H-1B California Service Center (CSC) Guide (2026)
The California Service Center processes H-1B petitions for employers in the western US. CSC handles a disproportionate share of Silicon Valley tech company petitions.
Which H-1B Petitions Go to CSC?
CSC processes H-1B petitions for employers headquartered or operating in: AK, AZ, CA, CO, GU, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, ND, OH, OR, SD, UT, WA, WI, WY. This includes the entire tech corridor — Silicon Valley, Seattle, Denver, and Chicago employers primarily file at CSC.
CSC Processing Times and Volume
CSC is the highest-volume H-1B service center by number of petitions, processing 55-60% of all H-1B filings in peak years. Standard processing: 3-5 months. Premium processing: 15 business days. CSC processing times are regularly updated at uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-1b-specialty-occupations.
CSC RFE Rates and Patterns
CSC issues RFEs for H-1B specialty occupation at rates that track national averages, but consulting and staffing firm petitions see significantly higher RFE rates. CSC has been particularly active in issuing RFEs on employer-employee relationships for third-party placement cases and end-client documentation requirements. Product company petitions from well-established tech employers see minimal RFE activity.
CSC and Silicon Valley Tech Companies
The CSC processes H-1B petitions from Google, Apple, Meta, Amazon (Seattle), Microsoft (Redmond), Nvidia, Qualcomm, Intel, Oracle, and hundreds of Valley tech companies. These high-volume employers have established templates and relationships with USCIS, resulting in generally smooth adjudication for standard engineer roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What states does the California Service Center handle for H-1B?
CSC handles H-1B petitions for employers in: AK, AZ, CA, CO, GU, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, ND, OH, OR, SD, UT, WA, WI, WY. This covers Silicon Valley, Seattle, Chicago, Denver, and most of the Midwest and Mountain West.
Is CSC faster than VSC or TSC for H-1B?
Processing times across service centers are generally comparable when controlling for petition type. CSC may have slightly longer processing times in peak season due to higher volume, but premium processing (15 business days) is consistent across all centers.
Can I request transfer of my H-1B case from CSC to VSC?
USCIS does not accept requests to transfer cases between service centers. Your petition is assigned based on employer location at filing. If your company relocates or opens a new office, future petitions may be assigned to a different center.
What is the receipt number prefix for CSC H-1B petitions?
California Service Center receipt numbers begin with WAC (Western Adjudications Center). Vermont begins with EAC. Texas begins with SRC. Nebraska begins with LIN.