MSC Citizenship and FB Green Card Processing Draws Nearer
Posted May 16, 2003

In our January 31, 2003 article, Citizenship and Family Cases : Centralized Processing Likely, we reported that initial processing of citizenship and family-based green card cases may be moved to the Missouri Service Center (MSC) in the future. In a meeting with the AILA MSC Liaison Committee on April 23, 2003, the MSC Acting Center Director reported that these changes might occur more quickly than originally expected.

Eduardo Aguirre, the BCIS Director, has recently approved a proposal to change the MSC to a National Benefits Center (NBC). A notice to change this service center has already been drafted. Once Congress approves some changes associated with this proposal, the notice will be published in the Federal Register. It is expected that the first family-based and diversity visa green card cases will then be sent to the MSC from the Pacific Northwest within 60 days of the Federal Register notice. The processing change then will move clockwise around the U.S. at 60-day intervals. The MSC will schedule the N-400s for processing once they are comfortable with the flow of family-based and diversity visa green card cases. Battered spouse green card cases, though not the I-360s, will also be filed at the MSC. The family-based cases affected are family based I-485 packets. It appears that I-130 filings made in the family preference categories will continue to be filed at the other four Service Centers.

As some MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers may know, the MSC cases first are sent to Chicago for fee intake and document scanning. The packages are sent then to the MSC, from where a receipt notice will be sent directing the applicant to an Application Support Center (ASC) for a photo, a press-print, and a 10-print. Once these biometric identifiers are received, the MSC will confirm prima facie eligibility, complete the IBIS checks, and produce the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and Advance Parole (AP). The MSC's production of the EAD and AP is expected to eliminate the need for the local offices to create these for the applicants, though it is unclear whether interim EADs will still be available once the MSC is working at full capacity. Once the FBI check is complete and the EAD has been issued, the application will be sent to the local office for the interview.

The existing MSC staff is expected to handle the increased workload associated with the family-based green card cases. However, they are still hiring additional staff, presumably in recognition that the N-400s would be too much additional work for the current workforce.

One major benefit of this new system is that cases filed at the MSC will be entered into the BCIS online status inquiry system. Currently, cases filed at local offices generally cannot be tracked online, which leaves many applicants guessing as to when they may expect further action on their cases. We will follow this important change closely and provide further updates on MurthyDotCom and in the MurthyBulletin.