On July 18, 2003 the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the sunset deadline and expeditious handling requirements for Special Immigrant Religious Worker Petitions.

In keeping with this memorandum, the California Service Center will be temporarily directing resources away from the I-140 petitions to adjudicate all pending I-360, I-485 Adjustment cases with previously approved I-360 petitions and I-824 applications.

Until the date of the sunset passes, September 30, 2003, there will be delays in responding to inquiries for forms I-140, concurrently filed I-140/I-485's and for I-485 cases with previously approved I-140's, because we will be prioritizing the application types associated with the sunset. We ask that, during this sunset period, you withhold inquiries for other division I form types, except in emergency situations, and that you do not submit duplicate inquiries. Following the sunset date, we will resume normal adjudication and inquiry processing. Thank you for your cooperation and patience.

Posted on AILA InfoNet at Doc. No. 03080715 (Aug. 7, 2003)