USCIS announced on June 11, 2008 that I-140 petitions may be processed under Premium Processing on payment of an additional fee of $1000.00.

Premium processing should be available for those beneficiaries whose H will expire within 60 days of filing the request, and who need the I-140 approval to become eligible for that additional H time. An official notice has not yet been issued by USCIS. Further details will be posted as they become available. It is not clear whether this ruling applies to all categories of I-140 petitions or only those I-140 petitions previously accorded the premium processing option (EB1 outstanding researchers or professors, EB1 Extraordinary Ability, EB2 (other than NIW petitions) and EB3).