Q : What role does the NBC play?

To serve USCIS Field Offices, the NBC will complete all necessary pre-interview
processing of I-485 Adjustment of Status cases, including conducting background
security checks, initial evidence review, adjudication of associated I-765 and
I-131 applications (filed with the I-485 or separately), denial of adjustment of
status cases for applicants who are statutorily ineligible, and forwarding
scheduled cases to the USCIS Field Office for adjudication.

A unique function of the NBC is that the Center utilizes a Lockbox facility,
located in Chicago Illinois. The Lockbox is a bank under contract with the
Department of Treasury that performs fee receipting, fee deposit and initial
data entry for specified Forms according to business rules established by USCIS.
The Lockbox then forwards all properly filed cases to the NBC for the
pre-interview processing steps listed above.

Forms will be sent directly by the applicant to the Lockbox through a process
termed “Direct Mail”. The determination of whether an applicant may file his or
her I-485 directly with the Lockbox depends on the adjustment category under
which he or she is applying. For specific filing information, including who may
file using Direct Mail, please refer to the Direct Mail Federal Register Notice,
published on November 19, 2004, and the current Form instructions.
The National Benefits Center also processes Forms associated with the Legal
Immigration Family Equity Act of 2000 (LIFE Act), the CSS/Newman Settlement, and
certain E-filed I-765s and I-131s.