Two More Case Types to be Designated as INS Priorities
Posted Dec 27, 1999

In another development which may speed I-485 processing time, it appears that INS Headquarters will designate I-485s as priority applications for this fiscal year. We reported previously in The Law Office of Sheela Murthy, P.C. Bulletin, that four types of cases (Temporary Protected Status, I-129, I-130, and Naturalization or N-400 cases) were previously declared to be priorities.

While the priority cases did experience improvements in processing times, we saw that adjudications of non-priority case types such as I-485s, slowed or came to a complete halt. More recently, the INS Commissioner has indicated that I-485s, as well as I-90s (applications to replace lost or expiring green card) are likely to be added to the priority list. This is certainly good news for those who have been wondering just how slow these processes could possibly get but as mentioned above, in The Law Office of Sheela Murthy Bulletin, it is a mixed blessing for those who could be delayed in filing the I-485 when the dates regress again.