This article was prepared with the assistance of ABIL, the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers, of which Loan Huynh, Fredrikson Immigration Department Chair, is a member.
On March 6, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) 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.
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. Premium processing expansion for certain F-1 students will occur in phases, and students requesting premium processing should not file before these dates:
- Beginning March 6, USCIS now accepts 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
- (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.
