Contains information on applications for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal for petitioners who use Form I-589. According to USCIS, the agency entered FY2020 with a 2.5 million case backlog due to an unanticipated increase in the overall volume of petition/application filings after the 2016 presidential election, the implementation of the 2016 fee rule, and the growing complexity of the work: increasing complexity and length of forms, new statutory and policy decisions, and increased security checks outpaced USCIS capability to adjudicate and complete applications within reasonable processing timeframes. : 2021 9 20 : : 2023 2 3 1 2 (Reentry Permit) . Your experience on this site will be improved by allowing cookies. In 2016, the US granted around 140,000 employment-based green cards, which was approximately 12% of total green cards issued that year. Each year, a total of 140,000 green cards are available in the employment-based categories and no single country can use more than 7% of . The timeline of the administration's polices helps assess whether or not a Trump effect on immigration exists. Proving extraordinary ability has always been hard. Offcourse, your GC date should be current to file i485 and get an approval. The green card wait for applicants filed by people with asylum ranges from 25 to 52 months - or more than four years. You must be eligible by country as well as by education or work experience in order to be granted a green card. Use of the Boundless website and its services are subject to ourPrivacy PolicyandTerms of Use. U.S. Want to sign up for our weekly newsletter covering all things immigration? When the diversity lottery first started in the fiscal year 1995, citizens of European countries, including those that were part of the former Soviet Union, received the largest number of diversity visas (about 24,000). Whats surprising is the case of unauthorized immigrants whose household incomes are at least twice the poverty level, illegal immigration statistics reveal. Now Processing Cases with Estimated time range of: 11.5 Months. Current H1B Processing Time 2020 (Estimate Approval) - USA Am22tech Over 1M Trackitt Users Step-by-step H1B Process from . A lock ( A locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Approval and denial rates for EB-2 green card petitions (I-140) The EB-2 approval rate is high, an average of 93%, according to USCIS data. Boundless is not affiliated with or endorsed by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or any other government agency. Following is a breakdown of the numbers released by USCIS for FY2021, along with comparisons to previous years. For immigrants who do not qualify for other immigrant visas or who face long backlogs in other categories, EB-1A may be the only viable option to obtain a green card. For more information, please read Visa Data Reporting: Updating the Methodology. What is PERM? Nothing on this website, including guides and resources, is to be considered legal advice. They go through the visa interview at the US embassy and hence have already been interviewed by one or more times by one of the US government departments. What are the chances of winning a green card lottery? Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently released processing and case completion. EB-1 Green Card; EB-2 Green Card; EB-2 National Interest Waiver; EB-3 Green Card; I-140 Petition . Over 200,000 Green Cards Wasted in 2021 as Backlog Explodes . That amounts to 701,900 travelers out of almost 52.7 million tourists and business travelers that year. Green Card Waiting Time by Country 2023. This represents not just a rebound from the pandemic-related drop in submissions in 2020, but an increase of more than 400,000 applications. His priority date was January 12, 2019. Boundless is not affiliated with or endorsed by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or any other government agency. Interest Rates: The average credit card APR is 21.43% as of Q4 2022 - a year-over-year increase of 317 basis points. Nationally, the Department of Labor (DOL) audits about 1 in 3 PERM applications, most by random selection. But overall, USCIS reports receiving 5% fewer requests to become a permanent resident than in 2019, and processing 23% less requests. The H-1B1 - a free trade agreement visa for specialty workers from Chile and Singapore. , but only 288,668 in FY2021. This report is produced in response to the direction set forth in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, Joint Explanatory Statement (H. R. 2471 / P.L. 1.33% did so in 2017. However, green card lottery winner statistics show that the average chance of winning a Green Card to live the American Dream is about 1:25 to 1:75, depending on the region and year (for Europeans currently around 1:45). It is possible that USCIS is using its discretionary power to waive i485 employment-based interviews to avoid wasting GC numbers in 2021 and will continue to do so in 2022. | USCIS has created new quarterly reports for benefit programs, including LRIFthat includereportingon receipts broken down by state, gender,as well asfee waiver information. Contains information on the number