Which case center has jurisdiction over specific states?

[colin&tina 6]

Hi everyone!

 

My fiancé and I are currently early in the K-1 Visa process, but are starting to plan out where we are going to live, in context of the Adjustment of Status process. We have heard that the 5 USCIS processing centers (California, Vermont, Texas, Potomac, and Nebraska) are geographically dependent on where you are applying from, but can get transferred for no reason. This worries us, because some centers, like California and Vermont, are extremely backlogged and can take up to three years to deliver green cards, whereas Nebraska has a processing time of up to seven months. Has anybody else had these concerns, or managed to apply to the processing center of their choice by moving to the Mid-West? 

 

We are interested in a number of different states, such as New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Michigan, and we wondered if anyone on the site has moved to these states; if so, which USCIS Center processed your case?

[Crazy Cat 41,844]

You have no control over which USCIS service center processes your case.  Your LOCAL office location is more significant for the Adjustment of Status process.  

[Ayrton 965]

3 hours ago, colin&tina said:

Hi everyone!

 

My fiancé and I are currently early in the K-1 Visa process, but are starting to plan out where we are going to live, in context of the Adjustment of Status process. We have heard that the 5 USCIS processing centers (California, Vermont, Texas, Potomac, and Nebraska) are geographically dependent on where you are applying from, but can get transferred for no reason. This worries us, because some centers, like California and Vermont, are extremely backlogged and can take up to three years to deliver green cards, whereas Nebraska has a processing time of up to seven months. Has anybody else had these concerns, or managed to apply to the processing center of their choice by moving to the Mid-West? 

 

We are interested in a number of different states, such as New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Michigan, and we wondered if anyone on the site has moved to these states; if so, which USCIS Center processed your case?

All AOS from K1 goes to the National Benefit Center (MSC). The waiting time is not due to the service center, but due to your local field office backlog.

[JFH 12,190]

You would seriously consider relocating just based on how fast the AOS process is perceived to be? What if your standard of living falls significantly in an area where you believe AOS is faster? 
 

As you have seen, where you live has no influence on USCIS service centers. The local office will be the one that interviews and approves/denies the case. Some are more backlogged than others. 

[SalishSea 17,824]

K-1 petitions are processed at the California Service Center.  After approval, interview, marriage, you can finally apply for AOS.

 

Once the AOS has been processed at the NBC, it goes to the local field office as assigned to you based on your residential zip code.   No service center is involved in the AOS process.

 

Wait times for interviews fluctuate significantly, based on local office backups.   We waited 14 months for my husband’s appointment.

 

I’ve never heard of anyone planning where to live based on wait times, lol.....    you can do that, of course, but with fluctuating wait times, there’s no guarantee.

[SalishSea 17,824]

Btw OP, I think you’re confusing wait times for spousal petition approvals by service center, with AOS wait times by LFO.

They are two very different processes.

[Lemonslice 4,836]

If you're able to go for a spousal visa, then you can avoid the adjustment of status wait entirely!

[colin&tina 6]

2 hours ago, JFH said:

You would seriously consider relocating just based on how fast the AOS process is perceived to be? What if your standard of living falls significantly in an area where you believe AOS is faster? 
 

As you have seen, where you live has no influence on USCIS service centers. The local office will be the one that interviews and approves/denies the case. Some are more backlogged than others. 

What exact standard do you mean? We aren't living in the US at the moment, that's why we're asking these questions..... because we're trying to decide where we should go. We understand the processing times fluctuate, especially during this pandemic, but we still want to complete the process as soon as possible. Obviously the local office interviews us, but the actual forms are still processed at the five processing centers, which have estimated waiting times. It's not a priority, but please only comment if you have information that is relevant. Thanks.

[Hilde 381]

2 hours ago, colin&tina said:

What exact standard do you mean? We aren't living in the US at the moment, that's why we're asking these questions..... because we're trying to decide where we should go. We understand the processing times fluctuate, especially during this pandemic, but we still want to complete the process as soon as possible. Obviously the local office interviews us, but the actual forms are still processed at the five processing centers, which have estimated waiting times. It's not a priority, but please only comment if you have information that is relevant. Thanks.

Not sure if I follow. But the immigrant cannot go to the US on a non-immigrant visa having the intent to immigrate.

