National Benefits Center About Us

Director:
           Robert M. Cowan

The NBC also processes Forms associated with the LIFE Act (Legal Immigration Family Equity Act of 2000) and the CSS/Newman Settlement.  

Adjustment of Status and Related Forms Processed at NBC

Note: Beginning December 1, 2004, applicants who live in the following states and are filing Forms I-485, I-765, and/or I-131 (and any supporting evidence) under certain specified categories must mail these Forms directly to the Lockbox: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, as well as the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands of the United States.

April 1, 2005, all applicants who live in the following states and are filing Forms I-485, I-765, and/or I-131 (and any supporting evidence) under certain specified categories must mail these Forms directly to the Lockbox: Alaska, California, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.

Please refer to the Direct MailFederal Register Notice, published on November 19, 2004, for specific information on the Direct Mail rollout, as well as the specific categories of applicants affected by this Notice.

• Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (specifically those not required to be filed at a USCIS Service Center) and accompanying forms (listed below), only if they are concurrently filed with an I-485 or if they support an I-485 that is already filed with the NBC:

  • Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative (only if concurrently filed with the I-485; no stand-alone I-130s are accepted at the Lockbox.)
  • Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, for Advance Parole only (NOTE: I-131s filed for reentry permits, refugee travel documents, or humanitarian parole must be filed at the appropriate USCIS office). See I-131 Instructions: Where to file?
  • Form I-212, Application for Permission to Reapply for Admission into the U.S. after Deportation or Removal
  • Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant
  • Form I-485, Supplement A
  • Form I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Excludability
  • Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization
  • Form I-824, Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition
  • EOIR-29, Notice of Appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals
  • Motion to Reopen Before the Commissioner

  LIFE Act Forms Processed at NBC

• I-539 Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status (only for applicants seeking V1, V2, or V3 status, extension of V1, V2, or V3 status, or extension of K3/K4 status)
• I-129F Petition for Alien Fiancé(e) (relating to spouses of United States citizens seeking K3 visas only)
• I-817 Application for Family Unity Benefits (for spouses and children of LIFE Legalization applicants)
• I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status under LIFE Legalization (Note: The LIFE Act Legalization program ended on June 4, 2003. I-485s filed under the LIFE Act are no longer being accepted.)
• I-290B, Notice of Appeal to the Administrative Appeals Unit (for denied LIFE Legalization I-485s)
• I-131 Application for Travel Document associated with an I-485 or I-817 filed under the LIFE Act
• I-765 Application for Employment Authorization associated with one of the above LIFE Act Applications/Petitions. These include the following categories:

  • (a)(15): I-765 filed by a spouse or child of a Lawful Permanent Resident who has already been admitted to the United States in a valid V nonimmigrant status pursuant to a V visa issued by the Department of State or who has a valid V nonimmigrant status granted by the USCIS by filing a Form I-539 Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status. Note: If you are applying for a V nonimmigrant status within the United States by filing a Form I-539, you may file your (a)(15) category I-765 at the same time. However, no interim EAD benefits are available for such an I-765 that is filed with an I-539 seeking initial V status.
  • (a)(9): I-765 filed by a spouse or child of a United States Citizen. The spouse or child must have already been admitted to the United States in a K3 or K4 nonimmigrant status pursuant to a K visa issued by the Department of State.
  • (c)(24): I-765 filed by an applicant with a pending Legal Immigration Family Equity (LIFE) Act I-485 application and evidence of a timely written claim to class membership in the CSS, LULAC, or Zambrano lawsuits.
  • (a)(14): I-765 application with an approved LIFE Act I-817 Family Unity application. Note: A separate I-765 does not need to be filed with an I-817. If you are granted Family Unity Benefits, you should receive an Employment Authorization Document valid for the same period.

  CSS-Newman Settlement Forms Processed at NBC

• I-687 Application for Status as a Temporary Resident Under Section 245A of the INA.
• I-765 Application for Employment Authorization associated with an I-687 filed under the CSS-Newman Settlement (Category (c)(22)).
• I-131 Application for Travel Document associated with an I-687 filed under the CSS-Newman Settlement
• I-698 Application to Adjust Status From Temporary to Permanent Resident
• I-694 Notice of Appeal of Decision Under Sections 245A or 210 of the Immigration and Nationality Act
• I-690 Application for Waiver for Excludability

• Form I-131, Application for Travel Document (for Re-entry Permits or Refugee Travel Documents only), are filed with the Nebraska Service Center.
• All Forms I-360, Self-Petitions, filed by a Battered Spouse or Child are filed at the Vermont Service Center.
• All Forms I-485, for Refugees, Asylees, Haitians, Indochinese Parolees, are filed with the Nebraska Service Center. For more information, see adjustment of status for asylees (including expected timeframes for processing).
• All Forms I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur, are filed at either the California Service Center or Texas Service Center. Please see the Form I-526 for filing instructions.
• All Forms I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petitions are filed with the Nebraska Service Center.
• All Forms I-905, Application for Authorization to Issue Certification for Health Care Workers, are filed with the Nebraska Service Center.

• Applications for asylum (Form I-589) may require filing at a different Service Center than indicated above; please check the instructions for Form I-589 to determine where you should file your application.
• Petitions I-140 and I-360
• I-130 Petitions that are not filed concurrently with I-485s.
• All Forms I-485 associated with a pending or approved I-140, Petition for Alien Worker.

  To determine the Service Center Serving Your Area of Residence, please refer to Service Center Offices by State or visit the home page of the Service Centers:
  California Service Center
  Texas Service Center
  Vermont Service Center
  Nebraska Service Center
  

  Expediting Cases/Expeditious Handling Requests:

  Customers or their representatives requesting expedited processing of a case filed with the NBC should first contact their local Field Office. The Field Office will then channel meritorious requests through the establish