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An explanation on NCSC telephone system on Sheela Murthy's bulletin ::
Understanding the NCSC Telephone System
The telephone procedure established June 2003, by which applicants for various immigration benefits must contact a national, toll-free number to obtain information on their files, instead of calling a particular Regional Service Center (RSC). See our June 27, 2003 article, Customer Service Number "Two-Tier" System, and our June 20, 2003 article, National Number for Service Center Inquiries. On July 10, 2003, AILA was able to procure a copy of the instructions provided to those who answer the telephones at the National Customer Service Center (NCSC).
The following is a summary of the information provided to those who are charged with assisting callers seeking information on pending applications.
NCSC May Only Help with Certain Issues
The NCSC was developed to answer questions and identify case processing issues to notify processing sites to take the appropriate action. The instructions, however, explicitly state that callers should not use NCSC to monitor every discrete step of case processing. If a case is within normal processing times, the NCSC will only take service requests to change an address, notify the particular RSC that a receipt notice has not been received within a stated timeframe, or notify the RSC if there are errors on the receipt notice. RSCs are the Service Centers located in Vermont, Nebraska, Texas, and California for employment-based cases and Missouri for family-based and certain other cases.
Service Requests or Referrals to RSCs
On the other hand, if the case has not been processed within the stated, normal times, the NCSC should take a service request, which is called a case status referral. Callers may wish to ask for this type of service request if they believe their cases are outside the stated, normal times. It is noteworthy that the BCIS considers the most recently released processing times, as opposed to the processing times on the receipt notice, to be the key factor in determining the normal processing time for each type of case.
If the NCSC takes a service request, that process is called a "referral." However, the NCSC will not take all service requests and, instead, will explain to the caller how to make her or his request through a process called "assistance services."
Only Specific NCSC Referrals Taken by RSCs
RSCs take the following types of referrals from the NCSC: non-receipt referrals, no-automated-information referrals, non-delivery referrals, case-status referrals, referrals requesting DOS review of J-1 foreign residence waivers, change-of-address referrals, referrals requesting typographic error corrections, and referrals reporting changes in pending I-129 beneficiaries / consulates. By contrast, local BCIS District offices only take case-status, appointment-rescheduling-request, and N-400 change-of-address referrals.
Non-receipt referrals are only accepted if the applicant sent her or his application to the RSC more than 30 days previously, but did not yet receive the receipt notice. Similarly, non-delivery referrals are only granted if the status line indicates that the document was mailed more than 30 days prior. J-1 foreign-residence referrals are available if the RSC has not sent a notice to an applicant within 60 days after an Interested Government Agency waiver, a Conrad 30 waiver, or a no-objection letter waiver has been requested for a J-1 nonimmigrant.
Case status referrals are taken if the case is beyond normal processing times and the applicant has not received an update within the past 60 days or has not received an answer from a previous referral submitted more than 30 days prior. Appointment rescheduling request referrals are only available if the applicant needs to reschedule due to an emergency. This cannot be used for ASC appointments. Change-of-address referrals are for those who have already moved rather than those who will move in the future. For errors caused by the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), such as incorrect dates on the I-94 by the inspector when the person enters the U.S. from foreign travel, the caller will be directed to go to the local office and request correction by the CBP.
Circumstances When One Must Contact RSC Directly
The callers will be directed to contact RSCs whenever they: request a return of original documents after a decision has been made on a case; state there was an incorrect decision or RFE; request special processing or expedited processing; or request a change in the applicant's representative's address. RSCs have been directed to establish special mailboxes for each of the above categories. Note that RSCs generally do not accept requests for special or expedited processing, if premium processing is available for that type of application or petition.
Conclusion
As the NCSC services continue to evolve and their services become clearer, attorneys and applicants will have greater accessibility to the information they need from RSCs. We hope that the BCIS continues to send the NCSC directives, which clarify their duties and better assist those who take the customer service calls to aid individuals who call.
