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Implementation of Direct Mail Filing with the
Chicago Lockbox
By Christopher
R. Helm, James
M. Mei, and Richard
M. Rawson
[Dec. 2004]
Certain applicants who apply for their immigrant
visas (green cards) have been able to submit their applications
directly to the local U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
(USCIS) district offices. The USCIS has published a notice that
these applications must now be sent to the USCIS Chicago Lockbox
for processing. The notice provides that there will be two phases
of implementation, according to the applicant's state of residence.
Phase One states will commence on Dec. 1, 2004 and Phase Two
states (including California, Oregon, and Washington) will commence
on April 1, 2005.
The rule will apply to certain filings of these forms:
- Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent
Residence or Adjust Status
- Form I-765, Application for Employment
Authorization
- Form I-131, Application for Travel Document
The filing addresses for the Chicago Lockbox are:
(regular mail)
U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
P.O. Box 805887
Chicago, IL 60680-4120
(overnight delivery)
U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
427 S. LaSalle--3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60605-1098
During the first 30 days following the effective date of this
notice, USCIS offices will forward any filings they receive
that are covered by this notice to the Chicago Lockbox address.
After the 30-day transition period, any application-type mentioned
in this notice received at a location other than the Lockbox
address will be returned with an explanation to mail the application
directly to the Chicago Lockbox address.
Form I-485
The affected applicants include those filing under the following
categories:
- Aliens who are immediate relatives of a U.S. citizen
- Aliens who are widows/widowers of a U.S. citizen
- Aliens described by section 203(a) of the Act as the qualifying
relative of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident
- Aliens described by section 203(d) of the Act as the derivative
relatives of aliens described by section 203(a)
- Aliens described by section 101(a)(15)(K) of the Act as
the fianc[eacute](e) of a U.S. citizen or the minor child(ren)
of such fianc[eacute](e), and are filing based on an approved
Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fianc[eacute](e)
- Aliens eligible for registry under section 249 of the Act
- Aliens eligible under the Cuban Adjustment Act
- Aliens described as special immigrants under sections 101(a)(27)(J),
(K), and (I) of the Act
- Aliens described as Amerasians under section 204(f) of the
Act
- Aliens who are beneficiaries of an approved Form I-360 as
a battered spouse or child
- Aliens who are beneficiaries of Private Bills
- Aliens who are winners of the Diversity Visa lottery
- Aliens from certain former Soviet and Southeast Asian countries
who were paroled into the United States as public interest
parolees and are eligible to adjust under Public Law 101-167,
"the Lautenberg Amendment''
- Aliens eligible under section 646 of the Illegal Immigration
Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA)
- Aliens eligible under section 13 of the Act of September
11, 1957
- Aliens eligible for creation of record under section 102
of the Act
Form I-765
The affected applicants include those filing under the following
categories:
- (a)(10)—Aliens granted Withholding of Removal
- (c)(9)—Aliens filing a family-based application for
adjustment of status (Form I-485) who are presently required
to file with the USCIS local office having jurisdiction over
their place of residence
- (c)(10)—Aliens granted Suspension of Deportation who
are required to file with the USCIS Service Center having
jurisdiction
- (c)(11)—Aliens who are paroled into the United States
temporarily for emergency reasons or the public interest
- (c)(14)—Aliens granted deferred action
- (c)(16)—Aliens who are filing for creation of record
of lawful admission for permanent residence under section
249 of the Act
- (c)(18)—Aliens granted an Order of Supervision
Form I-131
The affected applicants include those who fit the categories
and criteria stated in the notice.
Click
here to view the text of the announcement
(PDF).
At this time, the new procedure does not affect I-485 applications
based on an employment-based petition (I-140).
Please feel free to contact the immigration professionals
at Davis Wright Tremaine for further information on this issue.
This
Immigration Law Advisory is a publication of the Employer Services
Department of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. Our purpose in publishing
this Advisory is to inform our clients and friends of recent
developments in immigration law. It is not intended, nor should
it be used, as a substitute for specific legal advice as legal
counsel may be given only in response to inquiries regarding
particular situations.
Copyright
© 2004, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP.
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