Premium Processing of FY 2017 H-1B Cap Petitions to Begin No Later Than May 16
March 16, 2016

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Premium processing of FY 2017 H-1B cap cases will be postponed until no later than May 16, 2016, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced. Employers will be able to request premium service for H-1B cap cases when the filing season opens on April 1, but the agency will not begin working on those cases until May 16 at the latest.
USCIS is delaying the start of the 15-day premium processing clock so that it can focus on initial intake, data entry and receipting of the large number of petitions it expects to receive between Friday, April 1, and Thursday, April 7, 2016, the critical window for the FY 2017 H-1B cap filing season.
What This Means for Employers
USCIS’s announcement means that employers requesting premium service may not see agency action – i.e., an approval, request for evidence (RFE) or denial – on their H-1B cap petitions before Tuesday, May 31, though USCIS could begin cap premium processing earlier than anticipated.
The agency did not address the status of premium processing for other eligible case types. It is expected to remain generally available, though delays during the busy cap season and beyond cannot be ruled out.
If you have any questions about this alert, or about H-1B cap processing in general, please contact your designated Fragomen professional. This alert is for informational purposes only.
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- Fragomen in Houston, TX
- Fragomen in Irvine, CA
- Fragomen in Los Angeles, CA
- Fragomen in Matawan, NJ
- Fragomen in New York, NY
- Fragomen in San Diego, CA
- Fragomen in San Francisco, CA
- Fragomen in Silicon Valley, CA
- Fragomen in Detroit, MI
- Fragomen in Washington, DC
Related offices
- Fragomen in Atlanta, GA
- Fragomen in Boston, MA
- Fragomen in Chicago, IL
- Fragomen in Miami, FL
- Fragomen in Dallas, TX
- Fragomen in Houston, TX
- Fragomen in Irvine, CA
- Fragomen in Los Angeles, CA
- Fragomen in Matawan, NJ
- Fragomen in New York, NY
- Fragomen in San Diego, CA
- Fragomen in San Francisco, CA
- Fragomen in Silicon Valley, CA
- Fragomen in Detroit, MI
- Fragomen in Washington, DC
Related offices
- Fragomen in Atlanta, GA
- Fragomen in Boston, MA
- Fragomen in Chicago, IL
- Fragomen in Miami, FL
- Fragomen in Dallas, TX
- Fragomen in Houston, TX
- Fragomen in Irvine, CA
- Fragomen in Los Angeles, CA
- Fragomen in Matawan, NJ
- Fragomen in New York, NY
- Fragomen in San Diego, CA
- Fragomen in San Francisco, CA
- Fragomen in Silicon Valley, CA
- Fragomen in Detroit, MI
- Fragomen in Washington, DC
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Awards
Fragomen is recognized with multiple honors at the 2026 FEM Americas EMMAs, including Outstanding Agility & Crisis Management as a Service Provider and Thought Leadership – Best Survey or Research Study of the Year for the Worldwide Immigration Trends Report 2026.
Blog post
Destination Services Director Christine Sperr examines how housing market reforms, rent stabilization measures and cost-of-living dynamics in Saudi Arabia are influencing workforce mobility, compensation planning and long-term settlement strategies under Vision 2030.
Visas
Manager Dr. Adela Schmidt explains how German authorities assess past travel and business activities and why suspected unauthorized work during prior visits can lead to visa refusals and temporary entry bans.
Podcast
Partner Cosmina Morariu and Senior Director Leah Rogal discuss the mission of Fragomen’s Center for Strategy and Applied Insights and how it helps organizations and governments navigate evolving immigration policy and global talent mobility challenges.
Fragomen news
Fragomen and Papaya Global announce a strategic partnership combining workforce technology and immigration capabilities to help organizations simplify global mobility, enhance compliance and manage cross-border workforces through a more integrated, technology-enabled approach.
Video
Latin America & the Caribbean Managing Partner Leonor Echeverria explores how Latin America’s evolving immigration landscape offers accessible and flexible residence pathways for foreign nationals, highlighting key visa options, regional trends and the growing role of digital modernization across the region.
Podcast
Senior Associate Stephanie Weaver and Associate Julia Manacher continue their discussion on immigration law in popular culture, examining how television and media portray immigration processes and the realities behind common immigration storylines.
Media mentions
Partner Kevin Miner discusses how proposed H-1B salary threshold increases may raise employer costs and influence hiring strategies for specialized talent across industries.
Video
In this Mobility Minute, Manager Pierangelo D’Errico discusses Portugal’s newly approved nationality law changes and the potential impact on Golden Visa applicants and other foreign residents.
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Partner Rajiv Naik highlights the importance of transparency, clear guidance and human oversight as AI use expands in UK immigration tribunals.
Video
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