Texas Service Center - Latest Processing Information
Posted May 17, 2002

In a meeting on April 26, 2002 with the Texas State Bar Committee on Laws Relating to Immigration and Nationality, the Texas Service Center (TSC) provided insight into causes for delays in processing within that Center. Many MurthyBulletin and MurthyDotCom readers, as well as clients of The Law Office of Sheela Murthy, have expressed significant frustration over the length of time their cases have been pending with the TSC.

I-485 (Application for Adjustment of Status)

TSC processes about 1,500 to 2,000 I-485 cases per week. For some time, the TSC Processing Times has indicated the date of 03/01/00. This is because the Center continues to focus on completing older cases to clear out the backlog. Furthermore, due to problems in the automated system, TSC must process over 5,000 of the cases manually.

Please note that, as fingerprints for immigration purposes expire after 15 months, applicants whose cases are still pending from 1999 and 2000 have to be fingerprinted again. TSC is therefore in the process of scheduling these applicants for new prints.

Applicants who filed their I-485s back in 1999 or 2000 will hopefully soon see the light at the end of the tunnel. Those who have filed more recently just may have to sit back and wait for awhile.

I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker)

The news for I-140s was more favorable. TSC is trying to process I-140s within 90 days and they are making significant progress in reducing their I-140 backlog.

I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative)

The section that processes I-130 petitions has had training issues, as over 85% of the employees have less than one year of experience. Therefore, experienced Examiners are being paired with their less experienced colleagues to process cases as a team. I-130s are separated so that immediate relative cases, which are not subject to any quota or waiting list, are processed first. Immediate relatives include parents, spouses, and children (under 21) of U.S. citizens. Cases in the other family-based categories, with priority dates that will not be current for a long time anyway, are on a slower track.