 

Either way, these wait times change. When I applied (2 yrs ago) California and Nebraska had the longest wait times. I, of course, got Nebraska... and now that I am passed that stage, Nebraska is flying... all of this to say that the wait times in these centers are very fluid.

 

[SalishSea 17,824]

3 hours ago, colin&tina said:

What exact standard do you mean? We aren't living in the US at the moment, that's why we're asking these questions..... because we're trying to decide where we should go. We understand the processing times fluctuate, especially during this pandemic, but we still want to complete the process as soon as possible. Obviously the local office interviews us, but the actual forms are still processed at the five processing centers, which have estimated waiting times. It's not a priority, but please only comment if you have information that is relevant. Thanks.

You’re confidently incorrect though.

43 minutes ago, Hilde said:

Not sure if I follow. But the immigrant cannot go to the US on a non-immigrant visa having the intent to immigrate.

 

Either way, these wait times change. When I applied (2 yrs ago) California and Nebraska had the longest wait times. I, of course, got Nebraska... and now that I am passed that stage, Nebraska is flying... all of this to say that the wait times in these centers are very fluid.

 

Those wait times are not for AOS processing from K-1s.

[SalishSea 17,824]

3 hours ago, colin&tina said:

What exact standard do you mean? We aren't living in the US at the moment, that's why we're asking these questions..... because we're trying to decide where we should go. We understand the processing times fluctuate, especially during this pandemic, but we still want to complete the process as soon as possible. Obviously the local office interviews us, but the actual forms are still processed at the five processing centers, which have estimated waiting times. It's not a priority, but please only comment if you have information that is relevant. Thanks.

None of the five processing centers have anything to do with adjustment of status from a K visa.

 

Additionally, none of the five processing centers have any connection to the residential location of the petitions they process.  All five processing spousal petitions from all over the United States.  California processes 99% of the fiancé petitions.

 

Hope this clears up some of your confusion about how this works.

[Chancy 6,241]

4 hours ago, colin&tina said:

Obviously the local office interviews us, but the actual forms are still processed at the five processing centers, which have estimated waiting times.

 

That's not how the AOS process works for K1 visa holders.

 

If your fiancee enters the US with a K1 visa AND you two get married within 90 days of her arrival, you will NOT have to file an I-130 petition for her to be able to adjust status.  Your already-approved I-129F petition will be the underlying petition for her I-485 application.  Since there will be no I-130 petition, the I-130 processing centers and their estimated processing times will be IRRELEVANT to your future wife's AOS process.

 

That's why people have been telling you that it will be the wait time at the local field office (LFO) that will matter most.  The I-485 will be adjudicated at the LFO that has jurisdiction over your wife's residential zipcode at the time of her AOS interview.  The I-485 will NOT be processed at the five service centers you keep mentioning.

 

[Cathi 5,747]

10 hours ago, Lucky Cat said:

You have no control over which USCIS service center processes your case.  Your LOCAL office location is more significant for the Adjustment of Status process.  

And local office also more significant during naturalization. 

[NB5347 43]

On 4/5/2021 at 12:39 AM, Chancy said:

 

That's not how the AOS process works for K1 visa holders.

 

If your fiancee enters the US with a K1 visa AND you two get married within 90 days of her arrival, you will NOT have to file an I-130 petition for her to be able to adjust status.  Your already-approved I-129F petition will be the underlying petition for her I-485 application.  Since there will be no I-130 petition, the I-130 processing centers and their estimated processing times will be IRRELEVANT to your future wife's AOS process.

 

That's why people have been telling you that it will be the wait time at the local field office (LFO) that will matter most.  The I-485 will be adjudicated at the LFO that has jurisdiction over your wife's residential zipcode at the time of her AOS interview.  The I-485 will NOT be processed at the five service centers you keep mentioning.

 

So when filing I-485, the physical address placed there will determine the local office that is in charge of the case to green card process?? OP may be in a similar situation as mine... we both live abroad and I (American) work remotely so we can move anywhere without any issue.

Edited June 9, 2021 by NB5347
addition

[payxibka 10,045]

2 hours ago, NB5347 said:

So when filing I-485, the physical address placed there will determine the local office that is in charge of the case to green card process?? 

Yes, will be tasked with performing the interview.   The initial review of the i485 will be performed by the National Benefits Center.