USCIS Wait Times on the Rise

"The waiting is the hardest part." These lyrics from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers reflect a sentiment felt by all who file immigration cases with USCIS. This includes the thousands of successful clients our law office has helped throughout the immigration process.

The Growing Backlog

Year after year, processing times would increase with no end in sight as USCIS received record numbers of immigration filings without oversight or consequence. It seemed like there was nothing we could do, except inform our clients to hold on a little longer as USCIS delayed their approvals due to an unprecedented backlog.

The 2018 Statistical Report

On May 31, 2019, USCIS released its 2018 Statistical Annual Report, providing statistical information on the most popular and widely-used benefits and programs. This was the first annual report published by USCIS in nearly a decade.

Congressional Oversight

Now that data has been released, the government is getting involved by questioning USCIS about the current backlog. On May 23, 2019, USCIS responded to a bipartisan letter sent by 38 senators (19 Republicans and 19 Democrats), who voiced concerns over the lengthy case processing delays.

A Real Example: EB-5 Visa

A perfect example of this backlog comes from the EB-5 Visa. In May, USCIS updated the adjudication times for the I-529 petition from 21-29 months to 29-45.5 months. Many EB-5 filers may have to wait up to 45 months just for the opportunity to inquire about their case, let alone get approved.

Looking Forward

We can only hope that the current congressional inquiries will produce the much needed and long overdue accountability assessment to dramatically reduce the current USCIS backlog and implement procedures to streamline the red tape that has accumulated after a decade of neglect.

It's a step in the right direction, but until we get the results, the only thing we can do is wait.