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Having a green card makes all the difference in Naperville. So, when your application for lawful permanent resident (LPR) status meets with unreasonable delays, it is only natural to wonder if there is something you are able to do to speed up the process.

In many situations, there are strategies to achieve results with Naperville unreasonable delays for green cards/LPR applications. A dedicated immigration lawyer could analyze the circumstances and explain your options to seek relief from immigration processing delays.

Delays Could Occur in More Than One Place

The U.S. Customs and Immigration Services or USCIS handles the start of the visa process for obtaining a green card, but that agency is not the only one involved in issuing permanent immigrant visas. The U.S. State Department is also part of the process, and in some cases, the U.S. Department of Labor, Federal Bureau of Investigation, or another administrative agency may also be involved in the processing of a permanent visa. Delays could occur in any of these agencies or the U.S. consulate of an applicant’s home country.

An experienced immigration attorney could investigate to determine the location of and reason for a Naperville unreasonable delay for green card/LPR status application. If a delay is caused by miscommunication or missing information, the lawyer could work to remedy the situation and get processing back on track.

Following Up with USCIS

The procedures for inquiries with USCIS are changing. While applicants used to be able to schedule appointments online through Infopass to discuss delays and problems, that option is no longer available. It may be possible to schedule an interview by phone, however.

A phone call may also launch an inquiry into a Naperville unreasonable delay for Green Cards/LPR application. Those who call in are advised to make a notation of the Service Request Management Tool (SRMT) number and the date of the request.

Additionally, applicants may use the USCIS website to submit an online inquiry into the case. Applicants should be prepared to supply the receipt number, the type of application or petition at issue, and the filing date.

What Constitutes an Unreasonable Delay

The amount of time that is considered unreasonable for delays in the green card/LPR application process depends on many factors. Someone waiting for a receipt acknowledging reception of a visa petition, for instance, should probably consider the receipt unreasonably delayed if it has not arrived within six to eight weeks. Wait times for decisions, rather than receipts, are considerably longer.

The USCIS website contains a page listing average wait times for processing of various applications through different service centers. This page also lists dates showing when an applicant may submit a service request online because the application may be considered “outside normal processing time.” This page provides a good place to start with evaluating the extent of a Naperville unreasonable delay for Green Cards/LPR.

More Information About Naperville Unreasonable Delay for Green Cards/LPR

News about the processing of immigration applications is often confusing. Headlines in newspapers scream about insane average delays while information from the federal agencies involved talks about steps taken to reduce backlogs and speed up processing to avoid unreasonable delays for green cards/LPR status in Naperville and elsewhere.

If a delay seems unreasonable based on the USCIS guidelines, it is wise to take action to follow up. An immigration attorney could assist in helping resolve a problem. If a delay is unreasonable for no apparent reason, sometimes filing a lawsuit in federal court could compel the agency involved to take action.

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