As of October 30, all local USCIS offices will begin forwarding any new filings for Form I-539, the Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, for F-1 and M-1 student reinstatement to either the California or Vermont Service Center. This streamlining process is part of USCIS’s initiative to enact centralized filing and bi-specialized adjudication.

The California Service Center will receive all applications from offices located in the following states: AK, AZ, CA, CO, GU, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, ND, OH, OR, SD, UT, WA, WI, and WY.

The Vermont Service Center will receive all applications from offices located in the following states: AL, AR, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MS, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, SC, OK, PA, PR, RI, TN, TX, VA, VI, VT, and WV.

All applicants seeking student reinstatement will receive a receipt notice from the service center charged with processing their case. District offices of the USCIS will continue to process student reinstatement cases received before October 30 using current procedures. In addition, local USCIS offices will continue to accept Form I-539 until provisions are in place that allow for direct mail filing.

Please note that if you have previously filed your application at a local USCIS office, you are not required to re-apply as part of this procedural change.