On May 12, 2016, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin premium processing cap-subject H-1B petitions requesting premium processing, including petitions seeking an exemption for individuals with a U.S. master’s degree or higher. This, however, will not apply to H-1B petitions that are not subject to the cap and for any other visa classification.  For those cases, the 15-day processing period for premium processing service begins on the date that USCIS receives the request.