Why Hasn’t Your Case Been Decided Yet?
Nationwide, you and millions of families, businesses, and individuals applying for immigration benefits are waiting longer for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to process and approve applications and petitions.
Based on previously available USCIS data1, in Fiscal Year (FY) 2014, an average case took about five months to process. In FY2020, an average case took more than nine months. Those extra months of waiting halt business operations, keep families separated, and jeopardize lives.
USCIS Processing Times 2021
USCIS displays the processing times for select forms and locations so that people can be more informed about their case — the data is updated on a monthly basis. If your form is available, you may check the case processing time here: https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/.
The dramatic increase in processing times occurred even though USCIS experienced a ten percent drop in cases received from the end of FY2017 to FY2019. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, USCIS processing times have continued to rise from FY2019-FY20212.
Processing times for common form types illustrate just how dire the situation is. From fiscal year 2017 to fiscal year 2021:
- Processing times for all I-539 applications to change or extend status rose from about 2.8 months to 9.8 months—a 250% increase
- Processing times for family-based adjustment of status (I-485) applications rose from 7.9 months to 13.2 months—a 67% increase
- Processing times for naturalization applications (N-400) increased from 7.9 months to almost an entire year, 11.6 months, a 47% increase
Who Is Affected?
Anyone who files applications or petitions with USCIS is affected. You and other people applying for family-based benefits, employment-based benefits, naturalization, travel documents, and employment authorization are all experiencing delays. Between FY2017 and FY2019, USCIS’s processing times for all petitions and application form types rose more than 37%.
Why Are Cases Taking Longer?
Many factors can slow down your case, including inefficient processing, understaffing, and changes in policy due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. During the last administration, USCIS implemented many new policies designed to restrict legal immigration and delay processing. For example, one policy required USCIS officers to conduct duplicate reviews of past decisions, adding unnecessary work to each case. Another example was the imposition of a fingerprinting requirement for certain I-539 applicants. While the current administration has made some helpful changes, including to the noted policies, the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to continued slowdowns.
For example, from March through July 2020, USCIS closed its offices for interviews and biometrics appointments, creating a backlog, especially for biometrics appointments. Many applications, like I-765 applications for Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), cannot be adjudicated before biometrics are taken.
What Can I Do?
Expect USCIS processing to take longer than desired, no matter what type of application you are filing. We can guide you and help plan for delays. Sometimes, the only option is to await government action. In other cases, some tactics to address delays could include:
- Filing a petition or application to safeguard your status in the U.S.
- Asking USCIS to expedite your case if you qualify or if applicable, pay to premium process your case. Talking to your Congressman’s office for assistance.
- Filing a lawsuit to force USCIS to act on your case.
If you have questions regarding your case, The Law Offices of Lloyd E. Bennett, Esq., P.C. encourage you to contact our office at Call (800) 909-8129 or via online form for a confidential consultation. Se Habla Español.
