WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced revised filing instructions and addresses for applicants filing an Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status (Form I-539) by itself. The new form, dated 7/15/10, is part of an overall effort to transition the intake of some benefit forms from Service Centers to USCIS Lockbox facilities. Centralizing form and fee intake to a Lockbox environment allows USCIS to provide customers with more efficient and effective initial processing of applications and fees.

Beginning Aug. 3, 2010 applicants submitting Form I-539 by itself must mail their application to the USCIS Dallas Lockbox facility.

Applicants submitting their Form I-539 with Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, will continue to submit both forms to either the USCIS California Service Center or the USCIS Vermont Service Center, according to the Form I-129 filing instructions. Dependent applicants submitting Form I-539 applications at the same time should include their application in the package with the primary applicant.

Applicants filing Form I-539 under category “P-4, Dependents of Major League Sports” Athletes or Support Personnel, should continue to file their applications at the USCIS Vermont Service Center.

Applicants filing under the category “V Nonimmigrant” should continue to file their applications at the USCIS Chicago Lockbox facility. Detailed guidance can be found in updated Form I-539 instructions at www.uscis.gov, under the "FORMS”tab.

USCIS Service Centers will forward incorrectly filed Form I-539 applications to the USCIS Dallas Lockbox facility by mail for 45 days, until Sept. 17, 2010. After Sept. 17, 2010 applications incorrectly filed at the Service Centers will be returned to the applicant, with a note to send the application to the correct location. USCIS will issue a reciept upon receiving a correctly filed Form I-539 in accordance with the revised filing instructions.

Applicants filing a Form I-539 at a USCIS Lockbox facility may elect to receive an e-mail and/or text message notifying them that their application has been accepted. They must complete an E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance (Form G-1145), and attach it to the first page of their application.

For more information on USCIS programs, visit www.uscis.gov or call the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.