Direct Mail Program for Family-Based Cases from April 1, 2005
Posted Apr 08, 2005
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As of April 1, 2005, all family-based (FB) applicants filing the I-485 (Application for Adjustment of Status), I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization Document), and I-131 (Application for Travel Document-Advance Parole), who reside in Alaska, California, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and Washington, must file their applications at the Chicago lockbox, rather than at the local offices in their respective states.
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These applicants join those from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, who have been filing their applications at the Chicago lockbox since December 1, 2004. We reported this change in procedure in our November 26, 2004 MurthyBulletin article, New Direct Mail Program for Some I-485 / I-765 and I-131 Applications, available on MurthyDotCom.
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As is noted in that previous article, this change in filing location does not affect eligibility or any other requirements. It is important to understand that this applies to family-based cases only. These are cases in which one relative files a petition for another relative. It should not be confused with a "green card" case filed by an employer for a spouse, thus making the dependent spouse and any children eligible to apply for the green card as derivative beneficiaries. While the latter does require a familial relationship, the case starts with a filing based on employment and, thus, is an employment-based case.
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It is important to file in the correct location to avoid delays in obtaining benefits. Any person not certain of where to file an application or petition for a benefit after reviewing the filing information on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) WebSite, should consult with a qualified immigration attorney.