Dear Clients and Friends,

Immigration Service Announces New Filing Procedures For Employment Based Petitions

Effective April 1, 2006 all Petitions for Temporary Employment anywhere in the U.S. (Form I-129) (primarily H-1 and L-1 Petitions) should be filed at the Vermont Service Center. The Petitions will then be adjudicated either in Vermont or at the California Service Center.

Also effective April 1, all Petitions for Permanent Employment anywhere in the U.S. (Form I-140, along with any related I-485 Adjustment of Status applications) should be sent to the Nebraska Service Center. The Petitions will then be adjudicated either in Nebraska or at the Texas Service Center.

Petitioners will be issued a receipt notice from the Service Center that will ultimately adjudicate the case.

The Immigration Service will continue to accept and consider properly filed Petitions sent to the incorrect Service Center, and will then redirect those matters to the correct location. To avoid unnecessary delay, however, Petitioners are strongly urged to file directly with Vermont or Nebraska as required.

Please feel free to contact our office if you have any questions.