Expediting Review of Citizenship Application
Applicants for some types of legal status in the U.S. can pay an extra fee to have their application processed within 15 days. This is known as premium processing. While you cannot arrange for premium processing of an application for U.S. citizenship, known as Form N-400, you might be able to arrange for USCIS to expedite its review of the application. One of the most common reasons for expediting review of an application is when the foreign national is receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits through the federal government.
USCIS guarantees an expedited review if the foreign national is receiving SSI benefits, they will lose the benefits within a year if they do not become a citizen, and they applied for citizenship at least four months prior to making the request for expedited review. You should inform USCIS if all of these factors apply to your situation. You can write a letter to the USCIS office in your area or notify USCIS through an InfoPass appointment. To support your request, you must provide a copy of the most recent letter from the Social Security Administration that states the date on which your SSI benefits will end. If you show this letter or give a copy of it to USCIS, and you prove the three grounds above, your application will receive priority before others.
An individual may request expedited processing through the USCIS Contact Center or their local USCIS field office.
Seeking Expedited Review for Other Reasons
USCIS is not required to expedite review of any citizenship application except in the situation above involving SSI benefits. However, it has the discretion to expedite review of an application if the foreign national can show that certain grounds apply. For example, you might be able to get expedited review if your business or you would suffer major financial losses if you do not become a citizen soon. You also might be able to get expedited review based on urgent humanitarian reasons.
Some more unusual situations include a request by the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, or another government agency that a foreign national become a citizen soon, based on the U.S. national interest. There is also a general rule that USCIS has the authority to expedite review of any particular application if it made a clear error. If USCIS mistakenly denied a previous application for citizenship, for example, it may agree to expedite review of the second application.
Immigration Contents
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Immigration
- Green Cards
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Naturalization / Citizenship
- Tests for Citizenship
- Risks of Applying for Citizenship
- Cancellation of Green Card After Citizenship Denial
- Cost of Applying for Citizenship
- Residency Requirement When Applying for Citizenship
- Fingerprinting Requirement When Applying for Citizenship
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Expediting Review of Citizenship Application
- Applying for Citizenship as a Former Asylee or Refugee
- Fee Waivers for Citizenship Application (Form N-400)
- Naturalization Interview When Seeking Citizenship
- Second Chance Naturalization Interviews When Seeking Citizenship
- Request for Hearing After Denial of Citizenship
- Moving After Applying for Citizenship
- Naturalization Ceremony After Citizenship Approval
- CARRP Program and Delays for Muslim-Americans Seeking Citizenship
- Name Corrections and Changes in the Citizenship Process
- Birthright Citizenship and Acquisition or Derivation of Citizenship Through Parents
- Military Service Members and Veterans Pursuing Citizenship
- Children of Refugees Qualifying for Citizenship Through Derivation
- Impact of Conditional Resident Status on Applying for Citizenship
- Domestic Violence Victims Applying for Citizenship
- Criminal Bars to Citizenship
- Public Benefits and Applying for Citizenship
- Party Membership and Citizenship
- Extramarital Affairs, Divorce, and Citizenship
- Bigamy, Polygamy, and Citizenship
- Selective Service and Citizenship
- Absences From the U.S. and Citizenship
- Benefits of Citizenship
- Proof of Citizenship
- Voting Rights After Receiving Citizenship
- Dual Citizenship
- Losing Your Citizenship
- Immigrant Visas
- Non-Immigrant Visas
- Work Visas
- Family Immigration
- Investor Visas
- Visitor Visas
- Student Visas
- Denials of Visas or Green Cards
- Consular Interviews When Seeking a Visa or Green Card
- VAWA Petitions for Foreign National Victims of Domestic Violence Seeking Immigration Status
- How Children of Foreign National Domestic Violence Victims Can Obtain Immigration Status
- Work Authorization for Foreign Nationals Without Green Cards
- Temporary Protected Status for Foreign Nationals Unable to Return Home Safely
- Asylum for Foreign National Refugees
- Humanitarian Parole for Foreign Nationals With Compelling Needs
- Advance Parole for Foreign Nationals Living in the U.S. Without Green Cards
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protections From Deportation
- Visa Waiver Program for Foreign Nationals Planning Brief Visits to the U.S.
- Grounds for Finding a Foreign National Inadmissible to the U.S.
- Deportation (Removal) Proceedings for Foreign Nationals
- Appeals of Immigration Decisions
- LGBTQ Immigration Issues
- Inspections of Foreign Nationals Entering the U.S.
- Penalties for Unlawful Presence in the U.S.
- Taxes for Visa or Green Card Holders
- Waivers of Inadmissibility to the U.S.
- Impact of Criminal Record on Immigration Status
- Social Media and Visa Applications
- Immigration FAQs
- Immigration Forms
- Find an Immigration Law Lawyer