Non YouTube partners are starting to see longer time limits for their uploads. If you have no strikes against you for copyright infringement or other reported issues as well as held an account for some time, then you may get blessed. It doesn't seem to be anything you can request, rather just wait for it to roll out over time.
You can find more details on the YouTube blog.
YouTube won't officially say "how" long the limit is (I've uploaded a clip that was over an hour with no problems).
Here's the official release – http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2010/12/up-up-and-away-long-videos-for-more.html?