Immigration Lawyer of Washington DC
Unfortunately, it is far from uncommon for individuals dealing with U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services to have to wait a long time before receiving a final response to their application. With that in mind, delays in USCIS processing sometimes stretch out for so long that they become unreasonable, potentially justifying or necessitating legal action by the applicant to get the process moving again.
If several months or years have passed without your application being resolved, you may want to contact a Washington, DC immigration delay lawyer. An experienced immigration attorney could explain the means by which you could contest an unreasonable holdup and get the answers you deserve about your application status.
Checking on Application Status During Processing
Even when it is moving at its relative top speed, USCIS generally still requires several months to process a single application for an immigrant visa, green card, or naturalized citizenship. For example, according to recent USCIS data, the average processing time for seeking adjustment of status based on family sponsorship was 13.4 months in 2021, and N-400 naturalization applications had average processing times of 12.2 months.
After they have submitted an application with USCIS and received a receipt number, applicants can enter that receipt number into the case status online tool provided by USCIS to check what stage of processing their application has reached. However, this site does not offer estimates for how long each stage will take, and there is unfortunately little else to do but wait for more communication from USCIS. In the event an application gets stuck at a particular stage for an unreasonable length of time, though, a Washington DC attorney may be able to help with immigration delay.
Options for Resolving an Unreasonable Delay
There are a few ways to possibly address a delay in immigration processing through legal action, some more drastic than others. First and foremost, it may be worth reaching out to USCIS directly to see if they can provide more clarity about an application’s status. Likewise, the USCIS Ombudsman’s Office could potentially find where an application has gotten stuck during processing and get it moving again.
In more extreme situations, it may be necessary to file a special type of lawsuit called a writ of mandamus, the purpose of which is to compel a federal agency to complete their assigned duties within a reasonable amount of time as required by federal law. If someone is experiencing delay with their immigration application, a lawyer in Washington, DC could help facilitate this type of claim or seek assistance in the form of a congressional inquiry.
Talk to a Washington, DC Immigration Delay Attorney Today
It is important to understand that legal action against a delay in the processing of an immigration application does not guarantee that the applicant will get the response they want from USCIS. That being said, it can be a crucial way for applicants to at least get some clear information about their application status, so they can decide what next steps to take to preserve their future plans and prospects.
A qualified Washington, DC immigration delay lawyer could be a crucial ally to have by your side during this kind of situation. Schedule a consultation with an attorney at Hacking Immigration Law, LLC by calling today.