VSC : Processing Times for I-140 Petitions for Nurses
Posted Apr 11, 2003
 
As of the date of this writing, the Vermont Service Center (VSC) is nearly current with respect to processing times on I-140 petitions for nurses. This means that an I-140 filed on behalf of a nurse beneficiary would be processed within a one-to-two month timeframe. This is a significantly shorter adjudication period than currently available from any of the other Service Centers. This is particularly important as professional nurses are exempt from the labor certification requirement, allowing their employers to start their immigration cases at the I-140 stage.

As most MurthyBulletin and MurthyDotCom readers are aware, there are five Service Centers nationwide that process immigration petitions. These centers are: the California Service Center, the Missouri Service Center, the Nebraska Service Center, the Texas Service Center, and the Vermont Service Center. The Missouri Service Center only processes certain types of cases, like family-based cases and asylum cases, but does not currently process any employer based I-140 petitions.

Only the Vermont Service Center specifically lists “Nurses” as an independent application type on its processing times schedule. For each of the other Service Centers, nurses are included in the “I-140E Skilled Worker or Professional” category. We at MurthyDotCom and the MurthyBulletin will continue to keep you abreast of significant developments in the area of immigration for nurses since this area is considered the next wave of required professionals as the United States experiences a critical shortage of nurses in our hospitals and health care facilities.