USCIS Updates Projected Naturalization Processing Times
Posted Aug 15, 2008
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The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an update on August 11, 2008 to its projected naturalization (citizenship) case processing times. In the News Release (PDF 31.6KB), the USCIS stated that progress toward reducing the number of pending naturalization applications was continuing. The backlog is primarily the result of unprecedented numbers of filings made shortly before the significant increase in filing fees, implemented on July 30, 2007.
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Updated Processing Times
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USCIS noted that, due to the substantial number of naturalization applications filed in 2007, until recently it had taken an average of sixteen to eighteen months to process such applications. The projected national average processing time for naturalization applications should be between ten and twelve months by the end of September 2008. MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers will recall a lengthy discussion of these matters, published in our May 2, 2008 article, USCIS Projected Naturalization Processing Times.
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Dramatic Increase in 2007 Filings
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During fiscal year 2007, USCIS received 1.4 million naturalization applications, which were not evenly distributed across its offices. As a result, USCIS local offices have different projected processing times based on the volumes of cases in their jurisdictions. A number of local offices have a projected processing time of five months, while Charleston, SC, Charlotte, NC, and Hartford, CT have projected times in excess of fourteen months. A complete list of USCIS local offices and projected times is included in the above-referenced USCIS News Release. The new processing time projections are a significant improvement over processing times experienced for the year following the July 2007 surge in filings.
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Conclusion
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We at the Murthy Law Firm appreciate this updated USCIS information on pending naturalization applications. The improved processing times reflect significant efforts on the part of the USCIS to address the backlog of naturalization cases. We will monitor developments in the processing of such applications, to provide our readers with continued updates through MurthyDotCom and the MurthyBulletin.