National Benefits Center Average Processing Times as of August 31, 2016

On October 18, 2016, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released its most recent processing times information for the National Benefits Center (NBC) [PDF version]. This processing time information reflects processing times as of August 31, 2016. The average processing times are designed to give persons who have filed benefit requests with the NBC an idea of when these requests may be fully adjudicated. The following are the processing times as of August 31, 2016:

Form I-102, Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival/Departure Record (processing cases as of June 5, 2016)
Form I-131, Application for Travel Document (3 months)
Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status (2.5 months)
Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative (2.5 months)
Form I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition (2.5 months)
Form I-601A, Application for Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver (Processing cases as of February 27, 2016)
Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization (based on pending Form I-485 adjustment application [Form I-765 category (c)(9]) (3 months)
Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization (all others) (3 months)
Form I-817, Application for Family Unity Benefits (6 months)
Form I-824, Application for Action on an Approved Application of Petition (3 months)

The NBC advices that an applicant with a pending application for employment authorization (Form I-765) may submit an inquiry if his or her cases has been pending for at least 75 days. If a person files a Form I-765 based on a pending asylum application (Form I-765 category (c)(8)), the average processing timeframe only applies to an initial filing. If the person is filing for employment authorization under Form I-765 category (c)(33) along with a filed Form I-821D for benefits under DACA, the 90-day period for Form I-765 adjudication does not begin until the USCIS makes a decision on the deferred action request.

To learn more about issues related to some of these forms, please consult our collection of materials on this site:

Retrieving a Form I-94 [see article]
Travel Visas [see category]
Change of Nonimmigrant Status [see article]
International Adoption [see category]
Provisional Unlawful Presence Waivers [see article]