iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the expansion of premium processing for certain F-1 students seeking Optional Practical Training (OPT) and F-1 students seeking science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) OPT extensions who have a pending Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, and wish to request a premium processing upgrade.
This is likely to benefit students from India that want to study in the US in these subjects.
According to the USCIS, “Online filing of Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, is now also available to F-1 students in these categories. USCIS continues to accept the latest paper version of this form by mail. “
“The availability of premium processing for certain F-1 students, in addition to the ease of online filing, will streamline the immigration experience for a great many international students,” said USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou. “The ongoing expansion of online filing is a priority for USCIS as we continue to create operational efficiencies and increase access to the immigration system for stakeholders, applicants, petitioners, requestors, and those we serve.”
Beginning March 6, USCIS began accepting Form I-907 requests, filed either via paper form or online, for certain F-1 students who already have a pending Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, if they are filing under one of the following categories:
(c)(3)(A) – Pre-Completion OPT;
(c)(3)(B) – Post-Completion OPT; and
(c)(3)(C) – 24-Month Extension of OPT for STEM students.
Beginning April 3, USCIS will accept Form I-907 requests, filed either via paper form or online, for F-1 students in the above categories when filed together with Form I-765.
USCIS said it will reject premium processing requests for a pending Form I-765 if received before March 6, and will reject any premium processing request for an initial or concurrently filed Form I-765 that is received before April 3.
To file Form I-907 online, an applicant must first create a USCIS online account, which provides a convenient and secure method to submit forms, pay fees, and track the status of any pending USCIS immigration request throughout the adjudication process.
There is no cost to set up a USCIS online account, which offers a variety of features, including the ability to communicate with USCIS through a secure inbox and respond to Requests for Evidence online.
Applicants who previously filed a paper Form I-765 and wish to file Form I-907 online to request premium processing should reference the USCIS Account Access Notice they received for the Online Access Code and details on how to link their paper-filed cases to their online account, or they will not be able to file Form I-907 online and will need file a paper Form I-907 with the Chicago lockbox.
The addition of online filing for Form I-907 brings the total number of forms available for online filing to 16. The Forms Available to File Online page has links to file all of these forms. USCIS continues to accept the latest paper versions of all forms by mail. More than 1.8 million applications, petitions and requests were filed online in FY 2022, a 53% increase from the 1.2 million filed in FY 2021.
Ajay Bhutoria, Community Leader figure fighting for fair immigration policies, has welcomed the recent announcement by the U.S. Ci
tizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to expand premium processing to include certain F-1 students seeking Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM OPT extensions. The new online-filing procedures for Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, is now available to F-1 students who are seeking employment authorization in the above categories.
This is great news for foreign students who have been facing long wait times for their OPT approvals. USCIS’s announcement is expected to provide welcome relief to F-1 students who are seeking to obtain employment authorization in the United States. USCIS will now accept Form I-907 requests filed either via paper form or online for certain F-1 students who have a pending Form I-765. This includes those filing under pre-completion OPT, post-completion OPT, and 24-month extension of OPT for STEM students.
The concurrent filing of new I-765 with I-907 will also be accepted by USCIS from April 3rd. The new procedures are expected to streamline the OPT approval process and provide greater convenience to F-1 students. Ajay Bhutoria is optimistic that these new measures will help F-1 students obtain employment authorization more quickly, thereby enabling them to contribute to the U.S. economy and society.
