H-1B Premium Process 2023

What is H1B Premium Processing?

If applicants or employers are worried that the H1B visa processing time would take too long, USCIS offers the option to choose the H-1B Premium Processing service. Premiums Processing expedites processing time for H1B applications to 15 calendar days. 

Depending on different service centers, the processing time varies. For example, currently, the average time for processing an H-1B visa is 2.5 months with California Service Center. The H-1B extension processing time will take anywhere between 4 to 7 months by normal processing. You can always track the status of I-129 by using the USCIS process tracking tool. 

H1B application progress tracking

Premium Processing Fee

The required filing fees for premium processing service are to be announced in 2023. In 2022, employers need to pay the following fees to start premium processing:

  • H-1B Premium Processing Service fee - $2,500 (Paid by employer or employee)

  • Fraud Prevention and Detection fee - $500 (Paid by employer)

  • I-129 Petition Filing Fee - $460 (Paid by employer)

  • Public Law 114 - 113 Fee (applicable for companies with over 50 employees and half of our H1B or L1 visa holders) - $4,000 (Paid by employer)

  • ACWIA Training Fee - $750 (<25 employers); $1,500(>25 employers) (Paid my employer)

    Note* If the application isn’t reviewed after 15 calendar days, employers can apply for a refund of the filing fee.

You can find the detailed H1B Application Fee here.

When to Choose Premium Processing Time

H-1B visa petitioners and applicants usually choose to use the premium processing services when they need to expedite the process and cannot afford to wait for the long H-1B processing time.

Taking advantage of the Premium Processing service is usually more beneficial if you are transferring from an old employer to a new employer and you want to start right away.

About the Attorney:

Toni Xu is an experienced immigration attorney who represents foreign workers and businesses that wish to sponsor them.

The information on this page should not be construed as legal advice.

Request a H-1B Visa Consultation

 

  • $10

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The blanket L-1 visa petition allows an organization to submit a single “blanket” petition instead of submitting L-1 intracompany transferee visas separately for each employee, potentially saving processing time and hassle for the company. By getting an L-1 visa blanket petition, L-1 employees are eligible to apply for their L1 visa directly at the consulate without having to get their I-129 approved first. This allows organizations to petition to bring foreign employees to the United States quickly and on short notice.