The USCIS is centralizing its processes for the handling of I-140s and I-129s (H-1s and L-1s, most notably). Many applicants and petitioners have and will see their I-140s and I-129s transferred from one Service Center to another.

Effective April 1, 2006, all I-129 petitions and related applications must be filed at the Vermont Service Center (VSC), and all I-140 petitions must be filed at the Nebraska Service Center (NSC). The VSC and CSC will share responsibility for the adjudication of I-129 petitions and related applications, and the NSC and Texas Service Center (TSC) will be responsible for adjudication of I-140 petitions. The VSC and NSC will each forward petitions to the Service Center they are paired with for adjudication.

Petitions filed erroneously after April 1 will be forwarded to the correct Service Center. The new system will also apply to those I-129 petitions specially filed at NSC. These petitions will be forwarded to VSC for processing and adjudication.