From USCIS,

In Fiscal Year 2007, USCIS received a significant increase in naturalization applications (Form N-400). To address the increase, USCIS is expanding work hours and adding staff to complete these filings within our processing time goals.

If you have received a notice from USCIS that your naturalization interview has been scheduled on a Saturday, Sunday, or after traditional business hours, the notice is correct and you should appear at the scheduled time.

Immigration lawyers are happy because the additional resources should help USCIS process clients’ applications faster. Immigration lawyers are not happy because they now have 7-day work schedules.

On a related note, a New York Times Editorial bashed USCIS soon-to-be-ex-Director Gonzalez in a story about the processing delays. Director Gonzalez published a direct response on the Leadership Journal, a blog published by the Department of Homeland Security. Whether you prefer the NYT or USCIS version of the story, give Director Gonzalez credit for addressing the issue so directly.

Naturalization Interview Times Now Include Weekends and After Business Hours is a post from: The Visa Bulletin

This USCIS chart was supplied today by Emilio Gonzalez, the USCIS Director, during a hearing on “NATURALIZATION DELAYS: CAUSES, CONSEQUENCES AND SOLUTIONS” before the House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law. The chart gives a breakdown of naturalization applications (N-400), adjustment of status applications (I-485) and all other USCIS applications filed from 1994 to 2008.

USCIS received an extraordinary number of applications in 2007 – nearly 3 million applications in the last quarter of the 2007 fiscal year alone! A number of factors created the Perfect Storm for this spike in applications and subsequent USCIS delays. A filing fee increase caused many immigrants to file naturalization applications (N-400) and other USCIS applications before the fees increased significantly. And a flood of adjustment of status applications (I-485) were filed when all Employment-Based (EB) visa categories opened up temporarily in July and August 2007 due to a miscommunication between USCIS and the State Department. Many nationals of India and the Philippines were suddenly and unexpectedly eligible to apply for a Green Card and jumped at the opportunity. There was an absolute rush by immigration lawyers (myself included) to file applications before the EB categories were made unavailable once again. Unfortunately, this spike in I-485 applications was surely responsible for recent visa bulletin retrogression in the December 2007, January 2008, and February 2008 visa bulletins for EB immigrants (especially EB-2 nationals of India).

The USCIS chart is also useful because it provides a historical look at the number of USCIS applications i.e. N-400, I-485, etc. filed between 1994 and 2008. It pinpoints specific events that caused spikes in USCIS applications. Section 245(i), the LIFE Act, fee increases, and the July-August 2007 visa bulletin fiasco all caused applications received by USCIS to jump.

USCIS delays are not a good thing. But at least anyone in H-1B status can take comfort in the fact that they will be eligible for 7th year H-1B visa extensions for the indefinite future.

USCIS Chart Shows Huge Spikes in Naturalization and Green Card Applications is a post from: The Visa Bulletin