US Student Visa: F1 Visa holders to get premium processing services for work permit soon
United States of America, US Government has issued new guidelines and details regarding US Student Visa holders. As per these new details, international students who have the F1 Visa would soon become eligible for premium visa processing services. These services would be given to the international students while applying for a work permit. As per a PTI Report, US Citizenship and Immigration Services, USCIS has stated that from March onwards, the premium visa processing services will be expanded to students with the F1 Visa who are seeking to apply for Optional Practical Training, OPT. The services would also be expanded to F1 Students who wish to apply for STEM OPT.
From March, the services would be available for those students who have a pending form I-765 Application for Employment Authorisation. From April 2023 onwards, USCIS will expand to premium processing services seeking OPT and STEM OPT with an initial form I-765.
US Student Visa: What is OPT and STEM OPT?
Optional Practical Training, OPT authorises an F1 visa holder to work for 12 months. Students who have been full time students for at least 2 consecutive semesters and plan to seek employment apply for this extension of the F1 Visa.
STEM OPT refers to optional practical training for fields related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine. Through the STEM OPT extension, a 24-month period work authorisation is provided to F1 Student visa holders. Students with a degree or pending graduation in a qualifying STEM program may be eligible to apply.
USCIS has made these decisions on the basis of the recommendations of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, AAPI community. The recommendation was made by one of the members Ajay Jain Bhutoria, who is an Indian American.
The commission has stated that premium processing has only been available for petitioners who fill Form I-129, petition for a non-immigrant worker and Form I-140, immigrant Petition for Alien Workers.
“We recommend expanding premium processing services, giving applicants the option to pay between USD 2,500 to expedite their applications,” stated the commission.
(With agency inputs)
