06/05/2008 USCIS Centralizes Initial Naturalization Application Processing

[Immigration Office]

USCIS Centralizes Initial Naturalization Application Processing

Change to Increase Efficiency and Improve Customer Service



WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today it has centralized initial processing of all applications for naturalization (Form-400) at its National Benefits Center in Missouri. This change is part of the USCIS initiative to increase the efficiency of case management and improve customer service.

This internal administrative change will not change where applicants file their naturalization applications. Applicants will continue to file their naturalization applications (N-400), including all supporting documents and fees with the USCIS Service Center having jurisdiction over their place of residence (see list below). Applicants will also continue to report to a local field office for the interview and naturalization test.

USCIS will send applicants a notice when the Service Center transfers their application to the National Benefits Center for initial processing. USCIS will also inform the applicant how to contact the National Benefits Center and how to check their local USCIS field office processing times. USCIS will return to the sender any application mailed directly from the applicant to the National Benefits Center.

Applicants should continue to send their N-400 application and supporting documents to the Service Center having jurisdiction over their place of residence, as follows:

California Service Center PO Box 10400 Laguna Niguel, CA 92607-1040	Nebraska Service Center PO Box 87400 Lincoln, NE 68501-7400	Texas Service Center PO Box 851204 Mesquite, TX 75185-1204	Vermont Service Center 75 Lower Welden Street St. Albans, VT 05479-9400
AZ CA HI NV Guam The Northern Mariana Islands	AK CO ID IL IN IA KS MI MO MN MT NE ND OH OR SD UT WA WI WY	AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NM NC OK SC TN TX	CT DE DC ME MD MA NH NJ NY PA RI VT VA WV Puerto Rico The U.S. Virgin Islands

All military naturalization applicants filing under the provisions of Section 328 or 329, regardless of geographic location or jurisdiction, should continue to file at the following address:

Nebraska Service Center
P.O. Box 87426
Lincoln, NE 68501-7426