Many immigrants wonder why some cases get approved faster than others, even when the visa category is the same. A big factor is the USCIS Service Center that handles your petition. There are five main centers, and yes — processing times vary significantly between them.

1️⃣ What Are USCIS Service Centers?

USCIS processes petitions at regional centers, each with:

• Different workloads
• Different staffing levels
• Different internal priorities

Common Service Centers:

• Nebraska Service Center (NSC)
• Texas Service Center (TSC)
• California Service Center (CSC)
• Vermont Service Center (VSC)
• Potomac Service Center (PSC)

2️⃣ Do Service Centers Actually Process at Different Speeds?

YES — absolutely. Real-world examples (not fixed, but common trends in 2025):

• Same I-130 spouse petition:
  • Nebraska: Sometimes 8–12 months
  • Texas: Often 12–18 months
  • California: Can be fast or slow depending on backlog
  • Potomac: Often seen as “slow and unpredictable”

Important note: No center is “always fast” or “always slow.” USCIS constantly balances workload by transferring cases.

3️⃣ How Does USCIS Assign Your Case to a Center?

Assignment is NOT random. It’s based on:

• Type of petition (I-130, I-129F, I-485, I-140 → each form has preferred centers)
• Petitioner’s residential address (U.S. state where the sponsor lives)
• Lockbox location where you mail the petition
• Current backlog (overloaded centers may transfer cases)

→ Two identical cases from different states can go to different centers.

4️⃣ Can You Choose Your Service Center?

NO — you cannot directly request a specific center. Writing “Please send to Nebraska” on your form will be ignored.

5️⃣ Legal Ways to Improve Your Chances (Indirectly)

✅ Method 1: Accurate petitioner address USCIS routes based on the sponsor’s legal residence. Use a real, stable address — never fake or borrowed addresses.

✅ Method 2: Submit a clean, strong petition Well-documented cases (clear relationship, no red flags) are less likely to trigger RFEs or fraud review → processed faster regardless of center.

✅ Method 3: Monitor processing times correctly Each center publishes its own times on the USCIS website. If your case exceeds the median, you can:

• File a service request
• Contact USCIS
• Ask your Congressman for help

✅ Method 4: Request Expedite (only if qualified) Approved only for severe humanitarian emergencies, national interest, or major financial loss.

6️⃣ General Reputation of Each Center (2025 Trends)

These are trends only — not guarantees.

7️⃣ The Most Important Thing to Remember

Don’t chase a specific center. USCIS can transfer cases anytime. Focus on what you CAN control:

• Correct visa category
• Clear relationship evidence
• Consistent, logical documents

8️⃣ Need Personalized Advice?

At Truong Law Firm, PLLC, we can:

• Estimate which center your case is likely to go to
• Predict realistic processing time for your category
• Build the strongest possible petition

Just tell us:

1. 1. Your visa category (CR1, IR5, F2A, etc.)
   2. Petitioner’s U.S. state
   3. Whether you’ve filed or are preparing

We’ll give you a detailed, realistic analysis — free consultation available.

FAQ: USCIS Service Centers

Q: Can I choose which Service Center processes my case? A: No — USCIS assigns based on form type and petitioner address. Requests for specific centers are ignored.

Q: Which center is the fastest in 2025? A: It varies. Nebraska often faster for family cases, but no center is guaranteed fast.

Q: Why does my friend’s identical case go faster? A: Likely different Service Center due to petitioner’s state or current USCIS workload balancing.

Q: How can I check my case’s Service Center? A: Look at your receipt notice (I-797C) — the first three letters (e.g., SRC = Texas, LIN = Nebraska).

Q: Can I legally influence which center I get? A: Indirectly yes — use accurate petitioner address and submit a strong, clean petition to avoid delays.