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The 2019 national average for green card processing times for family-based adjustment applications is 11.1 months, as of September 2019. That doesn't sound too bad, right?

Well, the national average is just that, a compilation that doesn't fully communicate what all areas of the country go through in waiting for green cards. 

Applying for a Green Card

There are many different ways that people can become eligible for green card applications while in the U.S., but whatever avenue a person takes, it all leads to the same application- the I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. 

However, even though people across the country are filling out the same paperwork, they are getting vastly different results depending on what USCIS office or city they are working through.

Curious? You can check the wait times of any USCIS Field Office or Service Center by Form on the USCIS website. For example, going through the Raleigh, North Carolina office could result in a green card in as fast as 6.5 months, but a green card response through the Miami, Florida USCIS office could take as long as 34 months. 

Green card wait times aren't even uniform by state. An article by the Miami Herald highlighted the difference between cities in Florida: for example, the Kendall USCIS field office, just 14 miles from the Miami field office, processes green card applications more than six months faster than Miami.

Processing Times in Norfolk, Virginia

Our immigration firm is located in Virginia Beach, which makes our closest USCIS field office the location in Norfolk, Virginia. The processing time for green card applications at the Norfolk office varies from 9.5 to 24.5 months. The Washington DC office is no better- with wait times for green cards varying from 11.5 to 22.5 months. 

Although there is not much that can be done on our end regarding the variation of wait times across the country, it is an important reminder of the fluctuation that is to be expected in applying through the immigration system of the United States. 

If you have any questions regarding a USCIS application or immigration situation, call us at 757-422-8472. We'd love to help guide you through your immigration journey.