THE PREMIUM PROCESSING PROGRAM

The following information is provided for the convenience and ease of the filing of an Application for Premium Processing (Form I-907).

Filling Out the Form I-907

Part 1 should be filled out with information about whoever the contact person will be. Thus, if the contact person is the attorney, the information should be the attorney’s. “Company name” would be the attorney’s firm. The IRS number can be left blank if the attorney is the contact person.

The attorney can sign Part 3, if the attorney is the contact person in Part 1. If the I-907 is being filed with respect to a petition that was previously filed, a new G-28 should be included. If the I-907 accompanies the petition filing, no separate G-28 is needed.

Only the attorney or the petitioner can complete and sign the Form I-907. The beneficiary cannot do so. However, the $1,000 check can come from anyone, including the beneficiary.

Under “Your Preferred Form of Communication,” it is acceptable to rank the forms of communication in order of preference. Put the numbers of your rankings in the boxes next to the respective choices.

Where to Submit Premium Processing Requests

File at the Service Center where you would ordinarily file the underlying petition, but be sure to use the special addresses designated for premium processing. If you use the regular filing address, the 15 day guarantee will not start to run until the U.S. INS identifies the case as for premium processing and routes it to the proper location.

Be sure to send the I-907 and the I-129 filing package together to the special address designated for premium processing, unless you are filing the I-907 to convert to premium processing a case that was already in the pipeline. INS reports that some people have been sending the I-907 to the premium processing address and the I-129 package to the regular address. This is not necessary or desirable, and only slows down the process.

For the Nebraska Service Center ONLY, cases will get into the system faster if they are mailed (including USPS Express Mail) to the Premium Processing post office box rather than sent to the street address used for courier services. The post office box materials are opened early in the day, while the courier service deliveries are not opened until late afternoon.

If an I-129 that is eligible for premium processing was filed without a premium processing request, and you now want to request premium processing, this can be done by submitting a Form I-907 to the premium processing address. Be sure to mark the INS receipt number prominently on the I-907 (and enclose of copy of the receipt if you have it). If a receipt number has not yet been issued, provide the air bill number and name of the courier service if you used one, as well as the name of the petitioner and beneficiary. Also, enclose a new G-28 for the I-907.

INS also will accept a premium processing request on a regular processing case after there has been an RFE. You can submit the I-907 and fee with the RFE response (to the premium processing address), or submit it afterward with a copy of the receipt and/or RFE, to convert the case to premium processing.

When submitting a response to an RFE issued in the course of the premium processing system, provide all the documentation at once, rather than in piecemeal fashion. Otherwise, the INS may conclude that the materials you are submitting are all that they are going to get and deny the case.

Although it is not specified in the regulation, the INS has indicated that, if it issues a Request for Evidence in a premium processing case, it will guarantee processing within 15 calendar days from when the response to the RFE is received.

If you receive an RFE by fax from the premium processing unit, it is best to return the response by fax. If you cannot return it by fax, be sure to send the response to the premium processing address, not the regular address, and send an email to the Service Center indicating how you sent the response.

Do not forget that the premium processing program affords the opportunity for direct communication with the Service Center. If you run into a problem or issue on the case, call or email the Center. If you don’t get a satisfactory response one way, try the other.

Wrong telephone numbers for the premium processing units at Texas and California were printed on some receipts. The correct number for Texas is 214-275-4415. The correct number for California is (949) 831-8550.

Unfortunately, INS will not respond to inquiries sent to the premium processing email address or phone number if they do not relate to a premium processing case.