USCIS, after receiving communications from the public regarding extended processing times for the immigrant petition, Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, has now responded to the public criticism. As the agency is experiencing delays, it recently announced that some case work will be transferred to the service centers from the National Benefits Center. Some casework has already been transferred and USCIS is doing so in order to balance the overall operational workload.
USCIS generally processes Form I-130, filed by U.S. citizens for their immediate relatives faster and does not take more than six months to process those petitions. But now it is taking more than 13 months to process those immigrant petitions. USCIS processes applications filed by U.S. citizens for their spouses, children and parents faster in order to promote family unity. The agency is now looking to address the delays in the processing of these immigrant petitions.
USCIS has announced that it is now adjudicating petitions filed in February 2013. USCIS is trying to clear the backlogs and is looking forward to adjudicate immigrant petitions filed by U.S. citizens for their immediate relatives within five months of their receipt
USCIS began transferring Forms I-130 to the California, Texas and Nebraska Service Centers from the National Benefits Center, in an effort to expedite the adjudication of these cases. USCIS believes that this step the agency has taken will improve its ability to process these applications in a timely manner.
USCIS will send notices to the applicants whose applications have been transferred. This notice will include the transfer date and the name of the service center to which the case has been transferred. Applicants need to use their original receipt numbers to check their case status. USCIS will take action on their cases within 60 days from the date on which their petitions were transferred.