Texas Service Center To Begin Accepting Form I-129 For Certain H-1B Petitions
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;
- 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.
Form I-129 Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, is filed at the California Service Center (CSC), the Vermont Service Center (VSC), the Nebraska Service Center (NSC), or the Texas Service Center (TSC), depending on which nonimmigrant classification and action the petitioner is requesting and where the petitioner is located.
For many classifications, the U.S. state or territory where your company or organization’s primary office is located will determine where you should send your Form I-129 package. For example, if your company’s primary office is in New York, file Form I-129 with the VSC regardless of the beneficiary’s worksite. If your company’s primary office is in California, file Form I-129 with the CSC regardless of the beneficiary’s worksite.
Form I-129 petitions for certain nonimmigrant classifications and requested actions are filed at one service center, regardless of where the company or organization’s primary office is located. Currently, only certain H-1B and H-1B1 petitions are filed at the NSC.
If you are requesting premium processing services for a Form I-129, you must also file Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Services. Before you file the Form I-129/I-907 package
