1. Status of I-140 Premium Processing for Current Limited Cases and Expansion Plan

The USCIS has been receiving smaller numbers than they anticipated. Each of the Service Centers (NSC and TSC) has been receiving approximately 15 to 20 cases only per day. Additionally 60% of the cases have been rejected for such reasons as 60-day H-1B six-year limit reaching issue, premium processing unavailable classification of the petitions, and failure to enclose a copy of the certified labor certification applications.

The USCIS has been hiring and training staff to expand the I-140 processing services gradually. They will also closely look into the cases involving those who are in 7th year or 8th year H-1B but unable to extend beyond the time or those cases who have already reached six-year limit and changed the status to other nonimmigrant status. Please stay tuned.

2. FY-2009 H-1B Cap Processing Status

The processing and adjudication have been moving along as scheduled. CSC has completed mailing out of rejection package and VSC is scheduled to complete the mail-out of the rejection packages by the end of next week. CSC and VSC are scheduled to complete most of the adjudications by the end of August 2008 such that all the selected cases be adjudicated by the end of FY 2008, September 30, 2008. 

As of now, the USCIS has either approved or rejected in 45,700 cases. As for the initial 500 cases of suspected duplicate filing, after the review, they determined that the suspect cases were between 250 cases to 300 cases, out of which they estimate that the truly rejectable duplicate cases may turn out to be approximately 130 cases.

In order to abate the problems associated with the past lottery process, the USCIS is working on "pre-registration" program coming year.

3. USCIS Efforts Not to Waste FY 2008 EB Visa Numbers

The USCIS is reportedly working closely with the State Department to monitor the visa number usages both in the U.S. and outside of the U.S. as well as the visa number consumption plan. 

Thus the USCIS is reportedly working on the I-140 and I-485 concurrently filed cases in the pipeline to get ready for the adjudication of I-485 applications as soon as visa number becomes available such that any waste of annual visa numbers be abated or minimized. They are very conscious of massive filing of I-485 applications during the period of 2007 VB fiasco


http://www.greencardapply.com/news/news08/news08_0715.htm