How Does USCIS Determine Which Office Handles Your Case?
Case type is the primary factor. Family-based adjustment cases requiring interviews are assigned to the field office serving your residential address. Employment-based cases are assigned to service centers that specialize in these case types.
Initial filing goes to a lockbox facility that receives applications, deposits fees, and issues receipts. The lockbox then routes your case to the appropriate processing office based on case type and jurisdiction.
According to USCIS organizational structure, field offices handle cases requiring in-person interaction while service centers handle cases that can be adjudicated through document review.
What Determines Your Assigned Field Office?
Your residential address determines field office jurisdiction. Each field office serves a defined geographic area. The office closest to your residence handles your interview-required cases.
If you move after filing, your case may transfer to your new field office. This transfer can add processing time as files move between offices. Update your address promptly when you move.
Some metropolitan areas have multiple field offices. USCIS assigns your case based on specific zip codes or neighborhoods. You cannot choose which field office handles your case.
Which Cases Go to Service Centers?
Employment-based I-485 cases are primarily processed by service centers. The Nebraska Service Center and Texas Service Center handle most EB-category adjustments under current routing.
Service center processing often does not require interviews. USCIS policy allows interview waivers for employment-based cases meeting certain criteria. Cases approved without interviews never transfer to field offices.
Certain family-based cases may also receive service center processing if interviews are waived. Waiver decisions depend on case type and USCIS policy at the time.
Which Service Center Handles Your Case?
Service center assignment depends on case type and sometimes geography. USCIS periodically adjusts routing between centers to balance workload.
Your receipt notice indicates which service center received your case. The three-letter code in your receipt number identifies the facility (SRC for Texas, LIN for Nebraska, EAC for Vermont, etc.).
Cases can transfer between service centers if USCIS decides to rebalance workload. Such transfers may temporarily affect processing but generally do not cause significant delays.
How Do Field Office Processing Times Vary?
Field office processing times vary dramatically by location. Some offices process cases in under a year while others have backlogs exceeding two years. Your local office's workload determines your timeline.
Check your specific field office's processing time on the USCIS processing times page. Select Form I-485, then choose your field office from the dropdown menu. The displayed time reflects how long that office is currently taking.
High-population areas often have longer wait times due to application volume. Offices in major metropolitan areas like New York, Los Angeles, and Miami frequently have extended processing times compared to offices in smaller markets.
Why Do Field Office Times Differ So Much?
Application volume relative to staffing creates the primary variance. Offices serving large immigrant populations receive more applications than offices in areas with fewer immigrants.
Staff allocation does not always match application volume. USCIS staffing decisions affect how quickly offices can process their caseloads. Some offices are chronically understaffed relative to demand.
Case complexity patterns also vary by location. Offices serving populations with complex immigration histories may take longer per case than offices with simpler average cases.
How Do Service Center Timelines Compare?
Service center processing times are generally more consistent than field office times. Service centers have larger staff and more standardized procedures for their case types.
Check service center processing times on the same USCIS page. Select your form and the relevant service center. Times are displayed as a range showing how long most cases take.
Service center times still vary between centers and over time. Policy changes, staffing fluctuations, and application volume changes all affect processing speed.
Are Service Centers Faster Than Field Offices?
It depends on which field office you would otherwise have. Service center processing is faster than many high-volume field offices but slower than some efficient smaller offices.
The elimination of interviews for many employment-based cases makes service center processing more efficient. Cases that would have required field office interviews can now be completed entirely at service centers.
Compare your service center's current processing time to your field office's time if your case could go to either. This comparison is not always possible since case type generally determines routing.
Can Your Case Transfer Between Offices?
Cases can transfer from service centers to field offices when interviews are required. If USCIS determines your case needs an interview, it will transfer to your local field office for scheduling.
Address changes trigger field office transfers for interview-required cases. If you move to a different field office's jurisdiction, your case transfers to the new office.
Transfers add processing time. File transfer, case review by new staff, and queue placement at the new office all take time. Avoid unnecessary moves during processing if possible.
What Happens When Cases Transfer?
USCIS sends your file to the new office. This physical or electronic transfer takes time and creates gaps in your case timeline.
The receiving office must review the case and place it in their adjudication queue. You do not maintain your position from the previous office—you effectively restart waiting at the new location.
Your case status may not update immediately after transfer. There can be lag between the actual transfer and system updates reflecting your new processing location.
How Do You Find Your Current Processing Office?
Your receipt notice identifies your initial processing office. The service center code in your receipt number or the address on the notice indicates where your case is being processed.
Case status updates sometimes indicate current location. If your case transferred, status updates may reference the new processing office.
If uncertain, contact the USCIS Contact Center or submit an inquiry through your online account. USCIS can confirm which office currently holds your case.
What If You Are Assigned to a Slow Office?
You generally cannot change your assigned office. Field office assignment is based on residence, and service center assignment is based on case type and USCIS routing decisions.
Moving to a different area changes your field office but also restarts your wait at the new location. This rarely improves overall timeline and often makes it worse.
Focus on ensuring your case is complete and ready for adjudication. Processing speed depends partly on case complexity—simple, well-documented cases may process faster.
