Citizenship Applications Expected to Take Even Longer Than Usual to Process
The USCIS announced on November 21, 2007 that naturalization applicants who filed their N-400s after June 1st of this year will have to wait more than a year to have their applications approved (something that will delay them from voting in the next presidential election).
Of course, I have to wonder why the USCIS thinks that a greater than one year delay on naturalization applications is news. Such delays are already routine and I have begun advising clients of mine who have naturalization applications pending for more than one year to consider filing mandamus actions to compel the government to act on their applications.
The USCIS blames the current delays on the "deluge" of naturalization applications (and the many other immigration applications) that were filed this past summer before USCIS filing fees were so dramatically increased effective July 30th.
According to the USCIS, naturalization applications filed after June 1st will take 15 months to 18 months to process. Again, is that news?
In the next few days, I will post an article outlining the basics of mandamus actions by which an applicant can file suit in federal court to try to force the government to act on his or her application.
