A USCIS Receipt Notice lays on a table and showcases a receipt number, date, and notice date.

When you file cases with USCIS, you always receive a receipt notice in the mail documenting the delivery of your application or documentation. Recently, however, USCIS has been experiencing rapid delays in the issuance of receipt notices. They list the Covid-19 pandemic, an increase in case filings, and US postal delays as the main factors contributing to these delays.

According to their website, USCIS has declared delays of up to 4-6 weeks to receive a receipt notice. This is on top of the usual wait time of receipt notices, and for all application types, not just a select few. We are aware of other firms waiting on receipts for over 8 weeks, so if this is the case for you, do not panic. Speak to your attorney about these delays and remain calm. It is possible that these delays may be up to 10 weeks or more, although at Goldstein & Associates, LLC, we have not experienced issues to this degree – waiting a maximum of 6 weeks in delay for receipt notices for several clients, regardless of case type.

So what is USCIS doing to combat these delay issues, you may be asking?

Great question. They have stated that USCIS employees and officers are working overtime to meet the higher demand in application filings, in addition to shifting cases from specific locations to help lighten the load of specific offices. If you receive an unexpected Transfer Notice in the mail, this may be the reason for that development – and if so, it would only be to speed up the processing of your case.

What can you do to speed up this process, if anything at all?

Another great question. First, be patient, and trust in your attorneys who helped you prepare your applications. We know the process is frustrating, confusing, and lengthy. At G&A, all of our staff work long and hard to make sure there’s less for you to worry about. Unfortunately, we have no control over the processing times, or any delays that accompany them, but we are here for you. Don’t hesitate to give us a call or send your representative an email if you need some reassurance or peace of mind.

Another thing you can do is submit a G-1145 form, E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance using this link. By filing this form attached to your application, you can receive email and text notifications from USCIS to help you keep track of any updates on your case. Please reach out to us for a free consultation if you would like help with this, or if you would like to go through our attorney services instead. If you are already a client of ours and are interested in this process, please contact your case representative to see if this method would work for your immigration goals.

We hope this blog was helpful to you and at least made you aware of USCIS receipt notice delays and issues that may be occurring due to Covid-19, US postal delays or other external factors. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to our firm if you have any questions or concerns about your case. We would be glad to assist you whether or not you are already a client of our firm. Please give us a call at our Pittsburgh office at 412.258.8080, our Philadelphia office at 215-982-2381, or schedule a free consultation on our site using this link. We look forward to working with you.