Why there is delay in USCIS processing?
Asked by: Stanford Jakubowski | Last update: December 14, 2022Score: 4.2/5 (75 votes)
COVID-19 restrictions, fiscal issues, a hiring freeze, and other factors have greatly exacerbated processing delays and backlogs, and placed burdens on applicants and petitioners.
Why is USCIS taking so long to process?
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resource constraints resulting from the prior administration, USCIS inherited a significant number of pending cases and increased processing times.
Why is USCIS taking so long 2021?
This backlog is largely due to the USCIS office closures amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Form I-131 (“Application for Travel Document – Advance Parole”): Applications for advance parole saw a large increase in processing times, from 4.6 months in FY 2020 to 7.7 months in FY 2021.
How backlogged is USCIS?
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' backlog has nearly 5.2 million cases and approximately 8.5 million cases are pending, according the CIS Ombudsman Phyllis Coven. By comparison, the backlog was around 2.7 million in July 2019. On a call with USCIS leadership Wednesday, Coven said...
How long does USCIS processing take?
How long does it take to become a U.S. citizen? The national average processing time for naturalization (citizenship) applications is 14.5 months. But that's just the application processing wait time (see “Understanding USCIS Processing Times” below).
BREAKING News: USCIS Backlogs Cause an “Avalanche” | Processing Delays Rise | Fix Immigration System
Why is USCIS taking so long to process 2022?
Jaddou on agency-wide backlog reduction efforts and processing times on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, from 2-3 p.m. Eastern. COVID-19 restrictions, fiscal issues, a hiring freeze, and other factors have greatly exacerbated processing delays and backlogs, and placed burdens on applicants and petitioners.
How do I speed up USCIS processing time?
You can generally request expedited processing by calling the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833) or by asking Emma after you have obtained a receipt notice.
Is Uscis processing time getting better?
USCIS will increase capacity, improve technology, and expand staffing to achieve these new goals by the end of FY 2023. Currently, the agency's publicly posted processing times show the amount of time it took USCIS to complete 80% of adjudicated cases over the past six months.
Has USCIS started processing applications?
USCIS continues to accept and process applications and petitions, and many of our forms are available for online filing.
Can I call USCIS to check status?
Our toll free number is 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833) and our hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm Eastern.
How long does it take USCIS to schedule an interview 2021?
In many cases, it can take at least 7-12 months to get an interview scheduled, but you may have a longer wait depending on your situation.
Can I call USCIS to ask about my case?
The phone number you will need to call to inquire about your pending case is 1-800-375-5283. For the hearing impaired the phone number is 1-800-767-1833. Follow the prompts and punch in your receipt number on the prompt. Wait to be connected to the first level of customer service.
How long does it take for I-130 to be approved 2021?
Form I-130 Processing Times
For immediate relatives (spouse, unmarried child under 21 or parent) of a U.S. citizen, the wait times for Form I-130 are currently between 7-10 months.
Can I sue USCIS for delay?
Yes. If there have been unreasonable delays in your case, you may file a complaint against the Immigration Service in the Federal Court, and the Court can force the Immigration Service to make a decision in your case.
How do I know where my USCIS case is being processed?
You will know which center is processing your case by looking at the first three letters of your receipt number on your receipt notice. If you are waiting for your case to be sent to your local office for an interview you must review the processing times for your local office by city and state.
How many cases does USCIS process a day?
According to documents obtain by The Washington Post, USCIS is creating the “Organization of Professional Responsibility” to enhance oversight of the way its employees handle the more than 26,000 cases the agency decides each day.
Which Uscis office is the fastest?
The most efficient U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services field office is also stated to be in Cleveland. The USCIS office efficiency is reflected in the highest backlog completion of 71.3%, and the nation's shortest average processing time, which is only four months. Almost nobody waited longer than 12.3 months.
How long does it take USCIS to review a case?
Although some cases may take longer, USCIS field offices and service centers try to adjudicate motions within 90 days. The AAO strives to complete its review of motions within 180 days from the time it receives a complete case file.
Does USCIS update case status daily?
As of April 2022, the processing time for a green card holder sponsoring a spouse or a child under 21 years is between 23 to 30 months if USCIS received the form on or after November 1, 2019. All the times are estimates. The USCIS Processing Times page is updated once a month.
Why is I 485 taking so long?
Allow travel/work authorization based on I‑485 receipt to free up resources for final green card adjudications. The main issue that USCIS has publicly identified as a cause of the lengthy delays in processing is the lack of manpower.
Is USCIS processing green cards?
So USCIS is starting with approximately 280,000 employment-based green cards that it can issue this year, and is still working through the operational challenges related with return to the office and just addressing the return to work after office closures.
Does USCIS work on weekends?
Representatives at our USCIS Contact Center will now take calls Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., local time. Applicants will be able to call our toll-free number on Saturdays to receive nationwide assistance for immigration services and benefits offered by USCIS.
Which USCIS service center is faster for I 485?
The current i485 processing time for an employment-based green card is 10 months to 4 years at California Service Center. USCIS Nebraska and Texas service centers are processing adjustment of status to Permanent Resident applications faster than California within 10 months to 2 years.
How long is I-130 processing time?
After filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, the approval process can take anywhere from 5 to 12 months for immediate relatives and could take several years for family preference categories.