N-400 processing timeframes: Real or Fake?

MartinAub said:
Hmm, you get a lot of cat litter scoops for $1200 buckos.
Defnitly more then two and I have 5 cats.
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absolutely.... I really envy my neighbor... her cat is potty-trained.
The cat just jumps on a human toilet and does its business....

Too bad my own cat is way too old(and stubborn) to be trained for this.... :D
 
yummyk said:
However, I have noted anectdotally from posts on this forum that some DOs are actually processing FASTER than their officially posted processing times. For example, some Ohio DOs are posted as processing cases with PD of 7-20-07, but we know many applicants who filed in September and even later are getting their ILs. So, it seems to me that USCIS uses these dates both to provide updates and to manage the public's expectations.
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Interesting analysis, but the processing dates seem to correspond to Priotity Date's which are being processed for oath at that DO.

The hard part about this is not just the wait/delay but rather the seemingly unpredictable nature. If we only knew, within a margin of a few weeks, when we can expect to do finger printing, interview or oath, this process would be far less stressful.
 
I've mentioned this in a different thread, but here it goes again. As MartinAub stated, the processing timeframes are nothing but window dressing. It's come to my attention that a similar type of "information" is given out at InfoPass. For instance, when I did my first InfoPass 2 weeks ago, I was told that my name check has cleared and that I should receive an IL within 1-2 months. While the name check status can be verified, there's no way to accurately predict when the IL will arrive. Within the past couple of weeks, I've seen other members of this forum post the same exact IL timeframes provided at InfoPass. It's obvious that 1-2 months is a standard response.
 
Vorpal said:
I've mentioned this in a different thread, but here it goes again. As MartinAub stated, the processing timeframes are nothing but window dressing. It's come to my attention that a similar type of "information" is given out at InfoPass. For instance, when I did my first InfoPass 2 weeks ago, I was told that my name check has cleared and that I should receive an IL within 1-2 months. While the name check status can be verified, there's no way to accurately predict when the IL will arrive. Within the past couple of weeks, I've seen other members of this forum post the same exact IL timeframes provided at InfoPass. It's obvious that 1-2 months is a standard response.
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That may be a standard line that they give to most Infopass applicants, but in your case I think it could very easily hold true. NYC was processing applications with PD of 7-20-07 as of two weeks ago, so they have to be coming to the end of the July surge pretty soon. Once they hit August, it will be much clearer sailing. In fact, if you look at the total number of applications received by USCIS in August, it is really only a small percentage of what they received in May or June. In other words, they received the same number of applications in 4 or 5 days in June as they did in the entire month of August.

Again, I am uncertain as to the exact meaning of the 7-20-07 processing date. My own opinion is that "processing" means scheduling an interview and sending out an interview letter - not completion of the entire naturalization process. When I look at the posted processing dates of the DOs, relative to the information I see on this forum, I see that while some DOs are processing far ahead of the posted dates, most are not processing far behind. I am hypothesizing that most applicants receive an interview letter within a few weeks of the processing date being in range of their PD. Some may get one sooner (and some get them far sooner, like the lucky ones at the NYC DO). The ones that take longer - I call these the outliers - seem to be applications that are stuck in name check or ones that simply got lost in the system.

To summarize, I think it is far from a perfect system that they use, but I also do not believe it to be entirely random either. There does seem to be a method to their madness, so I would not entirely discount the processing times - just take them with a grain of salt. As well, remember that the times relate to the process in aggregate, rather than to any one individual application. There will always be "outliers" - both positive and negative - in any type of process, especially one as poorly managed as this one!
 
yummyk said:
That may be a standard line that they give to most Infopass applicants, but in your case I think it could very easily hold true. NYC was processing applications with PD of 7-20-07 as of two weeks ago, so they have to be coming to the end of the July surge pretty soon. Once they hit August, it will be much clearer sailing. In fact, if you look at the total number of applications received by USCIS in August, it is really only a small percentage of what they received in May or June. In other words, they received the same number of applications in 4 or 5 days in June as they did in the entire month of August.
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Agreed. When the processing updates posted last week, I thought to myself that the timeframe given to me at InfoPass seems to be comparatively accurate. However, I find it somewhat strange that everyone seems to be getting the same answer, regardless of the DO's location.

