Effective May 6, 2024, USCIS has relocated the processing of Forms I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition, for following-to-join refugees (FTJ-R) from the Asylum Vetting Center to the USCIS International Operations Division. This change aims to enhance efficiency in handling these petitions by establishing a dedicated team for initial domestic processing. All pending Form I-730 FTJ-R petitions will automatically transfer from the Asylum Vetting Center to USCIS International Operations. If you have a pending Form I-730 FTJ-R petition, USCIS will send you a transfer notice with further instructions. It’s important to ensure your mailing address on file is current. If updates are needed, refer to the Special Instructions section of the Form I-730 webpage. This transition does not affect where Form I-730 petitions are filed; all petitions must still be submitted to the USCIS Texas Service Center. USCIS International Operations remains closed to the public, and inquiries or requests must be submitted through the Form I-730 webpage.
For more details on filing procedures, processing steps, and how to contact USCIS regarding Form I-730 petitions, visit the Form I-730 webpage. Please see this page USCIS Shifts Workload for Form I-730 Following-to-Join Refugee Petitions | USCIS for more detail.
Remzi Guvenc Kulen, Esq.
Kulen Law Firm, P.C.
