Stage 1 of USCIS’s previously announced Premium Processing Expansion program is set to begin on June 1, 2022. Stage 1 will focus on I-140 petitions and will be rolled out in phases, with only long-pending cases eligible to upgrade to premium processing in the coming months. 

Phase 1 of Stage 1 will begin on June 1, 2022 and include pending I-140 petitions in the EB-1C Multinational Executive/Manager category that were filed with USCIS on or before January 1, 2021. 

Phase 2 of Stage 1 will begin on July 1, 2022 and include pending I-140 petitions in the EB-1C Multinational Executive/Manager category that were filed with USCIS on or before March 1, 2021 and pending I-140 petitions in the EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) category that were filed with USCIS on or before June 1, 2021. 

Premium processing for I-140 petitions in both categories will have the standard $2,500 government fee. However, USCIS will have 45 calendar days to adjudicate the case, instead of the traditional 15 days.

USCIS has not yet announced a formal timeline to roll out subsequent phases of Stage 1, such as premium processing upgrades for pending NIW cases filed after June 1, 2021 or concurrent premium processing requests for new I-140 petitions in the EB-1C category. Updates will be posted to this blog as soon as they are announced.

Courtland C. Witherup contributed to this article.