Immigration Law Facts and Issues, featuring a series of immigration law articles spanning nine years, by Richard Hanus, Chicago immigration attorney and columnist.
INS Processing Times in Chicago and Lincoln, Nebraska
February 22, 2001
UPDATE
For the most recent processing times, visit CIS ( INS ) Processing Times.
Nebraska Service Center, Lincoln, Nebraska
Form I-129 – Petition for a Non-Immigrant Worker (which includes professionals/specialty occupation workers (H), intracompany transferees, executives or managers (L), treaty traders/investors (E), artists/performers (O, P), religious workers (R): 60-90 days
Form I-539 – Application to Extend/Change Non-Immigrant Status (most often filed by tourists/visitors, B-1/B-2, and dependents of principal H, L, E, O, P and R visa holders seeking to extend their stays): 60-90 days.
Form I-140 – Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker (most often, petitions for workers who have obtained labor certifications from the U.S. Department of Labor or precertified occupations): 60-75 days
Form I-130 – Petitions for out of country spouses or children (under 21) of U.S. citizens or parents of adult (over 21) citizens: 130-160 days
Petitions for all other relatives of U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents:630-660 days
Form I-129F – Petition for out of country fiance of U.S. citizen: 90-120 days.
Form I-751 – Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence (for alien spouses and children with conditional resident status, including joint filers and individuals seeking waivers): 150-180 days
NOTE: Where interviews for I-751 filers are deemed necessary by the INS, interviews at INS Chicago for this purpose are scheduled approximately 8 to 10 months from the date of filing.
Form I-360 – Petition for Amerasian, Widow/Widowers of U.S. Citizens and Special Immigrants (including immigrant religious workers): 120-150 days
Form I-589 – Request for Asylum (for individuals not in deportation proceedings): interviews at INS Chicago Asylum Office are being scheduled approximately 15-30 days from the date of filing.
Form I-131 – Application for Travel Document (Re-entry Permit or Advance Parole for Employment Based Adjustment of Status Applicants): 60-120 days
Form I-765 – Application for Employment Authorization Document (mainly for employment based adjustment of status applicants) : 60 days
INS – Chicago District Office
Form I-485 – Application for Adjustment of Status (for various individuals already in the U.S., seeking permanent residence – including qualifying alien spouses or parents of U.S. citizens or permanent residents and certain beneficiaries of approved immigrant worker petitions): interviews are being scheduled approximately 20-26 months from date of filing.
Form I-765 – Application for Employment Authorization Document (mainly for family based adjustment of status applicants) : 90 days for both initial and renewal applications
Form N-400 – Application for Naturalization (Citizenship): Interviews are being scheduled approximately 12 to 16 months from the date of filing with oath ceremonies scheduled for 1-2 months thereafter.
Form I-131 – Application for Advance Parole (to facilitate reentry into the U.S. if emergency circumstances require travel outside the U.S. while adjustment application is pending with INS Chicago): 1 day
As to petitions or applications filed with Lincoln, Nebraska, the above processing times do not include the additional time an individual may face if he/she must appear at a U.S. consulate outside the U.S. to have their visa processed. It is also important to note that in exceptional/emergency cases (such as those involving children soon turning 21 years of age), carefully prepared requests for expedited processing are sometimes granted.
Finally, if an inordinate amount of time has passed without your particular filing being attended to, it is imperative that follow up inquiries be made with the office in question.
PUBLISHED February 22, 2001 – “IMMIGRATION LAW FORUM”
Copyright © 2001-2008, By Law Offices of Richard Hanus, Chicago, Illinois
Disclaimer: Information in some articles may be outdated as laws and policies are subject to change. Before exercising your rights or relying on any single provision in the immigration law arena, we advise discussing your options with an attorney.
Find similar articles related to:
DHS / Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Employment Authorization / Work Cards in the U.S., Employment-Based Immigration Law, Family-Based Immigration Law
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