US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has changed the way it displays processing time data on its web site.  Where up to recently only form type and processing location could be selected, users can now select the specific type of case filed.

USCIS will often use the same form for many individual types of case, but would only provide aggregate data on processing times for that form.  An I-485 Application to Adjust Status to Permanent Residence would be used, for example, regardless of whether the underlying case was based upon family relationship, employment, grant of asylum, or several other possibilities – each with its own processing timelines (and with family-based cases of various types each having their own processing timelines).  Only aggregate data for that form would be presented, and would be shown as a range – a user wouldn’t know whether their case would be at the low end or high end of that range.

The change provides users with data far more relevant to their own case – an employment-based I-485 applicant can now tell the system that this is the basis of their I-485 and receive information far more relevant to their case type.