Introduction
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that administers the country’s naturalization and immigration system. Some of the services include processing immigrant visa petitions, naturalization applications, asylum applications, applications for adjustment of status, and refugee applications.
It also addresses the immigration backlog and improves quality and efficiency. Understanding the processing times for different types of applications and petitions is essential for applicants to manage their expectations and plan accordingly. Let’s delve into the details of USCIS processing time.
USCIS Processing Time
Processing Time of USCIS is calculated by the number of days or months that have already passed since the date when USCIS received an application and the date when it completed the application, this may be done through approval or rejection.
For example, if USCIS received an N-400 on January 24th, 2023, and adjudicated the application on March 5th, 2023, the duration for that application, for that specific time frame, would be 41 days. For each of these forms, the process is repeated for the last six months to determine the median processing time. For example, if USCIS processed 1,000 Form N-400 applications in this period, and 800 (80%) of them were processed within 60 days, the processing time would be two months.
Reasons for Delayed Processing
- Huge number of application
- If the applicants take longer to respond to requests for further information, there may be delays.
- Changes in policy or operational procedures can also influence processing times.
The processing time depends on:
- Application Type: Different types of applications have different processing times. For example, processing times for Form I-485 (Adjustment of Status) may differ from those for Form N-400 (Naturalization).
- Service Center or Field Office: USCIS operates several service centers and field offices across the United States therefore, the processing time for your case depends on the workload and backlog at the specific office handling your application.
Finding USCIS Processing Times
To determine the current processing time for your application type:
- Use the USCIS Processing Times Online Tool: Visit the USCIS Processing Times website and enter your form type (e.g., I-485, N-400) and the service center or field office handling your case. This tool will provide you with the current average processing time for your specific application type at that location. In order to check the processing time, the following steps are to be followed:
- Select your form,
- Select your form category,
- Select the office that is processing your cases
- Click on “Check Processing Time”.
- Identify Your Service Center: Use the receipt number from Form I-797C (Notice of Action) to determine which service center is processing your case. The receipt number is 13 characters long, starting with three letters that indicate the service center:
- EAC/VSC: Vermont Service Center
- WAC/CSC: California Service Center
- LIN/NSC: Nebraska Service Center
- SRC/TSC: Texas Service Center
- NBC/MSC: National Benefits Center
- YSC: Potomac Service Center
- IOE: E-filing case (ELIS)
Updated List of Processing Time
Here is the list of updated Forms of the processing time updated on April 30, 2024
| I-821 D Deferred Action For Child Survival | 1.8 months |
| I-918 Processing time for Petition for U Nonimmigrant Status (I-918) | 58.5 months |
| I-90 (Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card) | 1.2 months |
| I-102 (Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival/Departure Record) | 4.1 months |
| I-129 (Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, Non Premium filed) | 2.3 months |
| I-129F (Petition for Alien Fiancé(e)) | 9.3 months |
| I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative, Immediate Relative) | 11.2 months |
| I-131 (Application for Travel Document, Travel Document) | 14.8 months |
| I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, non-Premium filed) | 6.7 months |
| I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status) | 4.2-13.6 months |
| I-526 (Immigrant Petition By Alien Entrepreneur) | 52.9 months |
| I-539 (Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status) | 2.8 months |
| I-601A (Application for Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver) | 41.7 months |
| I-730 (Asylee Relative Petition) | 6.0 months |
| I-751 (Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence) | 25.3 months |
| I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization) | 3.6 month |
| N-400 (Application for Naturalization) | 5.1 months |
| N-565 (Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document) | 5.2 months |
| N-600 (Application for Certificate of Citizenship) | 4.8 months |
| N-600K (Application for Certificate of Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate Under Section 322) | 6.2 months |
Source: https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/historic-pt
What is Premium Processing?
Premium Processing allows applicants to pay an additional fee to ensure faster adjudication of their petitions. This service guarantees that USCIS will process the petition within a specified timeframe, typically much shorter than the standard processing times. In order to request Premium Processing, applicants or their authorized representatives are required to submit Form I-907 (Request for Premium Processing Service) along with the existing petition. This submission can be done either online or by mail to the appropriate USCIS service center or lockbox.
Eligible Forms for Premium Processing
Premium Processing is available for the following forms related to employment-based immigration:
- Form I-129 (Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker)
- Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker)
- Certain classifications of Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization)
- Certain classifications of Form I-539 (Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status)
If USCIS does not adjudicate the petition within the guaranteed timeframe, it will refund the Premium Processing fee.
Conclusion
Keeping track of USCIS processing time is important for those who are going through the immigration process in the United States. The processing time under USCIS varies depending on the application type and the office handling the case. One can stay informed about the status and the processing time through the USCIS website.
