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The USCIS backlog is a constant topic for us. 

USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services), the federal agency that processes immigration petitions, is notorious for its backlog of cases it needs to process. In 2023 we released a blog detailing the shocking 8.6 million application backlog that USCIS had. This year, for the first time in a decade, USCIS announced that it had reduced its backlog. 

As part of its goal to centralize immigration processing and reduce its backlog, USCIS has moved one of its service centers - the California Service Center - from Laguna Niguel to Tustin. While the names of those cities might not mean much to the average reader, they are very important to note for anyone filing an immigration petition. Timeliness means everything in legal filing, and sending an application to the wrong address can mean the difference between it being accepted or rejected. 

The new address for the California Service Center is: 

USCIS California Service Center                                                                                                                                        2642 Michelle Drive                                                                                                                                                        Tustin, CA 92780

However, it is ALWAYS imperative to check the uscis.gov website's direct filing addresses for the specific petition you are filing, as USCIS addresses are specified based on petition and type of mailing being used (ex: USPS, FedEx, UPS) and these  filing locations are frequently changing. 

USCIS has plans for all its forms to be available for online filing by the end of 2026, but for now the vast majority of its forms still require snail mail. Currently most mailed applications are received at a service center and then digitized by USCIS there. 

Along with the relocation announcement, USCIS reminded the public that “service centers do not provide in-person services, conduct interviews, or receive walk-in applications, petitions, or questions. They work only on certain applications or petitions that applicants have mailed, filed online, or filed with a USCIS Lockbox.” Locations for in-person services, interviews, and the other services named above are called ‘USCIS field offices.' Our closest field office in the Hampton Roads area is in Norfolk, at 5678 E Virginia Beach Blvd, Norfolk, VA 23502. 

If you would like assistance with filing an immigration petition, you can reach us at (757) 422-8472, or send us a message on our website. You can also schedule an appointment with one of our attorneys by clicking on this link.