The premium processing fee for the OPT application is $1,685. Applicants should consider their application timeline and work start date to decide whether to use this service.
Since March 6, 2023, USCIS has introduced premium processing services for OPT applications.
If you are worried about not receiving your EAD card on time, you may submit Form I-907 for premium processing along with your OPT application.
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Premium processing requires a fee of $1,685.
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After accepting a premium processing request, USCIS will release your case result within 30 days.
Do You Need Premium Processing?
While USCIS offers the option of premium processing, it might not be suitable for everyone. As mentioned in the OPT Application Guide, if you receive your EAD card before securing a job, you might waste your "unemployment days." As such, whether to pay an additional $1,685 for premium processing requires you to consider several factors:
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Did you submit your OPT application too late?
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Did you submit your OPT application during a peak period?
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Did you find a job after submitting your application, for which the employer requires you to start working immediately, but USCIS has not yet processed your application?
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Is your employer willing to cover the premium processing fee?
Submitting a Premium Processing Request
If you submitted your OPT application by mail and later wish to submit Form I-907 online, you will need the Online Access Code provided in the USCIS Account Access Notice to combine your paper application with the online premium processing request. Otherwise, you can only submit the paper Form I-907 for premium processing by mailing it to the USCIS Chicago Lockbox.
Here's how to send mail to the Chicago Lockbox:
Additionally, please note that the result you receive within 30 days might not be an approval. You might receive one of the following results:
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Approval notice
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Denial notice
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Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID)
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Request for Evidence (RFE)
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Investigation for fraud or misrepresentation