US Citizenship Approvals Slow as Application Backlog Tops 813,000, Affecting Indian Green Card Holders

WASHINGTON — Indian green card holders seeking U.S. citizenship face growing processing delays as federal immigration data shows a decline in naturalization approvals and a mounting backlog of applications, raising concerns among immigrant communities ahead of the November midterm elections.

According to monthly reports from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the number of pending naturalization applications surpassed 813,000 in August, while monthly approvals fell for the third consecutive month.

USCIS approved 15,349 naturalization applications, filed using Form N-400, in August, compared with 16,514 in July and 18,439 in June.

The figures represent a decline of approximately 17% in monthly approvals between June and August.

During the same period, the backlog of pending applications increased substantially, rising from 744,412 in June to 778,489 in July before reaching 813,453 in August.

Federal data showed that 513,462 applications pending in August had been awaiting decisions for more than six months. The agency reported an average processing time of 12.7 months.

The gap between incoming applications and completed cases has added to concerns about the government’s ability to process citizenship requests in a timely manner.

USCIS received 54,492 new naturalization applications in August, more than three times the number of applications approved during the month.

The slowdown has particular implications for Indian immigrants, who represent one of the largest groups of foreign-born individuals obtaining American citizenship.

According to the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Homeland Security Statistics, India ranked second among countries of birth for newly naturalized U.S. citizens in fiscal year 2024.

Approximately 49,700 people born in India became American citizens that year, accounting for 6.1% of all naturalizations nationwide.

Indian American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat from Washington state, has criticized the slowdown and raised concerns about its impact on lawful permanent residents.

Citing immigration data analyzed by David Bier of the Cato Institute, Jayapal accused the Trump administration of “blocking off people who… are green card holders… waiting for their citizenship approval.”

Jayapal, who was born in Chennai and later became a naturalized American citizen, serves as the ranking member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security and Enforcement.

USCIS has not publicly identified a specific reason for the declining number of approvals in its monthly reports.

The increase in pending citizenship applications comes amid broader changes to U.S. immigration policy under the Trump administration, including tighter restrictions affecting several legal immigration pathways.

Among those measures is the suspension of the Program Electronic Review Management (PERM) labor certification process, a key requirement for many employment-based green card applications.

The suspension has raised concerns among Indian professionals, many of whom already face lengthy waits for permanent residency because of country-specific limits on employment-based immigrant visas.

For immigrants who have obtained green cards, naturalization represents the final stage of the immigration process and provides access to rights and protections unavailable to permanent residents.

Under federal immigration law, lawful permanent residents generally may apply for citizenship after five years of permanent residency. Those married to U.S. citizens may qualify after three years if they meet additional requirements.

Applicants must also satisfy eligibility criteria, including English-language and civics requirements, and complete an interview with immigration officials.

For many Indian professionals, the path to citizenship can follow years or even decades of waiting for employment-based green cards.

Becoming a U.S. citizen provides the right to vote in federal elections, obtain an American passport and sponsor certain relatives for immigration benefits.

The growing backlog could also affect political participation in the November 3 midterm elections.

Green card holders are not eligible to vote in federal elections, and applicants whose citizenship cases remain pending cannot participate unless they complete the naturalization process and register to vote before applicable deadlines.

Immigration attorneys generally recommend that applicants submit complete and accurate documentation, promptly respond to USCIS requests and keep their mailing addresses updated to reduce the risk of avoidable delays.

The latest figures highlight growing pressure on the naturalization system as hundreds of thousands of lawful permanent residents await decisions on their applications to become American citizens. (Source: IANS)