Release Date: 02/09/2024
In a groundbreaking achievement, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released data showcasing its remarkable performance in fiscal year (FY) 2023. The agency has demonstrated substantial progress in key areas, including customer experience enhancement, employment-based immigration, naturalization processes, and humanitarian efforts.
USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou expressed pride in the agency's workforce, stating, “I’m so proud of the USCIS workforce and our dedication to fairness, integrity, and respect for all we serve. We’ve completed a record number of cases, responded to emerging crises around the globe with essential humanitarian relief, and applied innovative solutions to improve customer experience and reduce backlogs.”
Reducing Backlogs:
During FY 2023, USCIS received an unprecedented 10.9 million filings and successfully concluded over 10 million pending cases—setting new records in the agency’s history. This substantial effort resulted in an impressive 15% reduction in overall backlogs. Notably, USCIS administered the Oath of Allegiance to more than 878,500 new U.S. citizens, including 12,000 military members, effectively eliminating the naturalization application backlog. The median processing time for naturalization applicants saw a significant decrease from 10.5 months to 6.1 months, aligning with the agency’s goal and notably reducing waiting times for individuals pursuing U.S. citizenship.
Improving Customer Experience:
USCIS implemented cutting-edge technology solutions to enhance the overall customer experience within the immigration system. A notable tool allowed for the online rescheduling of over 33,000 biometrics appointments in FY 2023, promoting self-service efficiency. The introduction of enterprise change of address capabilities facilitated over 430,000 online address change submissions by December 2023, with the expectation of reducing USCIS Contact Center phone inquiries by up to 31%, equivalent to approximately 1.5 million inquiries annually. Additional advancements included an online field office appointment request form that garnered over 16,000 submissions between August and September 2023. Furthermore, a new text-ahead feature for callers to the 1-800 number offered a more predictable call-back window, contributing to reduced missed calls and an overall improved communication experience.
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