USCIS Aims to Decrease Naturalization Processing Times

The USCIS has released an update to the projected processing times for naturalization petitions.  Based on updated projections, USCIS estimates that the naturalization process would take an average of 10-12 months by the end of September 2008 (compared with the estimated 16-18 months projections announced last year).

The increase in processing time was mainly due to the 1.4 million naturalization applications received in 2007, an amount which is double the normal annual volume.

The USCIS projections for processing time by office are listed below:

Agana, Guam…………………………….5.0
Albany, N.Y……………………………..5.6
Albuquerque, N.M……………………..8.4
Anchorage, Alaska…………………….5.0
Atlanta, Ga………………………………..6.7
Baltimore, Md…………………………..7.0
Boise, Idaho…………………………….10.5
Boston, Mass…………………………….8.8
Buffalo, N.Y……………………………..7.0
Charleston, S.C………………………..14.1
Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands….7.2
Charlotte, N.C………………………….14.9
Chicago, Ill……………………………….5.1
Cincinnati, Ohio………………………..7.0
Cleveland, Ohio…………………………6.8
Columbus, Ohio…………………………5.7
Dallas, Texas…………………………..11.0
Denver, Colo…………………………….5.2
Des Moines, Iowa………………………5.7
Detroit, Mich…………………………….5.0
El Paso, Texas…………………………..7.9
Fort Smith, Ark………………………….7.6
Fresno, Calif……………………………..6.7
Harlingen, Texas……………………….5.0
Hartford, Conn…………………………14.3
Helena, Mont…………………………….5.0
Honolulu, Hawaii………………………5.0
Houston, Texas………………………….5.1
Indianapolis, Ind………………………..5.0
Jacksonville, Fla………………………..7.4
Kansas City, Mo………………………..7.0
Las Vegas, Nev………………………….9.0
Los Angeles, Calif……………………12.5
Louisville, Ky……………………………7.1
Manchester, N.H………………………..5.3
Memphis, Tenn…………………………8.4
Miami, Fla………………………………12.0
Milwaukee, Wis………………………..6.6
Mount Laurel, N.J……………………..5.0
New Orleans, La……………………..14.5
New York, N.Y……………………….10.0
Newark, N.J………………………………7.4
Norfolk, Va………………………………7.2
Oklahoma City, Okla…………………8.6
Omaha, Neb……………………………..5.0
Orlando, Fla……………………………..9.5
Philadelphia, Pa……………………….10.0
Phoenix, Ariz……………………………8.6
Pittsburgh, Pa……………………………6.0
Portland, Maine…………………………5.5
Portland, Ore…………………………….5.4
Providence, R.I………………………….6.7
Reno, Nev…………………………………5.0
Sacramento, Calif………………………5.0
Salt Lake City, Utah…………………..5.0
San Antonio, Texas……………………5.0
San Diego, Calif………………………..5.0
San Francisco, Calif…………………..5.5
San Jose, Calif…………………………..5.0
San Juan, Puerto Rico………………10.4
Seattle, Wash…………………………….9.0
Spokane, Wash………………………….5.0
St Albans, Vt…………………………….9.5
St Louis, Mo……………………………10.3
St Paul, Minn…………………………….5.5
Tampa, Fla……………………………….8.6
Tucson, Ariz……………………………12.0
Washington, D.C……………………..12.7
West Palm Beach, Fla………………..5.0
Yakima, Wash…………………………..5.0

Of course, these times are projections and although we hope that USCIS would be able to meet these timelines, we encourage applicants to allow additional time.

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