Texas Service Center to Begin Accepting Form I-129 for Certain H-1B Petitions

ImageUSCIS announced today that the Texas Service Center will begin processing certain cap-exempt H-1B petitions. In addition to this announcement, USCIS also switched up other filing addresses and procedures. For example, prior to this announcement, all H-1B petitions requesting a continuation of previously approved employment without change with the same employer were adjudicated at the Nebraska Service Center. Now, all cap-exempt H-1B extensions and transfers (including continuation of previously approved employment without change) will be adjudicated at either the CSC, TSC, NSC, or VSC, depending on the physical locations of the petitioner's primary office.

Copied from USCIS:

On May 20, 2019, the Texas Service Center will begin processing Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, for certain H-1B cap-exempt petitions requesting:

• A change in previously approved employment;
• A change of employer;
• Concurrent employment;
• Amendments;
• A continuation of previously approved employment without change with the same employer;
• A change of status to H-1B; or
• Notification to a U.S. Consulate or inspection facility (port of entry or pre-flight inspection).

This does not include H-1B petitions for cap-exempt entities, petitions that are cap-exempt based on a Conrad/Interested Government Agency (IGA) waiver under Immigration and Nationality Act Section 214(l), or petitions where the employer is located in Guam or the beneficiary will be performing services in Guam.

The Texas Service Center will share this workload with the California Service Center, Vermont Service Center, and Nebraska Service Center to balance workloads and provide flexibility as USCIS works towards improving processing times and efficiency.

Petitioners filing any of the above H-1B petitions should file their Form I-129 at the address indicated on the Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker page. Starting July 19, 2019 , USCIS may reject any of these petitions that are filed at the wrong service center.

Copied from USCIS Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-129:

I-129 Nonimmigrant ClassificationCategory DescriptionFiling Location

All H-1B cap-exempt extension of stay, change of status, concurrent employment, POE/PFI/consular notification, and amended petitions

Note: Excludes H-1B petitions for cap-exempt petitioners or entities, petitions that are cap-exempt based on a Conrad/IGA waiver under INA Section 214(l), or petitions where the employer is located in Guam or the beneficiary will be performing services in Guam (see the relevant sections for filing details).

H-1B cap-exempt petitions requesting:

• A continuation of previously approved employment from the same employer without change;
• A change in previously approved employment;
• New concurrent employment;
• A change of employer;
• A change of status to H-1B;
• Notification to a U.S. Consulate, port of entry (POE), or pre-flight inspection (PFI); or
• To amend a petition.

This excludes petitions filed by cap-exempt petitioners or for cap-exempt entities, petitions that are cap-exempt based on a Conrad/IGA waiver, or petitions where the employer is located in Guam or the beneficiary will be performing services in Guam

These petitions are accepted at the CSC, NSC, TSC, and VSC. Please refer to the service center charts below to determine which service center you must use.

California Service Center

USPS:

USCIS California Service Center
Attn: I-129 H-1B Extensions
P.O. Box 10129
Laguna Niguel, CA 92607-1012

FedEx, UPS, and DHL deliveries:

USCIS California Service Center
Attn: I-129 H-1B Extensions
24000 Avila Road
2nd Floor, Room 2312
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677

I-129/I-907 Premium Processing

USPS:

Premium Processing Service
USCIS California Service Center
Attn: I-129 H-1B Extensions
P.O. Box 10825
Laguna Niguel, CA 92607

FedEx, UPS, and DHL deliveries:

Premium Processing Service
USCIS California Service Center
Attn: I-129 H-1B Extensions
24000 Avila Road
2nd Floor, Room 2312
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677

Premium processing email address: csc-premium.processing@dhs.gov

Vermont Service Center

USPS, FedEx, UPS, and DHL deliveries:

USCIS Vermont Service Center
Attn: I-129 H-1B
75 Lower Welden Street
St. Albans, VT 05479-0001

I-129/I-907 Premium Processing

Premium Processing Service

USCIS Vermont Service Center
Attn: I-129 H-1B
30 Houghton Street
St. Albans, VT 05478-2399

Premium processing email address: vsc-premium.processing@dhs.gov

Nebraska Service Center

USPS:

USCIS Nebraska Service Center
P.O. Box 87129
Lincoln, NE 68501-7129

FedEx, UPS, and DHL deliveries:

USCIS Nebraska Service Center
850 S Street
Lincoln, NE 68508

I-129/I-907 Premium Processing:

USCIS Nebraska Service Center
850 S Street
Lincoln, NE 68508

Premium processing email address: NSC-Premium.Processing@uscis.dhs.gov

Texas Service Center

USPS:

USCIS Texas Service Center
Attn: I-129 H1B
P.O. Box 852685
Mesquite, TX 75185-2685

FedEx, UPS, and DHL:

USCIS Texas Service Center
Attn: I-129 H1B
4141 N. Saint Augustine Rd.
Dallas, Texas 75227

I-129/I-907 Premium Processing

USPS:

Premium Processing Service

USCIS Texas Service Center
Attn: I-129 H1B
P.O. Box 851391

Mesquite, Texas 75185-1391

FedEx, UPS, and DHL:

Premium Processing Service

USCIS Texas Service Center
Attn: I-129 H1B
4141 N. Saint Augustine Rd.
Dallas, Texas 75227

Premium processing email address:  tsc_I129hpremium@uscis.dhs.gov

California Service Center Filings

File Form I-129 with the CSC if the petitioner’s primary office is located in:

• Alaska
• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)
• Guam
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nevada
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Oregon
• South Dakota
• Texas
• Utah
• Washington
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Vermont Service Center Filings

File Form I-129 with the VSC if the petitioner’s primary office is located in:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Mississippi
• New Hampshire
• New Mexico
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• Puerto Rico
• Rhode Island
• Tennessee
• U.S. Virgin Islands
• Vermont
• West Virginia

Texas Service Center Filings

File Form I-129 with the TSC if the petitioner’s primary office is located in:

• Florida
• Georgia

Nebraska Service Center Filings

 File Form I-129 with the NSC if the petitioner’s primary office is located in:

• New Jersey
• New York
• Virginia
• Ohio
• Nebraska
• South Carolina
• Illinois
• Michigan
• North Carolina

**Copyright 2019 by Watson Immigration Law. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.