As of the end of its 2019 fiscal year, USCIS had $648 million in its premium processing account and it is estimated that the USCIS could raise an additional $385–$626 million in annual revenues by expanding premium processing to the forms authorized for immediate eligibility by Congress. The letter pointed out that the USCIS generates substantial revenue from its premium processing service, which allows for certain petitions to be processed within 15 calendar days for an additional filing fee of $2,500. More recently, on February 24, 2021, USCIS announced the expansion of premium processing to E-3 petitioners.Īccording to a letter recently sent to the USCIS from 17 prominent immigration organizations in the United States dealing with the Implementation of the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act, 17 prominent immigration organizations urged the USCIS to use the Act to expand premium processing to additional form types. As a result, on October 19, 2020, USCIS increased the premium processing fee for Forms I-140 and I-129 to $2,500 from $1,400. The legislation also provided measures to increase USCIS’s revenues by raising existing premium processing fees for most visas and expanding premium processing to additional form types. Of special note, this legislation provided the agency immediate access to existing premium processing funds that were previously dedicated to infrastructure improvements to cover operating expenses. Congress responded by passing the Implementation of the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act. It asked for an additional $1.2 billion in emergency funding. Informally, the agency notified Congress of a projected budget shortfall threatening the agency’s operations and the financial well being of thousands of USCIS employees. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). In May of last year things looked grim at the U.S. Premium Processing Fees Paying For Improvements
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