USCIS Plans to Eliminate Backlog of FBI Name Checks

The USCIS and the FBI announced yesterday, April 2nd, a joint plan to eliminate the backlog of name checks pending with the FBI. The plan will look at the age of the pending name check and prioritize accordingly.

Many foreign nationals have had their USCIS petitions pending for very long periods of time due to the backlog in FBI name checks and this plan should come as good news to many of them.  Even in light of the Yates Memorandum of February 4, 2008, which announced changes in policy permitting the approval of I-485, I-601, I-687, and I-698 applications where the FBI name checks have been pending for more than 180 days, this joint USCIS/FBI plan is a positive development in prompt immigration petition processing.

The goal of the plan is to complete 98% of all name checks within 30 days, with the remaining two percent, which usually require more stringent review, to be completed within 90 days. These processing timeline goals and the elimination of all backlogged checks should be in place by June 2009.