As mentioned earlier, premium visa processing times are when the government takes their time to process your documents but you have to pay extra for this convenience. Companies that offer these services typically add a small price tag per document processed which is still very reasonable considering how much it costs to run a business!
Businesses that offer premium visa processing receive special recognition and prestige from international organizations like the U.S. State Department. These companies are also known for keeping up-to-date software that helps expedite the approval process, as well as efficient systems designed to handle all of the paperwork.
In this article we will talk about one such company that has an incredible legacy of success in the world of immigration. We will call out some important features and details of their service, along with what factors determine if they are worth the cost for you. Is it worthy spending the additional money at least once?
We will also take a look at some potential benefits of using this company’s service instead of buying individual products or hiring freelance consultants directly, something many people do today. This can be done by reading our comparison chart!
Bottom line, whether you are new to traveling internationally or you are already a seasoned traveler who has read several articles about different types of visas, then you will know more than enough information about this service here.
Prior to April 2018, there was only one type of premium visa service – expedited processing. Companies could apply for this service by proving that their business relied heavily on travel or commerce abroad and that they had enough money to maintain operations while they waited for approval.
This service cost more than standard processing times, but it was worth it for those who needed to be ready when visas were issued. Unfortunately, this service has now been discontinued.
In an effort to reduce overall application wait times, the US State Department announced in March that it would begin offering two new types of premium visa services. These include International Business Travel (IBT) Service and Global Mobility Service.
What are these new services?
With IBT Service, companies can submit applications up to six months before most other applicants. This is due to the fact that IBT Service offers faster turnaround times through the use of pre-approved international mailing vendors and freight forwarders.
These vendors and forwarding agencies help get your bag where it needs to go fast because of their relationships with shipping lines and ports around the world. By using them as intermediaries, they often find cheaper ways to ship goods so your bag does not have to spend too much money on transportation.
Companies will still pay extra to have this service, however. It costs about $1,000 per application to offer IBT Service, which is several thousand dollars less expensive than what normal premium processing costs.
Recent reports suggest that some people have had longer than normal wait times for their O-1 visa applications!
Many employers use premium processing as an option for submitting employment-based green cards or additional visas to work in the US. By paying a small fee, your employer can help you complete your I-140 paperwork while waiting for approval so you don’t have to until later.
But it seems like some individuals are now experiencing much longer wait times for this benefit to be approved. Some even reported having to start over from scratch because of how long it took to get the initial proof of eligibility accepted!
This is very frustrating since being able to apply for citizenship is part of the reason many people want to live in America.
Recent developments with respect to premium processing have come about due to changes in how embassies around the world operate. Some countries have too many requests for benefits, which create backlogs and delays for people who are seeking a visa.
In fact, some governments have become so good at asking for things that it has actually made it harder for genuine non-immigrant travelers to enter or leave their country!
This is not fair to you as an outsider trying to visit our beautiful nation, and it can be frustrating for potential visitors. It also puts pressure on individuals in the workplace to do something they should not have to deal with.
It is important to note that while most employers are willing to help out by paying for business travel or airline tickets, they still expect you to show up for work!
What is premium processing?
Premium processing allows you to hire certain professionals (such as lawyers or accountants) to help you complete your I-file and/or process your application without having to pay them directly.
By hiring these professional services, you save money because they take care of all the paperwork and use certified documents, so there are no additional fees for this.
Most importantly, since they handle the technical parts of the applications, he or she will make sure everything goes through correctly and on schedule. This saves you time waiting for responses and refunds from other service providers.
The way in which an O visa is processed depends largely on how much time Immigration, Citizenship, or USCIS has to review your documents. If they are able to quickly review your files, then you will be notified of your status within days!
If there is not enough time to process your application, it can sometimes take months before you know if you have been approved or denied. This is particularly true during busy times, such as just after Christmas or right before a major holiday (like New Year’s).
In these cases, we often have to make decisions about whether to move forward with processing your application while there may not be very many people around who could help us complete our jobs.
We want to ensure that all immigrant candidates from Canada have the same chance at becoming legal residents, so we create procedures and guidelines to ensure fairness for every applicant. Unfortunately, this means that some applications take longer than others.
If you have received word that your application is denied, it is now time to determine if there are any additional steps you can take before filing again.
One of the main reasons visa applications get delayed is because of premium processing. Companies work with third-party service providers who help process the documents and files needed for approval. These firms may be paid per document or per review, so they add cost to the process.
Service providers may also apply their own restrictions to prevent further delays by denying access to certain materials or information. This could mean being barred from reviewing specific documents or knowledge about your case.
It is important to understand what options are available to you depending on how much stress this denial puts you in. There are different levels of premium processing, but most require you to file an appeal within fourteen days. After this period, it will automatically drop down to lower tiers which don’t include advanced services.
You will want to make sure that you speak with both internal and external stakeholders about your decision.
Recent developments regarding visa premium processing have some people very concerned. Many worry that this new system will only benefit large companies, while small businesses will be left out. There is also concern that these benefits will not remain permanent as Life Line Health has already experienced.
Many believe that employing more expensive resources for visa processing will create an increasingly competitive environment for business. Companies may feel pressured into doing the same in order to stay in business.
Furthermore, many fear that larger corporations will get a leg up on their competition because of the cost savings associated with visa premium processing.
While it is true that there are costs involved with visa premium processing, most of those expenses are related to your organization’s own employees. The fees go toward hiring professional workers who handle visa applications for employers.
An Office Qualified Life Event (O-QLE) is an occurrence that requires you to break work for at least one month. This could be due to death or illness in the family, marriage, birth of a child, etc.
If your employer offers O3 visa benefits, then they are typically referred to as an “Office Qualified Reentry” (O-QRR). The term “premium processing” was coined because these visas can be processed more quickly than standard B1/B2 visas.
There are two main categories of O3 Visas: those for employment-based immigrants and investor visas. Employer-sponsored immigrant visas allow employers to hire qualified nonimmigrant workers under ETA rules. Investor visas let wealthy individuals invest money in a business in exchange for residency or citizenship.
This article will focus only on O-VISA P status, which allows employers to sponsor employees for long-term residence after completing a year of service. These visas require less documentation than other O-visa statuses.
O1 visa processing times refer to your organization or individual sponsoring an applicant for employment in the US. This is typically done through a recruiter, employer, or placement firm that has a business relationship with the USCIS and thus can help applicants be approved more quickly!
O2 visa premium processing refers to getting paid extra by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to handle certain applications like B-visas, E-Z 1s, etc. Your company gets reimbursed for this service.
O3 visa premium processing times work the same as O2 visas but instead of being reimbursed for services, you make money off of them! Companies who offer O3 visa premium processing earn a fee for each application they process.
