USCIS has released new data showing that processing times are improving for several common case types. A year ago, I joined other immigration attorneys in contacting members of Congress to advocate for changes to reduce U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) backlogs. A year later, USCIS is showing signs of progress.
USCIS is tasked with processing a vast array of immigration applications and petitions, including applications for temporary visa status, green cards based on family and employment, U.S. citizenship, and more. USCIS has long taken many months, or even years, to process filings, all while charging filing fees that can total thousands of dollars.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, processing times peaked at extreme levels as staffing and funding issues severely impacted USCIS’ operations. These backlogs have been slow to resolve, leaving applicants in difficult situations as they waited for the ability to work, travel, or become green card holders or U.S. citizens.
In 2024, USCIS’ average processing times are showing signs of progress on many case types, including the following:
Family-Based Adjustment of Status Application (U.S.-based green card application):
Peaked at 12.9 months in 2021, dropped to 9.4 months in 2024 (27% faster)
Naturalization (U.S. Citizenship):
Peaked at 11.5 months in 2021, dropped to 5.2 months in 2024 (55% faster)
Employment Authorization Based on Pending Adjustment of Status Application:
Peaked at 7.1 months in 2021, dropped to 3.6 months in 2024 (49% faster)
While these gains are promising, they are not universal. USCIS processing for travel documents that allow people to travel outside the United States while their U.S.-based green card applications are pending are still taking an average of 15 months to process, where these same applications routinely took only 2-4 months to process before the pandemic.
Similarly, Form I-130 immigrant petitions for immediate relatives, the first step in the family-based green card process, are currently taking an average of 11 months to process, whereas processing times of 5-8 months were typical before the pandemic.
While USCIS’ processing improvements are good news, more work remains to be done. I will continue to advocate for faster processing times to ensure that we have a functional system where everyone who applies for an immigration benefit has their case processed within a reasonable amount of time.
For USCIS’ full press release on current processing times, see https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/fact-sheets/historical_pt_factsheet_fy16_to_fy24.pdf
Without discussing the specifics of a person’s case, it is not possible to give legal advice. If you are seeking help, I recommend scheduling a consultation with an experienced immigration attorney. This post is intended as only general information and is not a substitute for legal advice.
Vance Berry, Principal Attorney
Photo credit: White Field Photo