Delays in Receiving Receipt Notices and Case Transfers
Immigration delays have been a significant concern lately, particularly for those waiting on their green cards. If you’re experiencing delays in receiving your receipt notice or have had your case transferred to consular processing, you are not alone. Recent observations indicate that these issues are primarily stemming from cases handled by the Texas Service Center. Although these cases are sometimes identified with the receipt number SRC, it’s not always the case, as some are labeled with IOE.
The Impact of the Houston Power Outage
The root of these delays appears to be linked to a massive power outage caused by a hurricane that hit Houston, Texas. While there hasn’t been an official statement from the government confirming this, our consistent experience with delayed receipt notices, especially for Form I-751 (Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence) and adjustment of status cases, points to this as a likely cause.
Extended Processing Times and Transfer Delays
Typically, once a case is approved, it should be transferred within a week or two. However, we’ve noticed that this process is now taking six to eight weeks, sometimes even surpassing the 60-day mark without any updates. Although receipt notices have started to trickle in, many cases are still being transferred multiple times to the National Visa Center and various USCIS offices without timely responses.
The Need for Clear Communication from USCIS
This uncertainty is understandably frustrating. We hope that the USCIS will acknowledge the issue and provide clear communication to ease the concerns of those affected. Based on anecdotal evidence, it seems that the Texas Service Center is the bottleneck, and we believe the delays are related to the recent power outage in Houston.
For those experiencing these delays, we recommend patience and continuous follow-up with USCIS. Although the situation is frustrating, understanding the potential cause can help manage expectations while waiting for resolutions.
