How does USCIS's processing time work?

[Rosalea 22]

So, we all know about the processing time on USCIS's website, and I know it's calculated in part from the amount of pending applications. My question is, can that timeframe be treated as a 'processing time for if you were to submit something now'? Is it kinda just saying, 'it would take x months to get through the backlog we have now'?

 

Like, if the processing time at the time that I submitted my petition was 6 months, does that mean mine'll still take 6 months? Or does it end up always taking whatever the current amount of time is?

 

I hope this makes sense! I'm tryna stay sane cos the timeframe keeps increasing and it makes the whole thing feel impossible.

[Timona 4,207]

It's just an estimate based in current backlog. More like project management. 

 

Your application can process faster, with or after the quoted timeframe. 

 

Do not worry much about it unless you want to stress yourself. 

[Mike E 11,740]

It’s no different than estimates  traffic aware GPS navigation tools give you for an ETA.  
 

Cases that took literally hours or days to clear in the 1980s now take months or years because of higher demand, more red tape, more security, and not enough supply to meet demand. 

[Allaboutwaiting 2,503]

Time keeps increasing because they have no way to catch up. 

 

There's three kinds of cases:

-the ones processed within the timeframes USCIS is estimating

-the lucky ones that are processed way before the estimates

-the very unlucky ones that ended up at the bottom of the pile and take forever to be processed 

Edited January 30, 2022 by Allaboutwaiting

[Nikita2Charles 32]

What is happening with California Service Center?

Back in December it was still6-8months to NVC, the timeline went from End of April, to April 1st, now they went back 2 months to February 2021

[Rosalea 22]

14 minutes ago, Nikita2Charles said:

What is happening with California Service Center?

Back in December it was still6-8months to NVC, the timeline went from End of April, to April 1st, now they went back 2 months to February 2021

Yeah but that’s not even necessarily the cases they’re processing at this time, that’s the date threshold for when it becomes outside normal processing time.

[keickhoff 104]

We started a petition to the Department of State, pleas follow the link, sign and share

https://www.change.org/steamline-the-visa-process

Thanks Keith / Marisa