Faced with Vermont Service Center’s processing times extending up to 5.5 months and California Service Center’s processing times reaching as long as 7.5 months, we have recently resorted to filing premium processing requests. Fortunately, many of our clients’ cases have still been successfully approved.
Ollie Hongji Li is a textile designer from China. We submitted his first O-1 visa application on September 27, 2024, and it was approved on November 7, 2024. Ollie writes:
“I am a New York-based Textile Designer with an MFA in Textiles from Parsons School of Design. I just received my O-1 approval this month, November 2024, through the Premium Processing service. The original lawyer handling my case had to step away due to personal matters, and I was informed at the last minute. Thankfully, I was able to connect with Jane’s legal team. Jane’s office took over, and Jane and Naoko expeditiously completed the case. They were available throughout the process, and I’m grateful for their expertise and guidance.”
Richard Meiklejohn is an Innovation Leader renowned for his transformative contributions to life sciences, business strategy, and medical technology, driving advancements in healthcare and fostering economic growth through groundbreaking initiatives and strategic leadership. His O1A petition, filed as an agent case with premium processing, was submitted on October 31, 2024, and approved on November 19, 2024. Richard writes:
“I am an innovation leader specializing in the commercialization of medical technology. I recently had my O-1A visa application approved with with the help of Jane Orgel PC.
I originally consulted with Jane to review my case prior to working closely with Rongrong to finalize my documents. I can not praise both highly enough for the guidance and professionalism throughout the process.
Everything was very clearly set out with a structured approach and Rongrong was incredibly responsive and supportive along the way.
Definitely recommend to anyone looking for a top immigration attorney to work with.”
Recently, many clients have expressed concerns about whether immigration case reviews might become stricter after the new president takes office. While it’s impossible to predict the future, what we can do is focus on the present and prepare every case meticulously based on the existing standards. These standards are clearly outlined, with specific supporting documents and evaluation criteria. No matter how policies may change, adhering strictly to the guidelines will always be the safest approach.
Clients who have worked with us know how rigorous we are about document requirements. In the final weeks before submitting a case, we repeatedly review the materials and often request additional documents to ensure the application meets the highest possible standards. If policies do become stricter, only poorly prepared applications are at risk of being eliminated. As for our team, regardless of how policies shift, our standards have always been stricter than those of immigration authorities. That said, this doesn’t mean our cases will never receive RFEs (Requests for Evidence). After all, occasional issues, such as case officers misunderstanding the review criteria or clients’ backgrounds not being strong enough, are part of the process.
The good news is, we can address these challenges. For misunderstandings by case officers, we respond with clear and compelling supplementary materials. For clients with less competitive backgrounds, we recommend taking steps to enhance their profiles during the application preparation period. Even if these efforts are incomplete at the time of submission, they can be leveraged in an RFE response, saving valuable time.
In short, visa applications are a collaborative process. You provide the most detailed and authentic information about your background, and we ensure every aspect of your application is handled with the highest level of professionalism. No matter how policies evolve, as long as we approach every step with thorough preparation and strong materials, we can give every case the best chance of success.