An explanation on NCSC telephone system on Sheela Murthy's bulletin ::
Understanding the NCSC Telephone System
The telephone procedure established June 2003, by which applicants for various immigration benefits must contact a national, toll-free number to obtain information on their files, instead of calling a particular Regional Service Center (RSC). See our June 27, 2003 article, Customer Service Number "Two-Tier" System, and our June 20, 2003 article, National Number for Service Center Inquiries. On July 10, 2003, AILA was able to procure a copy of the instructions provided to those who answer the telephones at the National Customer Service Center (NCSC).
The following is a summary of the information provided to those who are charged with assisting callers seeking information on pending applications.
NCSC May Only Help with Certain Issues
The NCSC was developed to answer questions and identify case processing issues to notify processing sites to take the appropriate action. The instructions, however, explicitly state that callers should not use NCSC to monitor every discrete step of case processing. If a case is within normal processing times, the NCSC will only take service requests to change an address, notify the particular RSC that a receipt notice has not been received within a stated timeframe, or notify the RSC if there are errors on the receipt notice. RSCs are the Service Centers located in Vermont, Nebraska, Texas, and California for employment-based cases and Missouri for family-based and certain other cases.
Service Requests or Referrals to RSCs
On the other hand, if the case has not been processed within the stated, normal times, the NCSC should take a service request, which is called a case status referral. Callers may wish to ask for this type of service request if they believe their cases are outside the stated, normal times. It is noteworthy that the BCIS considers the most recently released processing times, as opposed to the processing times on the receipt notice, to be the key factor in determining the normal processing time for each type of case.
If the NCSC takes a service request, that process is called a "referral." However, the NCSC will not take all service requests and, instead, will explain to the caller how to make her or his request through a process called "assistance services."
Only Specific NCSC Referrals Taken by RSCs
RSCs take the following types of referrals from the NCSC: non-receipt referrals, no-automated-information referrals, non-delivery referrals, case-status referrals, referrals requesting DOS review of J-1 foreign residence waivers, change-of-address referrals, referrals requesting typographic error corrections, and referrals reporting changes in pending I-129 beneficiaries / consulates. By contrast, local BCIS District offices only take case-status, appointment-rescheduling-request, and N-400 change-of-address referrals.
Non-receipt referrals are only accepted if the applicant sent her or his application to the RSC more than 30 days previously, but did not yet receive the receipt notice. Similarly, non-delivery referrals are only granted if the status line indicates that the document was mailed more than 30 days prior. J-1 foreign-residence referrals are available if the RSC has not sent a notice to an applicant within 60 days after an Interested Government Agency waiver, a Conrad 30 waiver, or a no-objection letter waiver has been requested for a J-1 nonimmigrant.
Case status referrals are taken if the case is beyond normal processing times and the applicant has not received an update within the past 60 days or has not received an answer from a previous referral submitted more than 30 days prior. Appointment rescheduling request referrals are only available if the applicant needs to reschedule due to an emergency. This cannot be used for ASC appointments. Change-of-address referrals are for those who have already moved rather than those who will move in the future. For errors caused by the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), such as incorrect dates on the I-94 by the inspector when the person enters the U.S. from foreign travel, the caller will be directed to go to the local office and request correction by the CBP.
Circumstances When One Must Contact RSC Directly
The callers will be directed to contact RSCs whenever they: request a return of original documents after a decision has been made on a case; state there was an incorrect decision or RFE; request special processing or expedited processing; or request a change in the applicant's representative's address. RSCs have been directed to establish special mailboxes for each of the above categories. Note that RSCs generally do not accept requests for special or expedited processing, if premium processing is available for that type of application or petition.
Conclusion
As the NCSC services continue to evolve and their services become clearer, attorneys and applicants will have greater accessibility to the information they need from RSCs. We hope that the BCIS continues to send the NCSC directives, which clarify their duties and better assist those who take the customer service calls to aid individuals who call.