Tag Archives: Processing Times

USCIS Addressing Processing Times

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USCIS Addresses Problematic Processing Times

Our office has noticed that it is taking USCIS longer to issue receipt notices and biometrics notices. USCIS is languishing behind on some processing times. For O, P, and H-1B visa cases, its processing times are well-behind their stated goals. They are months behind those goals. Especially in the H-1B extension context, it is causing problems for employers and beneficiaries. Employment Authorization cases are also taking the limit and sometimes even longer to adjudicate. These delays result in real life consequences for applicants who have done their part in submitting their applications in a timely fashion. Realizing that the consequences of delays can be severe, USCIS has resolved to investigate the matters, review the caseload, and shift cases as need be between service centers.

If you have a pending case with USCIS, do not be surprised to receive a transfer notice. That is not a meaningful action that has been taken on your case. It is just notification that instead of your case, for example, being looked at by an adjudicator in Vermont, the adjudicator is in Nebraska. USCIS transfers cases when the workload is not evenly distributed or resources are not evenly distributed.

USCIS exhorts you to understand that these implementations will not occur immediately and quicker processing times will not be apparent immediately. They expect changes within the next few months.

Updated Processing Times

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Updated Processing Times for USCIS

USCIS updated the processing times it is taking for applications. There are some glaringly slow processing times. These are dates that reflect statistics from January 31, 2016. If you have an Extension or Change of Status for H-1B cases, you will be waiting many months, no matter whether it is in California’s or Vermont’s Service Center. The slow pace of H-1B extension processing times has been problematic over the past few months and is the source of much ire from companies, employees, and lawyers. It is essentially demanding the $1,225 fee for premium processing. U visa processing time has just frozen in May of 2014.

If you have a petition pending at the Potomac Service Center – you know that because your receipt number begins with the string ‘YSC’- you will not know your processing time. Petitions that are pending at the Potomac Service Center do not have published processing times and you cannot check their status on the case status checker online.

Recognizing that many of their employment authorization petitions are pushing 90 days, USCIS is issuing transfer notices and spreading the work load.