By: Lihua Tan

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is opening a Humanitarian, Adjustment, Removing Conditions, and Travel Documents Service Center. The first of its kind, the new center will focus on humanitarian and other workload cases as a part of the Service Center Operations (SCOPS) directorate.

How the HART Service Center Will Work

The HART Service Center will handle humanitarian cases in an impactful and succinct way, hopefully reducing processing times. USCIS will host a webinar on an overview of the new HART Service Center on Thursday, April 20, at 1pm EST. 

At first, HART will function as a hybrid support center, with in-person staff handling administrative support. However, after the initial startup period, HART will shift to a fully virtual service center. This allows HART to exist without geographic limitations and time zones. HART employees will partner with established centers for any physical or onsite needs. For example, as USCIS moves cases to the HART Service Center, existing customer service channels will remain active and support HART related questions.

HART Case Types

The HART Service Center will accept paper-based and electronic submissions. Initially they will be limited to the following four case types:

1. Form I-601A, Application for Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver;
2. Bona Fide Determination (BFD) for Form I-918, Petition for U Nonimmigrant Status;
3. Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition; and
4. VAWA-based Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant

The transition to HART will not affect any current filing instructions. Individuals should follow the submission instructions provided by USCIS for each individual Form. Address changes for VAWA-based Form I-360 and Form I-918 BFD will continue to be sent to the Vermont Service Center.

Contact Us

The Chugh, LLP immigration team will continue to monitor the opening of the new service center and provide relevant updates as they become available. For more information or case specific questions contact your immigration professional.