N-400 processing time
Form N-400, the application for U.S. citizenship, is decided at local field offices, and USCIS publishes a figure for each. These are USCIS’s figures as published September 17, 2026.
Checked against USCIS guidance on October 9, 2026. The sources are listed at the end of this page.
N-400 processing time by field office
Across the 90 offices USCIS lists, the figure runs from 11 months (San Juan PR) to 31.5 months (San Jose CA). The median office is at 15.5 months. Figures published September 17, 2026.
| Field office | USCIS figure |
|---|---|
| Agana GU | 18.5 months |
| Albany NY | 13 months |
| Albuquerque NM | 17.5 months |
| Anchorage AK | 19 months |
| Atlanta GA | 17 months |
| Baltimore MD | 20.5 months |
| Boise ID | 17.5 months |
| Boston MA | 15.5 months |
| Brooklyn NY | 15 months |
| Buffalo NY | 17 months |
| Burlington VT | 12 months |
| Charleston SC | 15 months |
| Charlotte Amalie VI | 15 months |
| Charlotte NC | 14.5 months |
| Chicago IL | 19.5 months |
| Christiansted VI | 15.5 months |
| Cincinnati OH | 13 months |
| Cleveland OH | 14.5 months |
| Columbus OH | 14 months |
| Cranbury NJ | 12 months |
| Dallas TX | 16.5 months |
| Denver CO | 18 months |
| Des Moines IA | 16.5 months |
| Detroit MI | 16.5 months |
| El Paso TX | 15 months |
| Fort Myers FL | 19.5 months |
| Fort Smith AR | 13 months |
| Fresno CA | 19.5 months |
| Greer SC | 13.5 months |
| Harlingen TX | 16 months |
| Hartford CT | 14 months |
| Helena MT | 11.5 months |
| Hialeah FL | 12.5 months |
| Honolulu HI | 16.5 months |
| Houston TX | 14 months |
| Imperial CA | 18 months |
| Indianapolis IN | 16.5 months |
| Jacksonville FL | 18 months |
| Kansas City MO | 15 months |
| Kendall FL | 13.5 months |
| Las Vegas NV | 16 months |
| Lawrence MA | 20 months |
| Long Island NY | 17 months |
| Los Angeles CA | 14 months |
| Los Angeles County CA | 14 months |
| Louisville KY | 14.5 months |
| Manchester NH | 13.5 months |
| Memphis TN | 16 months |
| Miami FL | 15 months |
| Milwaukee WI | 17.5 months |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul MN | 20 months |
| Montgomery AL | 12 months |
| Mount Laurel NJ | 14.5 months |
| Nashville TN | 17 months |
| New Orleans LA | 17 months |
| New York City NY | 12.5 months |
| Newark NJ | 15.5 months |
| Norfolk VA | 13.5 months |
| Oakland Park FL | 19 months |
| Oklahoma City OK | 15.5 months |
| Omaha NE | 14.5 months |
| Orlando FL | 19 months |
| Philadelphia PA | 15 months |
| Phoenix AZ | 13 months |
| Pittsburgh PA | 14.5 months |
| Portland ME | 19 months |
| Portland OR | 17.5 months |
| Providence RI | 13 months |
| Queens NY | 15.5 months |
| Raleigh NC | 16 months |
| Reno NV | 15 months |
| Sacramento CA | 24 months |
| Saint Louis MO | 14 months |
| Salt Lake City UT | 16 months |
| San Antonio TX | 13.5 months |
| San Bernardino CA | 17.5 months |
| San Diego CA | 23 months |
| San Fernando Valley CA | 15.5 months |
| San Francisco CA | 22.5 months |
| San Jose CA | 31.5 months |
| San Juan PR | 11 months |
| Santa Ana CA | 17 months |
| Seattle WA | 15.5 months |
| Spokane WA | 13 months |
| Tampa FL | 16.5 months |
| Tucson AZ | 14 months |
| Washington DC | 14.5 months |
| West Palm Beach FL | 16.5 months |
| Wichita KS | 18 months |
| Yakima WA | 15.5 months |
What the number means
For each form, category and office, USCIS shows one figure: the 80th percentile. It is how long it took USCIS to complete 80% of the cases it decided over the prior six months. So 8 in 10 recent cases finished within that time; the slowest 2 in 10 took longer.
USCIS describes the figures as a reference point, not a guarantee of how long your case will take, and it updates them. Every figure on this page carries the date USCIS published it.
What usually happens while you wait
- Receipt. USCIS sends a receipt notice; the status shows Case Was Received.
- Biometrics. Case Was Updated To Show Fingerprints Were Taken.
- Interview. Interview Was Scheduled, then Interview Was Completed And My Case Must Be Reviewed.
- Decision. Case Was Approved, followed by the oath ceremony.
When you can ask USCIS about a slow case
USCIS’s glossary says it will only research your case if it is taking longer than the current processing time. On the Check Case Processing Times page you enter the receipt date from your receipt notice, and the tool tells you whether you can contact USCIS yet. When you can, it links you to submit an inquiry online.
That inquiry is a service request for a “case outside normal processing time.” You can make one online or through the USCIS Contact Center. USCIS’s general goal is to resolve a service request within 15 business days of creating it.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the N-400 take?
It depends on your field office. As published September 17, 2026, the figures range as shown in the table above. Check USCIS’s page for the latest.
Which field office is mine?
The office shown on your most recent USCIS notice.
My N-400 is past the processing time. What now?
Enter your receipt date on USCIS’s Check Case Processing Times page. If it says your case is outside normal processing time, it links you to submit an inquiry. USCIS’s goal for resolving these service requests is 15 business days.
More Processing times guides
Sources
MyCheck is not affiliated with USCIS or any government agency. Processing times are USCIS’s published figures as of the date shown and describe past cases, not a promise about yours. This page is general information, not legal advice.
