Email says one thing/Agent says another

[Holdanna 9]

Not sure why I'm panicking. But- I'm sponsoring my son PD Feb 13 2018. I just got an email saying that it was transferred to Houston local field office. What can be the reasons? Please help? Anyone with similar experience?

[aleful 1,905]

hi

 

don't panic, it's normal for cases to be transferred to other offices, due to heavy caseloads. local offices are also used when service centers are clogged with cases. 

[Holdanna 9]

Ok thanks. I'm a permanent resident filing for my child. F2A so I thought it strange to transfer because I thought normally transfers are for interviews but my son is in Montreal.

[arken 4,197]

Sometimes they may ask the petitioner to appear for interview in local field office to sort out issues they see in the application.

[jcracked52 55]

@arken Is that what happens when you have i485 interview but i130 is not approved yet? I am in F2B category and my i130 is pending. I have filed i485. I wonder what will happen if I have my i485 interview but i130 hasn't been approved at that point? Will they transfer my i130 to local field office?

[Holdanna 9]

OK this is the weirdest thing. Just spoke with USCIS. Even though my email notification said that it was transferred to local office, the agent (tier 1) said it was in fact transferred to the Texas Service Center. (removed)

Edited July 18, 2019 by Unlockable
Inappropriate word removed

[Holdanna 9]

I received an EMAIL saying that my petition for son f2a was transferred to local office. I called USCIS. The agent, tier 1, said that I will be getting a letter stating it was in fact transferred to the TEXAS SERVICE CENTER. Why would the email say something different? My local field office is Houston.

[payxibka 10,047]

2 minutes ago, Holdanna said:

I received an EMAIL saying that my petition for son f2a was transferred to local office. I called USCIS. The agent, tier 1, said that I will be getting a letter stating it was in fact transferred to the TEXAS SERVICE CENTER. Why would the email say something different? My local field office is Houston.

Don't start multiple topics asking essentially the same question 

[Holdanna 9]

Please reread. They are NOT the same.

Edited July 18, 2019 by Holdanna

[geowrian 22,338]

A standalone I-130 packet is handled at a service center, not field office.

An I-130 + I-485 packet is handled at a field office (after review at the NBC).

[Holdanna 9]

I have a stand alone i130. My email says it's at a local office but the agent says it's at the Texas service center. Very strange. Any thoughts as to why the difference?

[geowrian 22,338]

16 minutes ago, Holdanna said:

I have a stand alone i130. My email says it's at a local office but the agent says it's at the Texas service center. Very strange. Any thoughts as to why the difference?

Not really, although what email did you get? The only notifications for a newly received I-130 are the paper notice upon receipt (NOA1) and the optional electronic notification that it was received with a case number (no location should be noted in that).

[Obada.elamin 1]

What is his priority date?

[Holdanna 9]

Geowrian and Obada-

 

Here is the email notification that my file was transferred. Here is says it was transferred to local office. Agent said it was transferred to Texas Service Center. PD Feb 12, 2018

I am a permanent resident. Doing consular processing in Montreal

[geowrian 22,338]

3 minutes ago, Holdanna said:

Geowrian and Obada-

 

Here is the email notification that my file was transferred. Here is says it was transferred to local office. Agent said it was transferred to Texas Service Center. PD Feb 12, 2018

I am a permanent resident. Doing consular processing in Montreal

Thanks for the screenshot.

 

So this is not a new petition, but one submitted back in Feb. 2018. That provides some good insight at least.

It sounds like the update is either a mistake (it happens sometimes with their system), or they intend to do an interview of the petitioner (rare). Local field offices don't normally handle standalone I-130s unless there is an interview.