USCIS Launches Pilot Processing Time Website
11 Apr 2018The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently launched a pilot website to test a redesign of its processing time website, which now displays the data for all forms in an easier-to-read format. In the past, the published processing times of the USCIS have been notoriously inaccurate and difficult for users to navigate. The USCIS appears to be responding to these complaints with this new design.
New Automated Methodology and Posting Within Two Weeks
The new website reflects updated automated methodology for determining processing times for the following USCIS forms:
- N-400, Application for Naturalization
- I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card
- I-485, Application to Register Permanent Resident or Adjust Status
- I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence
The USCIS has stated that the new methodology for determining the processing times for the above-mentioned forms is more accurate, and allows the agency to post data on processing times within two weeks, instead of the previous six-week delay under the old method.
Time-Processing Ranges Posted
In addition, the new processing times website provides a range for each form. According to the USCIS, the low end of the range for the pilot forms (listed above) will show the time it takes the USCIS to process 50 percent of the cases, and the high end will show the time it takes USCIS to complete 93 percent of the cases.
For the non-pilot forms (i.e. every other form except the 4 listed above), the high estimate will be 30 percent longer than the current processing time, to reflect the time it will take the USCIS to complete a majority of the cases.
Conclusion
The redesign appears to be easier to navigate, and allows users to search processing times by form, instead of starting with the service center. It is unclear, however, whether the redesign and new methodology actually will provide accurate information on the processing times for all forms. Hopefully, the USCIS will continue to use the new methodology across the board, so that the processing times of all forms can be updated with only a two-week delay, allowing for a more accurate, reliable, and user-friendly system.
Copyright © 2018, MURTHY LAW FIRM. All Rights Reserved