There has been a significant development regarding America’s Immigration Services as the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the relocation of the California Service Center. It’s crucial for immigration attorneys and their clients to understand the changes, so we’ve summarized the details below.
The California Service Center, which serves an immense portion of the USCIS’s Western Region, has moved its operations to Laguna Niguel, California. The new location is at 24000 Avila Road, 2nd Floor, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677. Please note the relocation took effect on January 5, 2022. However, the USCIS posits that this relocation will not bring about a significant impact on processing times or general workflow.
It’s important to remember how the USCIS structures the distribution of their petitions and applications. Typically, these are processed at one of the five service centers. Which one depends primarily on the state in which the applicant resides, and the nature of the application or petition involved. So, the California Service Center deals primarily with those petitions and applications originating in California and other areas of the western U.S.
One major point is that the USCIS has advised all applicants and petitioners who receive communication directing them to respond or report to the former location in California should now respond or report to the new location. However, the USCIS maintains that any such notices received henceforth should already indicate the new Laguna Niguel location.
USCIS stands firm that by delivering mail designated for the previous service center location to the new Laguna Niguel address, it ensures the continuity of services. For anyone who had mailed any documents or petitions to the former location after the move, those items should now automatically be forwarded to the new facility.
Please note, the USCIS continues to strongly encourage applicants, petitioners, and representatives to submit any requests or applications online whenever possible. This approach can help to expedite the processing of applications or petitions.
In conclusion, clients and their representatives should update any records they may have concerning the facility’s address. It is crucial that they pay attention to any future notices or correspondences from USCIS, ensuring that any prescribed actions or visits are referred to the newly relocated service center.
This move certainly represents a significant shift in operations, and we will continue to monitor further developments from USCIS. Rest assured, as an immigration attorney, I remain committed to providing the most accurate and timely information to better serve you.
This blog post is provided as an informational summary based on the USCIS announcement about the relocation of the California Service Center (https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/california-service-center-relocates).
