U Nonimmigrant Status Program Updates
This page will provide you with updates on the U Nonimmigrant Status program. We will provide updates as they become available.
June 2017 – Email Box at the Nebraska Service Center for Form I-918, Petition for U Nonimmigrant Status
Beginning June 1, 2017, the Nebraska Service Center (NSC) will respond to inquiries about Form I-918, Petition for U Nonimmigrant Status, and related applications and petitions that are pending at the NSC.
If you are an attorney or representative:
- Email your inquiry to nsc.i-918inquiries@uscis.dhs.gov.
If you are a petitioner or applicant:
- Send your inquiry in the mail with an original signature to
USCIS
Nebraska Service Center
P.O. Box 87918
Lincoln, NE 68501-7918
or
- Check your case status online if you are asking about a related application or petition.
Current and Future Filing
The filing location and instructions for Form I-918 and related applications and petitions will not change at this time. Please continue to file at the address listed under Where to File in the Form I-918 instructions and webpage.
The safe address procedures and confidentiality protections will continue to apply. To ensure protection to victims and their families, the NSC will implement the same safe address procedures currently used by the Vermont Service Center Humanitarian Unit that align with confidentiality protections. USCIS will inform the public when the NSC has implemented the appropriate safe address and confidentiality procedures and is able to directly accept Form I-918 petitions and related applications and petitions.
How do I know where my Form I-918 is pending?
All cases filed with the Vermont Service Center will remain there unless you receive a transfer notice indicating that the case is transferred to the NSC.
How do I check the processing time?
The two service centers continue to review cases according to the listed processing time for the Vermont Service Center.
When can I expect a response to my email to the NSC?
USCIS anticipates providing a response within 14 business days of receiving your inquiry.
July 2016 – Work Share Plan: Form I-918, Petition for U Nonimmigrant Status
USCIS will begin reviewing U nonimmigrant status (U visa) petitions at two service centers – the Vermont Service Center (VSC) and Nebraska Service Center (NSC). This permanent workload share will allow us to balance workloads between service centers and provide flexibility as we work towards improving processing times, efficiency and service to this victim population. While officers generally rotate among petition types depending on the needs of the agency, there will always be dedicated officers assigned to adjudicate U visa petitions at both the NSC and the VSC.
Timeline
We are initially transferring 3,000 Form I-918 U nonimmigrant status petitions from the VSC to the NSC. We are transferring cases that we have not yet reviewed for placement on the waiting list. The VSC and NSC will work together to ensure that they are working on the oldest cases first at both locations and will ensure that processing times between the service centers remain consistent. This means that the two service centers will review cases according to the listed processing time for the VSC and both service centers will review cases that have not yet been placed on the U visa waiting list.
The NSC will begin adjudicating the initial batch of transferred cases after training is completed. Once the NSC completes the adjudication of the initial set of transferred U visa petitions, the VSC will transfer more cases to the NSC. At this time, we do not have an anticipated timeline for subsequent transfers.
Training
We are committed to ensuring consistency in adjudication between the service centers.
Officers at the NSC volunteered to join the U visa adjudication team, and NSC managers selected 24 officers for this team. VSC officers—including subject matter experts, managers, and members of the training team— will be at the NSC to train officers on adjudicating the Form I-918. They will provide the same Form I-918 training that VSC officers currently receive, and they will continue to provide additional training for several months. This team will also remain onsite to provide mentoring support to NSC officers.
During this time of training and mentoring, all decisions on U nonimmigrant status cases at the NSC will be reviewed by NSC and VSC supervisors.
Current and Future Filing
The filing location and instructions for Form I-918 petitions for U nonimmigrant status and related forms will not change at this time. Please continue to file the forms at the address listed under Where to File in the Form I-918 instructions (PDF, 423.7 KB) and web page.
The safe address procedures and confidentiality protections will continue to apply. To ensure protection to victims and their families, the NSC is working on creating a humanitarian unit that mirrors that at the VSC. The NSC will implement the same safe address procedures currently used by the VSC that align with confidentiality protections. USCIS will inform the public when the NSC has implemented the appropriate safe address and confidentiality protocols and is able to directly accept Form I-918 petitions and related forms. Until then, the filing location and instructions for these forms remain the same.
How will this impact my case?
If your case is transferred, you will receive a transfer notice.
USCIS anticipates an initial increase in processing times to account for training of the new officers.
Case questions
Attorneys and petitioners should follow the current guidelines, explained as follows, in order to get information on their case or to update their address.
If you are an attorney or representative, you can:
- Email us at HotlineFollowupI918I914.vsc@uscis.dhs.gov, or
- Call us at 802-527-4888
If you are a petitioner or applicant, you can:
- Send us written correspondence with an original signature, or
- Visit case status online if you are asking about a related application or petition.