I-485 - Case was transferred to a new jurisdiction

[shiva_82]

I applied for my I140 in Jan 2021 and AOS last month (May 2021) under EB1C. I received receipt notices from MSC (which I believe is National Benefit Center). This morning status of my AOS changed to "Case was transferred and a new office has jurisdiction". When I checked with USCIS, I understand that my case has been transferred to LIN (Nebraska Service Center) which is where my I-140 is also filed. While I have seen cases where the case gets reassigned from National Benefits Center to a Local Field office, what has happened in my case seems to be different. Have any of you seen this before where the AOS get transferred to the location where your 140 is pending? Also, my 140 is still pending approval. What does this mean and based on what you might have seen, what are the next steps?

I would appreciate any information anyone of you could share.

[Enub4]

What address did you use to send the AOS? Did you use the same address as the one for I-140?

I sent a form to California (by mistake) and they transferred it to the Texas Service Center.

[shiva_82]

What address did you use to send the AOS? Did you use the same address as the one for I-140?

I sent a form to California (by mistake) and they transferred it to the Texas Service Center.

Yes, I used the same address for both I-140 and I-485. The I-140 was filed in Nebraska Service Center while the I-485 was sent to National Benefits Center in Missouri. I am in Chicago so I am assuming that my Field office would be Chicago Field Office. The only connection I see is that I-485 is being sent to the same USCIS service center which has my I-140 under processing. I don't know on what basis my attorney sent my I-485/I-765/I-131 to National Benefit Center in Missouri. While the I-485 was transferred, I-131 & I-765 continues to be with NBC.

[twisted-pixel]

My I-140 was approved in September 2020. In February 2021 I submitted my I-485 to Phoenix, several weeks later I received the message that "Case was transferred and a new office has jurisdiction"....a couple of days after that I received a letter in the mail that stated that in order to speed up my application, it had been transferred to the Nebraska Service Center. Oddly, the I-765 and I-131 don't have the same message

[shiva_82]

My I-140 was approved in September 2020. In February 2021 I submitted my I-485 to Phoenix, several weeks later I received the message that "Case was transferred and a new office has jurisdiction"....a couple of days after that I received a letter in the mail that stated that in order to speed up my application, it had been transferred to the Nebraska Service Center. Oddly, the I-765 and I-131 don't have the same message

Did your 485 get transferred to the same USCIS service center where your I140 was adjudicated? I see you have your biometric appointment scheduled now. Was it a couple of months after your case was transferred? Hope you get to your next stages quickly.

Weirdly in my case the current processing times of Nebraska are much higher than NBC from which it is currently being reassigned. Hope there is some logic to how they transfer cases.

Btw, my 765 & 131 are still with NBC too

[shiva_82]

Anyone else seen this in their case? I am trying to understand in what cases the case gets transferred (as in this case it doesn't appear to be due to workload) and typically what next steps one sees after the transfer. Thanks again!

[Enub4]

What I tried to say is that I send a form to California because I thought that should be the place according to the instructions. In reality, I should have sent to the same place the process is being done (in our case Texas Service Center), so they transferred the form to Texas.

I guess the same happened in your case, you followed the instructions but because your case is in another service center, they sent the papers there.

The next step is to wait, you may get an RFE or biometric appointment (if needed). Good luck.

[shiva_82]

What I tried to say is that I send a form to California because I thought that should be the place according to the instructions. In reality, I should have sent to the same place the process is being done (in our case Texas Service Center), so they transferred the form to Texas.

I guess the same happened in your case, you followed the instructions but because your case is in another service center, they sent the papers there.

The next step is to wait, you may get an RFE or biometric appointment (if needed). Good luck.

Ok. Makes sense so may be that's what is happening in my case. The 485 was directly sent to NBC when I should have probably sent it to same place as my 140 as it is still pending approval. Hmm. Wondering if that could have saved a few days processing time, not that it would make a difference with how long the current processing times are.

[rmath]

shiva_82, we both are on the same page. my I140 (EB1-C) was filed on 1/15 in Texas center & my i485 was concurrently filed on 5/25 in California center. I received a notification on 6/19 that my case was transferred from California to Nebraska as of 6/15 citing faster processing. Since you are anxious, I felt my input may be useful to you. Here's what I feel -

1. As far as 140 is concerned, there are only two choices; Texas or Austin.
2. Given the fact that 485 can be filed in any of the 100s of local centers, it is very common to have 140 filed in one center and 485 in another (which is my case unlike the two of you).
3. IMO, there's nothing to read so much into this. I guess only a few the processing centers are operating due to COVID & USCIS is just sending cases to Nebraska (which is one of those operating centers).

Anyway, that's that. I'm as thrilled as you.! Let's keep each other posted.

[Vsamsr10]

I went through exact same thing and also my dates are similar. I-140 applied Jan 30. May 25 applied for I-485.
got notice last mth saying the file has been transferred.

[shiva_82]

I went through exact same thing and also my dates are similar. I-140 applied Jan 30. May 25 applied for I-485.
got notice last mth saying the file has been transferred.

Unlike some cases where there was some action on the case immediately after the transfer, there hasn't been any update in my case since the transfer. It is still stuck in the same "Your case is transferred to a new jurisdiction" status

[rmath]

Unlike some cases where there was some action on the case immediately after the transfer, there hasn't been any update in my case since the transfer. It is still stuck in the same "Your case is transferred to a new jurisdiction" status

In those cases also, the i-140 was pending? Intersting.

[melbin1982]

I have almost the same issue - Submitted i485 in EB1C October 2020 in MSC.My i140 was in progress in Nebraska location. USCIS moved my i485 to Nebraska location and till now no update about my case. My i140 is approved March 2021. All of my colleagues applied before and after me in MSC location got GC Card.As my case is moved to different location, its still pending.

Another interesting thing is, I didn't even receive i485J. Anybody facing the same issues?

[shiva_82]

In those cases also, the i-140 was pending? Intersting.

Interestingly, yes. The I-140 was pending in those cases as well. So I can't understand how USCIS works.

[shiva_82]

I have almost the same issue - Submitted i485 in EB1C October 2020 in MSC.My i140 was in progress in Nebraska location. USCIS moved my i485 to Nebraska location and till now no update about my case. My i140 is approved March 2021. All of my colleagues applied before and after me in MSC location got GC Card.As my case is moved to different location, its still pending.

Another interesting thing is, I didn't even receive i485J. Anybody facing the same issues?

I am in the same boat except my I140 is still pending.