USCIS service centers are case processing locations that handle many immigration applications and petitions. They receive mail, enter application data, review cases, and adjudicate eligible immigration benefits. Service centers do not accept walk-in visits or provide in-person case assistance.
Each service center processes specific forms and application types. Before filing, review the USCIS instructions for your form to confirm the correct filing location and mailing address.
If you file through the USCIS Electronic Immigration System (ELIS) or another USCIS online filing system, your receipt number prefix will start with IOE, regardless of which service center processes your application.
USCIS Workload Transfer Model
USCIS uses a workload transfer model to distribute cases among its service centers and improve processing efficiency. Although an application may be filed with or initially assigned to one service center, USCIS may transfer it to another based on staffing, workload, or operational needs.
The original receipt number prefix usually remains the same after a transfer. It identifies where your case was initially assigned, but it may not reflect the service center currently processing your application. A case transfer does not affect your eligibility or the outcome of your application.
USCIS Receipt Number Prefix Reference
| Receipt Number Prefix | USCIS Service Center |
| EAC | Vermont Service Center (VSC) |
| LIN | Nebraska Service Center (NSC) |
| SRC | Texas Service Center (TSC) |
| WAC | California Service Center (CSC) |
| YSC | Potomac Service Center (PSC) |
| MSC/NBC | National Benefits Center (NBC) |
| IOE | USCIS Electronic Immigration System |
Vermont Service Center (VSC)
Primary Service Area: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, West Virginia, the District of Columbia
Nebraska Service Center (NSC)
Primary Service Area: Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Texas Service Center (TSC)
Primary Service Area: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas
California Service Center (CSC)
Primary Service Area: Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada
Potomac Service Center (PSC)
The Potomac Service Center (PSC) processes selected immigration benefit requests assigned by USCIS.
If your receipt number starts with YSC, the YSC prefix indicates that your case was initially assigned to the Potomac Service Center. Your case may later be transferred to another USCIS office as part of the agency’s workload transfer model.
Beginning in late 2023, the Potomac Service Center no longer accepts paper correspondence. If USCIS requests paper documents for a Potomac Service Center case, mail them to the Texas Service Center (TSC) using the mailing address provided in your USCIS notice or filing instructions.
National Benefits Center (NBC)
The National Benefits Center (NBC) performs initial processing for many immigration benefit requests before forwarding cases to a USCIS field office or another service center for additional processing, an interview, or final adjudication.
Receipt numbers beginning with MSC or NBC are associated with the National Benefits Center. The MSC prefix appears on many existing receipt notices, while newer cases may use the NBC prefix. Like other USCIS cases, applications processed by the National Benefits Center may be transferred based on workload or operational needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does my receipt number mean?
The first three letters of your receipt number identify how USCIS initially received or assigned your case. Receipt number prefixes are EAC, LIN, SRC, WAC, YSC, MSC, NBC, and IOE. Your receipt number prefix does not always identify the office currently processing your application because USCIS may transfer cases between service centers.
Which service center is handling my case?
Your receipt number identifies where your case was initially assigned, but it may not reflect the office currently processing your application. USCIS may transfer cases between service centers to balance workloads or meet operational needs. If your case is transferred, USCIS will generally notify you by mail.
Can USCIS transfer my case to another service center?
Yes, USCIS may transfer cases between service centers to improve processing efficiency and balance workloads. A transfer does not affect your eligibility or the outcome of your application. In most cases, your receipt number remains the same after the transfer.
Can I visit a USCIS service center for case assistance?
No, USCIS service centers do not accept walk-in visits or provide in-person customer service. They process applications and petitions but are not open to the public for case assistance.
Where should I mail documents for a Potomac Service Center case?
The Potomac Service Center no longer accepts paper correspondence directly. If USCIS requests paper documents, use the mailing address provided in your USCIS notice. Paper correspondence for Potomac Service Center cases is routed through the Texas Service Center.
