Workload Transfer from Service Centers to Field Operations

USCIS wants to notify customers and stakeholders that some work that USCIS performs at the four USCIS service centers (Vermont, Nebraska, Texas and California) will be transferred to a Field Office or the National Benefits Center (NBC) in order to balance the overall workload with processing capacity. The chart below summarizes these changes.

Effective Date of Changes

USCIS is implementing these changes using a “date-forward” approach, meaning that any work we received before the effective date indicated above will be completed by the previous location. Work we receive on or after the effective date will be completed by the new location.

Effect on Customers

As a result of these changes, customers may receive transfer notices, requests for evidence (RFE) notices, notices of decision, or other correspondence from a different USCIS location.

Stand-Alone Immediate Relative I-130s will be transferred from the Service Center to the National Benefits Center (NBC), and then routed to the appropriate Field Office.  Customers will receive a notice indicating the case was transferred to the NBC, but that notice will not indicate the final local Field Office location.

Filing Location

The filing location for these forms will not change. Please continue to file the forms at the address noted on the Form instructions and on the Forms website on uscis.gov.

Case Inquiries

You may inquire about the status of your case online, by calling the National Customer Service Center, or making an InfoPass appointment. Please visit the uscis.gov Contact Us page for more information.

Forms Glossary

Stand-Alone Immediate Relative (IR) I-130, Petition for Alien Relative
A stand-alone I-130 is filed on its own and is not filed concurrently with any other application (such as with an I-485). An immediate relative I-130 petition is one that is filed by U.S. citizens for a spouse, a child under age 21, or a parent (if the petitioner is 21 years old or older).

Interview-Waivable Family-Based I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
Interview Waivable cases are family-based I-485s which USCIS has determined can be adjudicated without an interview. In the past, the NBC completed pre-processing of these cases and then transferred them to the California Service Center for adjudication. On Aug. 1, 2012, the NBC started to retain these cases for adjudication.