yummyk said:
Again, I am uncertain as to the exact meaning of the 7-20-07 processing date. My own opinion is that "processing" means scheduling an interview and sending out an interview letter - not completion of the entire naturalization process. When I look at the posted processing dates of the DOs, relative to the information I see on this forum, I see that while some DOs are processing far ahead of the posted dates, most are not processing far behind. I am hypothesizing that most applicants receive an interview letter within a few weeks of the processing date being in range of their PD. Some may get one sooner (and some get them far sooner, like the lucky ones at the NYC DO). The ones that take longer - I call these the outliers - seem to be applications that are stuck in name check or ones that simply got lost in the system.
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I was under the impression that "processing" meant that the interview, but not necessarily the oath, has been completed. Then again, this is USCIS talking, so there's no way of knowing the real answer.
 
Vorpal said:
I was under the impression that "processing" meant that the interview, but not necessarily the oath, has been completed. Then again, this is USCIS talking, so there's no way of knowing the real answer.
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You might be correct, as there is no standard definition provided. In fact, I hope you're right.

The reason I think it has to do with scheduling the interview is that most ILs seem to provide about 4 - 8 weeks notice before the actual interview is conducted. If these DOs are presently interviewing people with a PD of 7-20-07 or later, then I think we would be seeing a lot more people with later July 2007 and August 2007 PDs have their interviews scheduled (but not necessarily conducted) by now. Again, just my opinion, but it seems to make sense based on what we see in the forum - which is by no means a truly composite sample of applicants.

In general, I think the lack of defintion around what this date really means is just another way of not over-committing to anything and getting people's hopes us. Again, I think the purpose of these updates is to provide some information, or at least the illusion of it without being too specific, while continuing to manage applicants' expecations.
 
On Feb 15th, San Jose published a processing date of 04/24/07.Here's what was happening at San Jose DO around that time ...

1. April'07 applicants were taking oath (on 02/14/08 or or 02/21/08); looks like all had PD earlier than 04/24/07.
2. Late May'07 applicants were doing interviews.
3. Early July applicants were being scheduled for interviews.

This also explains why some DO's appear to be "FASTER" than their processing dates, if you interprete processing dates as either Priority dates for applicants doing actual interviews dates or receiving interview letter (based on Notice Date).

Besides, the interpretation of processing date, whether it is the priority date for interview or oath, would be best explained by who it is meant for and to what end. I think the dates are meant for the govt as much as for applicants. The US govt would like to complete processing the naturalization cases within 6months. Since the naturalization is not complete until that DO has administered oath, the processing dates would be expected by US govt to reflect the oath dates.
 
The new processing dates should be rolling out anytime now. Keep your fingers crossed everyone! I say by the 21st or so we should be able to see the new dates up on the USCIS website.
 
Real for some Fake for Many... Real for Many Fake for some... Fake for many Fake for Some... NOT Real for many Not Real for Some.
 
I think USCIS does not know its processing times..if you call their customer service line its always.."wait 1-2 months"...ehh..and the online database is never up-to-date. Go bureaucrats!
 
Real or fake, I would know once it starts to get closer to my dates.

See the thing is that I am so annoyed by the responses I have been getting by USCIS customer service, that I would rather go by what they have on the website. And if I call, all they can say is 1-2 months..you're in queue for the interview..and the funniest of all, they would tell me the processing dates and theh 16-18 month rule which I am quite sure all of us here know! Oh well, what can one do I guess..
 
Ok guys, I think the times on the USCIS website is quite accurate. Feb 15th update for my DO was September 1st and I got my IL today. PD October 22nd. Seems to me that my DO is doing good :):) Keep an eye out for the new dates to roll in and see where you guys are at. If the date for my DO is after October 22nd, I would conclude that they are accurate.

Well, now I have my IL and I'm a little bummed out that I have to wait till mid May for the interview :P Maybe I should just be thankful and chillax!
 
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