In recent months, there have been significant delays in USCIS issuance of receipt notices for applications and petitions filed at the lockbox facilities. For instance, receipt notices have not been issued for many employment-based Form I-485 Adjustment of Status applications that were filed more than two months ago.
USCIS recently provided an update on the delays. The takeaways from this update are:
- USCIS attributes the cause of the delays to the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in filings, current postal service volume, and “other external factors”.
- USCIS quotes delays of “four to six weeks” for receipt notices, but acknowledges that the timelines may vary depending on type of petition/application and the lockbox location.
- USCIS acknowledges lengthier delays for non-family based Form I-485 (Adjustment of Status) applications and for Form I-765 Applications for Employment Authorization (EAD) for F-1 students.
- Delays in receipt notices do not affect the “receipt date” (recorded date that USCIS received the filing) of applications and petitions.
USCIS notes that its workforce is working extra hours to try to catch up.
USCIS’s official update can be found here.
