increase in the premium processing fee will impact all eligible filings except those from employers requesting H-2B (Temporary Non-Agricultural Worker) or R-1 (Religious Worker) nonimmigrant status. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it was increasing the fee for Premium Processing, effective almost immediately. Current Changes. Our privacy policy has been updated since the last time you logged in. USCIS last increased the fee in 2018. No one should act on such information without appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of the particular situation. The premium processing fee for petitioners filing Form I-129 requesting H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status is increasing from $1,440 to $1,500. On October 16th, U.S. USCIS Premium Processing fees. KPMG Law LLP in Canada will be carefully monitoring any guidance provided by USCIS regarding the proposed changes to USCIS’ premium processing service. Generally, expedited forms are processed in 15 calendar days. USCIS premium processing will be available for H4, L2, EAD, F1, and EB1-C i-140 applications. The fee increase was part of a stopgap spending measure signed into law on September 30, 2020. Premium Processing is often used to ensure more reasonable adjudication timelines in a number of visa categories including H-1B, L-1 and O-1 temporary visa categories, as well as some employment based green card sponsorships. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the fee for premium processing has increased, as required by the Counting Appropriations Act and Other Extensions Act, Pub. While, USCIS cannot go forward with this fee increase, they are now required, under the new Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act (H.R. Under this expedited service, the USCIS must either approve, deny, or issue a request for evidence (RFE) on the application within the 15-day window of receiving the premium processing request. If the answer is delayed, the USCIS refunds the petitioner’s premium processing service fee and continues with expedited processing of the petition. The recently announced increase in the premium processing filing fee could hinder employers, especially small- and mid-size firms, from seeking expedited adjudication for their visa filings particularly at a time when most employers are seeking to cut costs. By Anil Gupta Updated 29 Sep, 20. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced beginning on Dec. 2, it is adjusting the fee to request premium processing for certain employment-based petitions. The new law also … USCIS premium processing fee increase. By Mahsa Aliaskari on October 16, 2020. The premium processing fee will increase to $1,440 from the current fee of $1,410 for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, and Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker. If you are filing employment-based immigrant petition using form I-140 and requesting for premium processing, then your fee is increasing to $2,500 as well. Premium processing is an optional service offered by the USCIS that allows for expedited processing of certain employment-based visa petitions. On October 16, 2020, the U.S. It is uncertain what will happen. As a result of this, USCIS announced that it will increase the following premium processing fees: Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing will increase from $1,440 to $2,500, for all filings except those from petitioners filing Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, requesting H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status. The United States Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS) is one of the agencies funded by the federal government. This isn’t good news for many people. Fee varies from $1500-$2500. The premium processing fee will increase to $1,440 from the current fee of $1,410. The Act included the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act, which requires USCIS to establish and collect additional premium processing fees, and to use those additional funds for expanded purposes. Premium processing is an optional service currently authorized for certain petitioners filing Forms I-129 or I-140. The New Cost of Premium Processing: For immigration benefit types eligible for premium processing on or before August 1, 2020, the fee will be $2,500, except for … Premium Processing: USCIS also changed the premium processing timeframe … To subscribe to GMS Flash Alert, fill out the subscription form. 8337), which went into effect September 30, 2020, to implement increased premium processing fees for certain case types. The New Premium Processing Law. Premium processing fees are going up (the bad news), but premium processing will be available for more types of cases (the good news) according to changes included in the recently passed Continuing Resolution (CR) that will fund the government until December 11, 2020. Please note that your account has not been verified - unverified account will be deleted 48 hours after initial registration. Alert: Effective Oct. 19, 2020, Pub. WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is increasing the premium processing fee for certain eligible applications for immigration benefits effective Monday, October 19, 2020. Premium processing is available for the Form I-140 classifications indicated on the chart above as long as the case does not involve: Another Form I-140 petition while an initial Form I-140 remains pending; USCIS premium processing will be available for H4, L2, EAD, F1, and EB1-C i-140 applications. US Federal court. USCIS Increases Premium Processing Fees But Declines to Expand Service. U.S. The USCIS fee for “Premium Processing” (Form I-907) will be increasing by $30 to a new total of $1,440, effective December 2, 2019. USCIS increasing premium processing time from 15 calendar days to business days (exclude weekends, holidays). The USCIS premium processing service allows petitioners to pay an additional filing fee to expedite the adjudication of certain forms, generally within 15 days. For more detail about our structure please visit https://home.kpmg/governance. KPMG International Limited is a private English company limited by guarantee and does not provide services to clients. Effective October 19, the premium processing fee for the Form I-907 except H-2B and R-1 category will increase 73% from $1400.99 to $2,500. The premium processing fee is paid in addition to the base filing fee and any other applicable fees. As many of us started to think about weekend plans, this afternoon, USCIS promised us an interesting Monday with its latest announcement. Get the latest KPMG thought leadership directly to your individual personalized dashboard. * Please note that KPMG LLP (U.S.) does not provide any immigration or labor law services. