How Accurate are USCIS Processing Times? An Attorney's Perspective

Each month, USCIS publishes processing times for various applications and petitions, which many applicants and attorneys use to plan their filing strategies. However, questions remain about how accurately these figures reflect real-world wait times experienced by applicants. According to Ana Gabriela Urizar, an immigration attorney at Manifest Law with over 15,000 cases filed, these published figures may not always align with actual processing experiences. Understanding the limitations of USCIS processing time data is critical for EB-3 applicants managing their immigration timelines. For EB-3 applicants, processing time accuracy directly impacts decisions around job offers, travel, and long-term planning. Discrepancies between published and actual times can cause significant disruption to employment-based immigration cases. Applicants are advised to use USCIS processing times as a general reference rather than a guaranteed timeline, and to consult with qualified immigration counsel when making major decisions based on expected adjudication schedules.