This article was last updated and fact checked on January 28, 2023 by Mani Karthik.
Everybody wants expedited visa processing. But how to go about it? This article will show you how to apply for expedited visa processing and who is eligible for it.
Delays in processing cases at USCIS is indeed frustrating to applicants. You are not alone in this. The USCIS offers a method or procedure for expediting your case. In this article, I will explain when and how to seek an expedition for your visa application.
USCIS Criteria for Expedited Visa Processing & Applications
To qualify for an expedited visa application, you need to have either of the following reasons.
Lost large sum of money.
However, the person’s failure to immediately seek the benefit or reply to demands for more information cannot justify urgent action.
Did you, for example, wait until the last minute to apply for an immigration benefit?
To seek an expedited service, you must establish that the individual requesting it “cannot tolerate the temporary financial loss that is the inevitable outcome of regular processing times.”
In other words, the petitioners, as well as the firm waiting for them to start working, all suffer. If the case is not allowed promptly, the firm may go out of business.
Interests of the US Government
This includes government institutions including the Defense, Labor, and Homeland Security, as well as other public safety and national security concerns.
Errors made by USCIS
However, even if your scenario falls under one of these categories, fast processing is not guaranteed.
For example, expediting a work permit or student status “without any indication of additional compelling factors” does not deserve an expedition.
Everyone wants a work permit. So everyone would claim expedited processing.
USCIS may ask for additional documentation and papers to support an accelerated processing request. If your expedite request is authorized, it does not imply your case is approved.
It simply implies that the USCIS will expedite your application and give a decision quicker than the advertised processing periods.
That said, the USCIS is hesitant to accept expedited processing petitions since everyone has their unique reasons. USCIS usually believes it’s unfair to move someone ahead of the queue merely because they have a superior justification.
To even have a chance, you must show and record an acute emergency. Of course, I would never promise that submitting an expedited request means USCIS would approve it.
For those who really meet one of the above criteria or factors, you may choose to consult with an attorney who can assess your situation and, if you do meet the requirements, help you package and document the expedite request.