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) increased fees for premium processing as required by the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act, which was part of the Continuing Appropriations Act signed into law on October 1. This temporary suspension includes petitions filed for the following categories: 1  See USCIS’s announcement on the premium processing fee increase here. The information contained in this newsletter was submitted by the KPMG International member firm in Canada. KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”) is a Swiss entity. The fee for these is only going to be $1,500. The premium processing fee for H-2B and R-1 petitions will increase to $1,500 on the same day. For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Applications postmarked on or after December 2, 2019, must include the new fee. Any Form I-907 postmarked on or after October 19, 2020, must include the new fee amount for the corresponding visa classification requested. Browse articles,  set up your interests, or Learn more. We want to make sure you're kept up to date. Premium processing would take longer: USCIS would process a case within 15 business days, rather than the current 15 calendar days. We want to ensure that you are kept up to date with any changes and as such would ask that you take a moment to review the changes. Expanded USCIS Premium Processing Fees October 13, 2020 Comment: 0. On October 16, 2020, USCIS announced it would increase its filing fee for “premium processing” of I-129 and I-140 petitions by close to 75 percent: from $1,440 to $2,500 ($1,500 for H-2B and R-1 petitions). Processing time 15 to 45 days. USCIS premium processing fee for H1B and L1 2500 Premium Processing Fee for EB-1, EB-2, EB-3 is $2,500. USCIS will increase the premium processing fee for all benefit requests that are already eligible for premium processing from $1,440 to $2,500 (with the exception of H-2B and R-1 petitions). L. No. The changes are meant to provide additional funding to USCIS to bolster its operations and improve adjudication times … Pub. 116-159, signed into law on Oct. 1, the Premium Processing fees for currently designated … © 2021 Copyright owned by one or more of the KPMG International entities. For example, when it comes to Premium processing on or before August 1 of this year, the fee will cost $2,500. While this increase is significantly less than the previous one, it is still worth noting, as paying the wrong amount could cause serious delays in your processing time. The U.S. Prior to that, the premium processing fee had been set at $1,440 since December 2, 2019 by 84 FR 58303. This increase, which is done in accordance with the Immigration and Nationality Act, represents the percentage change in inflation since the fee was last increased in 2010 based on the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers. Prior to that, the premium processing fee had been set at $1,440 since December 2, 2019 by 84 FR 58303. Yes. Effective October 19, 2020, U.S. DHS announced a final rule on July 31, 2020 that adjusts fees for certain immigration and naturalization forms as well as alters the time frame for adjudicating petitions requesting premium processing. USCIS Premium Processing Fee Increased by Trump Admin Posted by Frank Gogol. (For prior coverage on the agency’s anticipated expansion of the premium processing service, see GMS Flash Alert 2020-421, October 5, 2020.). For the latter, the fee increased from $1,440 to $1,500. The current cost of premium processing depends on each category. We Will Monitor the Situation and Keep Readers Informed. The fee for premium process is increasing to $2500 for all filings except those from requesting H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status. Site visit fees added. Member firms of the KPMG network of independent firms are affiliated with KPMG International. The USCIS will reject any Form I-907 the agency receives postmarked on or after October 19, 2020 with the incorrect filing fee. Premium processing expedites H-2B, R-1, other service requests generally within 15 days. As part of the year-end appropriations process, Congress passed legislation yesterday that will permanently expand the U.S. It is a known fact that a 15-day premium processing timeline is not honored if your application is waiting for a security check . KPMG International is a Swiss cooperative that serves as a coordinating entity for a network of independent member firms. In accordance with new legislation signed by U.S. President Donald Trump on September 30, 2020, temporarily funding the U.S. government until December 11, 2020, USCIS was granted authority to establish and collect additional premium processing fees, and to use those additional funds for expanded agency purposes. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. No member firm has any authority to obligate or bind KPMG International or any other member firm vis-à-vis third parties, nor does KPMG International have any such authority to obligate or bind any member firm. Will the premium processing fees go down again? New Premium Processing Fee. The premium processing fee for all I-765 applications and most I-539 applications will be no higher than $1,750, and the processing timeframe will not exceed 30 days. According to the new decision, the fee for Form I-907 Request for Premium Processing will increase from $1,440 Any Form I-907 postmarked on or after October 19, 2020, must include the new fee amount for the corresponding visa classification requested. The fee cannot be waived. The premium processing fee will increase to $1,440 from the current fee of $1,410 for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker , and Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker . Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Although we endeavor to provide accurate and timely information, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. The premium processing fee for petitioners filing Form I-129 requesting H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status is increasing from $1,440 …