of Credible Fear and Reasonable Fear Screening Referrals received by USCIS monthly during the reporting quarter. There are provisions in President Bidens. To learn more or to schedule a consultation with a member of our team, contact us online or call us at (407) 478-1111 (Orlando), (813) 444-1114 (Tampa) or (305) 455-0590 (Miami). USCIS hosts engagements in English, Spanish, and other languages including Arabic, Haitian Creole, Mandarin, Dari,and Urdu. A New White House Could Spark Change. Report of the Visa Office 2020. In the third quarter, the approval number exceeded the application number, with 113,724 applications approved and only 964 denied. (2 minutes) WASHINGTONThe U.S. government is at risk of wasting about 100,000 employment-based green cards this year as the federal . At close of FY2021, there were more than 9 million green card applicants stuck in the backlogabout 7.5 million on the family-based side and 1.6 million on the employment-based side. In July 2021, experienced immigration attorney and policy analyst Ur Jaddou was, by the Senate as the new Director of USCIS, giving the agency its first Senate-confirmed leader in, . Naturalization is the process through which green card holders apply to become U.S. citizens using Form N-400. These are the basic three stages of getting an employment-based green card (EB2 and EB3) in the US: Stage 1: PERM/Labor certification stage; Stage 2: I-140 immigration petition; Stage 3: I-485 Application to adjust status There was a rise in denials, but not as significant as the rise in applications. of the USCIS Service Centers and Field Offices in summer 2020, as well as falling application numbers coupled with rising approvals and a relatively steady denial rate. You may ask about the availability of these from the Visa Office. . Looking carefully at green card lottery statistics by country will help you to see where the majority of immigrants are from and how diverse the immigrant pool is. An application for a U.S. green card (lawful permanent residence), using Form I-485 and supporting documents. A total of 712,044 I-130 petitions (the family-based green card form) were received in FY2020, with 167,118 of those coming in the fourth quarter. This is a welcome step as employment-based cases are quite straightforward and have a very low percentage of fraud. However, despite USCIS completing nearly 80% of the cases it received in FY2021, the processing backlog at the agency grew to, Application Numbers Continue to Rise as Backlogs Explode, The approval rate across all Forms showed a marked increase in the, of 2021, rising from less than 58% in the. However, a judge, COVID19 temporarily changed the immigration landscape. Despite only a 2.6% decrease in I-129F petitions received by USCIS in FY2021, the number of petitions USCIS completed in 2021 fell by nearly 16%, from 36,913 to 31,084. The agency approved 266,080 applications, a significant increase from the approval of 229,676 seen the year before. 14 Surprising Green Card Statistics [2022 Update]. July, 27 2021 - Filed I-485. If you have questions, please contact us atattorneys@boundless.com. This is a recent case shared by one of our members where his EB2 to EB3 downgrade green card approved within a month of his Final Action date getting current in May 2021. There was a rise in denials, but not as significant as the rise in applications. By the end of FY2020, USCIS own Forms and policies, fiscal and staffing problems, pandemic-related office closures, and an inability to receive or process most application types electronically had compounded the backlog, which hit 3.1 million net cases and 6.1 million actual, pending cases by the end of the 2020 fiscal year. Success! 32 Months. Spouses who have been married less than two years when their marriage-based green card is approved must file a Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, which is submitted on Form I-751. Yet, the approval for an EB-2 visa can be more difficult than obtaining approval for an EB-3 visa. # Green Card for Engineers through the EB-2 National . The EB1C visa is an immigrant visa classification. As per linear mathematics, if USCIS has to catch up from 1 Apr to 30 . The Director promises the agency will serve the public with compassion and reflect Americas promise as a nation of welcome and possibilities for all in the coming year, and steps have been taken to, We will be following the numbers, analyzing the trends, and most importantly, keeping you informed on all the latest news that could impact your immigration journey. The Report of the Visa Office is an annual report providing statistical information on immigrant and non-immigrant visa issuances by consular offices, as well as information on the use of visa numbers in numerically limited categories. With a green card, you have the ability to travel in and out of the USA. The agency faces an even bigger workload this year than last280,000 green cards compared to 262,000 in fiscal 2021but said it's well-positioned to issue all of the available visas before the fiscal year ends Sept. 30. As part of this authorization, Boundless and Boundless Legals owners and managers are not lawyers, but do employ licensed attorneys. It is possible that USCIS simply ignores or rejects your medical package if you send it without an RFE. Nonimmigrant Visa Statistics Nothing on this website, including guides and resources, is to be considered legal advice. USCIS is approving employment-based i485 AOS without interview. Step 1: File Form I-129F The numbers for FY2020 reflect the pandemics influence on pretty much everything. We take a look at this data set, which includes new data for the fourth quarter 2020, July 1 September 30, 2020. Imimmenselyproud of the USCIS workforceandfor their achievements in a year ofmanychallenges andrebuilding. Recently it has become even harder. You can submit the medical form without waiting for the USCIS RFE anytime.We strongly recommend sending the medical form if you expect your date to get current in the next 6 months to avoid wastage of time.It is possible that your case gets ahead in line when other people who have an earlier PD date are still waiting for their medical RFE. There were 26,433 applications for employment-based green cards in the final quarter of FY2020, down sharply from 32,530 during the same period a year previously. The salaries are also higher and are vetted by DOL PERM. If your employment-based interview is waived, you can expect your green card to be approved within a month of submitting your medical RFE. by reusing biometrics for 2.5 million applicants since March 2020, almost clearing the backlog of biometrics appointments, and fully eliminating the front-log of cases waiting to be accepted for processing. This reflects a 31% increase over FY2020, and a 40% increase since September 2019 in the overall backlog. In total, USCIS approved 161,438 employment . According to one USCIS report, the agency claimed to have a net backlog of 2.5 million cases at the end of FY2019. USCIS hasincreased data transparency and availability ofnew and expandedquarterly reports continues to be an important priority forthe agency. Summary of 401 EB1A and EB1B Approvals We Obtained in 2021. Current estimates place the employment-based green card backlog including the USCIS and Department of State green card backlog at 7.5 million. This was aided by USCIS prioritizing naturalization applications over other types of benefit requests following the. A lock ( A locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Individuals waiting in the EAD backlog can, lose their jobs as their work permits expire, ; conditional permanent residents may struggle to, or to travel freely until their I-751s are approved; nonimmigrant visa holders such as. This was aided by USCIS prioritizing naturalization applications over other types of benefit requests following the phased reopening of the USCIS Service Centers and Field Offices in summer 2020, as well as falling application numbers coupled with rising approvals and a relatively steady denial rate. The Biden administration has a new set of policy proposals that may have a big impact on these numbers and well be tracking them. Loading Congrats! In Q4 2020, only 5.5% of the total were denied, but an increase of 11% compared to the previous year. New to Immigration? The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. My wife and I sent our I-485 applications in Oct 2020. The only way the traveler will not have to return home when the designated period ends is if they have had it extended by officials. As we administer our nations immigration systemas an engine of American strength, we willadjudicate requestswith fairness, efficiency and integrity.. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). They are issuing green cards with PD current date or even not current? By the beginning of FY2021, the backlog had exploded to 6,380,926, going on to top 8 million by the end of FY2021. Want to sign up for our weekly newsletter covering all things immigration? The DV program issues 50,000 immigrant visas annually, based on the results of a random drawing. In FY 2021,approximately1,210,700applications were filed online, a2.3% increasefrom the1,184,000filed in FY 2020. petitions in quarters 1 through 4, respectively). 300 Lenora Street #521, L1a and L1b Visa Extension Rejection Rate 202 2. Current estimates place the employment-based green card backlog including the USCIS and, . Well be in touch. Sign up! Start the application with Boundless within the next 14 days, and you'll save $50. His wife applied i130 standalone in Aug2017 approved Sep2019 Dec 2021 applied i485 Feb 2023 approved GC (10year) no interview FO San Jose, CA However the date on GC 'resident since' is 2019 the actual date when his i130 got approved. According to the 2016 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics, the United States admitted 1.18 million legal immigrants in 2016. You will then attend your visa interview. We covered more than 20 topics, including citizenship/naturalization, online filing, TPS, public charge, avoiding immigration scams, Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness(LRIF),family-based petitions, business immigration, and COVID-19 visitor procedures for local offices. Here, we have a selection of green card statistics that may surprise you. Officials from