10/26/2005

When it comes to the USCIS processing times of petitions and applications, people usually receive conflicting processing time advices from the USCIS' three different sources: 

(1) Periodic Website Report of Local District Office and Service Centers Processing Times Report; 

(2) Processing Time Report of the Same Types of Petitions or Applications on the Individual Cases Status Site;

(3) Hard Copy Receipt Notices for Petitions and Applications. 

People are confused from the conflicting estimate processing time information in these three sources. Additionally, some people rely on the information on the hard copy receipt notices and are often panicking when the estimate time on the Receipt Notices elapses without any information on approval or denial of their individual cases.

In order to clarify the confused sources of information on the estimate processing times of different types of cases, the USCIS has advised that when it comes to the estimate processing times, people should rely on the periodic report of processing times of local district offices and service centers on the USCIS web site and not, repeat not, either receipt notices or individual case status check site. 

People also sometimes call the 800 number just to learn that the voice on the other end of the phone line just reads these reports. People should not waste their time to call 800 number to learn nothing but the information which are available on the USCIS web site. Again, the USCIS advises that the periodic processing time reports on the USCIS web site closely reflect the processing times and no other reports.