USCIS Texas Service Center to Start Accepting Certain I-129 H-1B Petitions

Pasricha & Patel
May 24, 2019

Link: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/texas-service-center-begin-accepting-form-i-129-certain-h-1b-petitions

Pasricha & Patel Takeaways:
USCIS has announced that starting on May 20, 2019, the Texas Service Center will begin to process form I-129 petition for nonimmigrant worker, for certain H-1B cap-exempt petitions, such as those requesting for:
1. Change in previously approved employment;
2. Change of employer;
3. Concurrent employment;
4. H-1B amendment petitions;
5. Continuation of previously approved employment without change with the same employer;
6. Change of status to H-1B or
7. Notification to a U.S. consulate or inspection facility (port of entry or pre-flight inspection).

These do NOT include H-1B petitions that involve cap-exempt organizations or institutions, petitions that are cap-exempt based on CONRAD/Interested Government Agency (IGA) waiver under the INA section 214(l), or petitions where the employer is located in Guam or the beneficiary will work in Guam.

This is the USCIS’s effort to spread out the workload between all four (4) service centers – the California Service Center, the Vermont Service Center, and the Nebraska Service Center, and now adding the Texas Service Center, as the means to improve their processing times and efficiencies.

USCIS reminds petitioners that before submitting their intended H-1B I-129 petitions, the petitioner should always refer to the Direct Filing Addresses link for form I-129 to verify the exact mailing address. And starting on July 19, 2019, the USCIS will reject any I-129 H-1B petitions that are filed at the wrong service center.

We advise all our readers to refer to our website regularly to keep up with any changes to filing process and procedures such as the ones that the USCIS has announced. And should you have any specific questions about the H-1B filing and sponsorship process, please also do not hesitate to contact our office to schedule legal consultation with our attorneys.