Customs and Border Protection (CBP), on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), may deny a traveler permission to enter the United States for a number of reasons. The approval rate across all Forms showed a marked increase in the fourth quarter of 2021, rising from less than 58% in the third quarter to just over 81% in the fourth. For legal advice specific to your case, please consult with a licensed attorney. Every other quarter saw at least 1.9 million applications, while the third quarter saw slightly less than 1.7 million. Typically, appointment hours are from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 2:30 PM ET, Monday through Friday. The denial rate across all Forms also rose somewhat in the fourth quarter, gaining around three percentage points in the fourth quarter to land at 10.75%, or 251,700 out of more than 2.3 million. Enter your email below. Sign up! An official website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, An official website of the United States government. You can find additional data by visiting the: For more information on our reports, visit the Understanding Our Data page. It displays the number of completed applications by month during the reporting quarter. DV lottery statistics change each year because the list of countries is subject to change each year. Contact Us, EB2 to EB3 downgrade green card approved within a month of his Final Action date getting current. During the third quarter, from March through June, applications dropped substantially right as businesses and the country were, by all accounts, on lockdown. Attorney services are provided by independent attorneys and are subject to a separateAttorney Agreement. Seattle, WA 98121. Report of the Visa Office 2021. Please note that the interviews for family based i485 is mandatory and USCIS usually does not waive them. There are a number of ways of getting a green card. There are provisions in President Bidens Build Back Better Act that would recapture some lost green cards for both family- and employment-based categories, but as of December 31, 2021 the legislation is stalled in the Senate. Looking for U.S. government information and services? A total of 757,206 petitions to establish a family relationship with a U.S. citizen or green card holder (Form I-130) were received in FY2021, with a steep uptick in quarters three and four (USCIS received 149,173; 148,039; 243,753; and 216,241 petitions in quarters 1 through 4, respectively). Error During this period, some employers used different names in the visa petitions for various reasons, including business name change, merger or typo. Text. There are three subcategories of H-1B visas: A permanent resident card (also known as the green card), will be issued to all permanent residents as proof they can live and work in the USA. However, despite USCIS completing nearly 80% of the cases it received in FY2021, the processing backlog at the agency grew to more than 8 million pending cases at the end of FY2021. By August 1941, American president Franklin Roosevelt and British prime minister Winston Churchill had drafted the Atlantic Charter to define goals for the post-war world. Unlike applications submitted for naturalization, the applications for DACA increased significantly, by 25%, between the second quarter of and the third quarter, from 78,927 to 105,747. Current estimates place the family-based green card backlog including the USCIS and Department of State green card backlogs at, Employment-based green card backlogs in particular have become. You can find additional data by visiting the: DHS Office of Immigration Statistics - Characteristics of Green Card holders and citizenship status. Naturalization is the process through which green card holders apply to become U.S. citizens, using Form N-400. A green card gives immigrants the legal right to live, work, and study in the United States and, ultimately, become American citizens. The agency expanded staffing and overtime at its Lockbox facilities, and claims to be on a firmer financial footing in FY2021 and FY2022. he numbers reflect the programs uncertain future throughout the year. It's no secret that immigration U.S. immigration policy tightened under President Donald Trump. A total of 438,950, applications for DACA were received in FY2021, a 31% increase from, Note: These applications only apply to DACA renewals since the Trump administration barred first-time DACA applicants. This data set contains new statistics for the fourth quarter of 2021, as well as the full FY2021, which for USCIS ran from October 2020 through September 2021. at the end of FY2019. Green card statistics show that the wait could be as long as 20 years, even if you do qualify. Enter your email below. To protect your privacy, please do not include any personal information in your feedback. . Military naturalization approvals fared even better, nearly doubling between FY2020 and FY2021, from 4,553 to 8,817. In fiscal 2017, which ended on September 30, the largest number of visas went to citizens of African countries (about 19,000), while applicants from European countries (nearly 21,000) and from Asia (almost 8,000) received fewer visas.