Speaker 1: Welcome to Direct US Immigration's channel where you get direct access to our most up-to-date immigration and global mobility space. My name is Matrya Brown and I'm going to talk about common ways to expedite the processing of your immigration case. You're not going to want to miss out on this one. Stay tuned. Thanks for tuning in. My name is Matrya Brown and I'm a U.S. immigration attorney based in Washington, D.C. I am also the principal attorney at Direct U.S. Immigration where we work with clients in all 50 states and around the world. Before we start, click on the like and subscribe button to follow our immigration hub to get the latest immigration information that could be vital to your case. As you know, depending on the nature of your application and the workload at USCIS, the processing time for your application may change. I understand how hard and difficult this process is for many of you, so today we're here to discuss how to quicken the processing time. So in this video, we'll talk about common ways to expedite the processing of your immigration case so that you don't experience long wait times for your application to be processed. Now, expedited case processing is when USCIS makes a decision on your application faster than the standard processing time. Expedited processing is very useful when you are dealing with an emergency or a significant change in your personal life and need to hear from USCIS on your case as soon as possible. Most requests for immigration benefits go through USCIS, so depending on the nature of your application and the workload at the USCIS office in charge of making that adjudication or, you know, that determination to grant or deny your case, the processing time for your application may change. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has extended the typical case processing timelines for USCIS. Unfortunately, you will encounter annoying delays in case processing, given that the USCIS takes months, if not years, to make decisions on immigration-related applications. The most common way to expedite your case is to file immigration form I-907, which requires USCIS to process the case faster. Or you can submit a discretionary request to USCIS. Form I-907 is a sure way to get your case expedited in 15 days upon receipt of application for certain case types. Specifically, filing form I-129 for certain non-immigrant visas, such as your E-1 through E-3, so your E-1, E-2, E-3, your H-1B, H-3, LOP, QN, and TN visas, generally can be placed in premium processing for a fee of $2,500. Now, for H-2B and R visas, the fee to place these cases in premium processing is a little bit less, so it is $1,500, and then on the other end, for non-immigrant forms, such as your form I-140, for certain E-1, E-2, and E-3 categories, the fee to place those cases in premium processing is $2,500. With other cases, USCIS considers expedite requests on a case-by-case basis and at the discretion of the officer reviewing the case. Every applicant is welcome to request that USCIS expedite their case. You must, however, be able to demonstrate that you have a compelling reason to make such a request. So, USCIS uses particular criteria to determine whether an expedite request is acceptable for the applicant's situation. Now, USCIS will typically look at whether an individual or a company will experience severe financial loss. USCIS will also look at humanitarian reasons, such as an outbreak in war, a critical illness, such as a life-and-death situation, and kind of what I previously mentioned, a dire financial situation. USCIS will also look at whether your application has an impact on a U.S. national interest, government interest, or public safety in some way. So, generally speaking, for those reasons, USCIS is much more likely to approve that type of expedite request. And then, of course, if there is a USCIS error, which, you know, of course, there are times when USCIS makes mistakes while processing an immigration application that could cause you to lose time and status or, you know, one reason or another, they're more likely to process the case faster in that regard as well. Now, Congress members also have the authority to contact federal agencies on behalf of their constituents, although they will not be able to reverse or change any decisions, but they will be able to bring attention to that specific issue. Now, most important is that you do want to hire an immigration lawyer. So, many applicants try to file applications or petitions on their own to save money. However, this does increase the likelihood of those cases being rejected, delayed, and even denied. And the immigration process is not always simple and does, in fact, necessitate the assistance of an expert to help navigate the various shortcuts, exceptions, and policy changes. A reputable immigration attorney is familiar with these rules and regulations governing your case, and they are kept up to date with any developments that may affect your petition. So, while case processing delays are all too common when dealing with USCIS, you don't have to sit around waiting for them to act on your case. You can help speed up the case by using this information. I hope you found this video helpful. Subscribe if this content or information helps you in any way. Comment below if you want me to talk about something in specific and share this resource widely because you never know who needs answers to these questions. Also, if you have specific questions about your unique circumstances as they relate to this video, please schedule a consultation through the link also below. And I will see you in the next video.