USCIS has released an announcement on its efforts to increase the efficiency of immigration cases processing and reduce burdens to the overall legal immigration system.

New USCIS policies are focused on three main issues:

1. setting new agency-wide backlog reduction goals.

2. expansion of premium (expedited) processing to additional case types.

3. improving access to employment authorization documents (EAD).

Reducing Immigration Processing Times

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, USCIS has significantly increased processing times of immigration cases. To reduce the agency’s backlog of cases, USCIS is establishing new internal cycle time goals, which are internal metrics that guide the staff in reducing current immigration processing times.

By introducing these new processing time goals, USCIS is trying to work more efficiently and speedily adjudicate cases. USCIS plans to increase its capacity, improve technology, and expand staffing to achieve these new goals by the end of FY 2023.

Expanding Premium Processing

Premium processing is an expedited adjudication service that is currently available for an additional fee only to petitioners filing a Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, and to certain employment-based immigrant visa petitioners filing a Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers.

Premium Processing allows for expedited processing of immigration cases within 15 calendar days. Its expansion to new case types has been long anticipated f and is definitely a welcome policy for many applicants and petitioners.

New policies expand the categories of cases eligible for premium processing service, including:

• Extension/Change of Status (Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status); 

• Employment Authorization Application (Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization);

• EB-1 immigrant classification as a multinational executive or manager (Form I-140) ; and

• EB-2 immigrant classification as a member of professions with advanced degrees or exceptional ability seeking a national interest waiver (Form I-140).

USCIS intends to begin implementing this premium processing availability in a phased approach in fiscal year 2022.

Improving Access to Employment Authorization Documents

USCIS continues its efforts in streamlining many EAD processes, including extending validity periods for certain EADs and providing expedited work authorization renewals for healthcare and childcare workers.

If you need assistance with your immigration cases, do not hesitate to contact our office.