On March 5, USCIS announced that all Forms I-129 (Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, including H1B) and I-539 (Application to Change/Extend Nonimmigrant Status, including H1B Extension) should be filed to Vermont Service Center (VSC) or California Service Center (CSC).

Under this new process, USCIS is requiring that customers “Direct File” their petitions and applications directly with the service center that will process the filings, based on the place of temporary employment or place of residence. Customers can expect that the center where they file will also be the center that generates the receipt notice and completes the adjudication. This is a streamlining of the Bi-Specialization process
which previously required that applications and petitions be filed at one centralized location and subsequently distributed to another service center for issuance of a receipt notice and final case processing.

Effective April 2, 2007, all Forms I-129 and I-539 are to be filed directly with the California Service Center or the Vermont Service Center, whichever is applicable. Customers are responsible for filing the forms with the correct Service Center and should verify that they use the correct filing address by referring to the instructions on the relevant form. To reduce the burden on customers that may have prepared their filings
ahead of issuance of this Update, USCIS clarifies that customers do not need to change Service Center addresses on letterhead or supporting documents.

USCIS is also releasing filing charts that delineate the proper filing location, and will post those charts on its website prior to April 2, 2007.

USCIS will accept Forms I-129 and I-539 filed in accordance with the old filing instructions during the first 15 days of implementation of Direct Filing (from April 2 – 16). However, if a Form I-129 or I-539 is filed on or after April 17, 2007, and is not submitted to the correct filing location, it will be rejected and returned to the petitioner/applicant with fee and instructions for proper filing.