Effective July 20, 2009, USCIS resumed premium processing service for nonimmigrant religious worker petitions filed by certain R-1 petitioners. Solely those petitioners who have successfully passed an on-site inspection at the location where the beneficiary will work are eligible to file under the Premium Processing Service for an R-1 nonimmigrant religious worker petition. Prior to accepting a petition for Premium Processing Service, USCIS will conduct a system search to verify whether or not a successful site inspection was completed at the location where the beneficiary will work.

Under the Premium Processing Services, USCIS guarantees petitioners that, for a $1,000 processing fee, it will issue either an approval notice, or where appropriate, a notice of intent to deny, a request for evidence or open an investigation for fraud or misrepresentation, within 15 calendar days of receipt.

Please see the attached USCIS Update for more information.

Please contact your Wolfsdorf Immigration Law Group professional at I-800-VISA-LAW or via email to VisaLaw@Wolfsdorf.com if you have any questions about this or other matters.