Once Deferred Action was first announced, practitioners and advocates could only guess the time it would take for these applications to be approved. Considering it was a new application, the approval and receipt of working authorization could have taken months. If the applications, I-821d, i-765
DACA Cover Sheet
, and I-765WS were sent correctly filled out, and with enough evidence to support eligibility it appears that the full process could take a little less than two months.
According to a recent interview with the New York Times, USCIS Director, Mr. Mayorka announced that the process is faster than expected, and that the agency has not received the amount of applications initially expected. This is interesting, considering the nation wide application drives organized by students and community organizations.
According to the report, assuming that the first applications were received in August 16th, the approvals have taken less than 30 days, and the work permits would be issued before 60 days of the application. These results come at no cost to the tax payers, considering that the fees paid by applicants are covering the government costs.
The initial release date of the applications was August 15th 2012, but these forms were already on USCIS website on August 14th. The first applications might have arrived to the processing center in Chicago as early as August 16th 2012.
The government issued receipts of the applications within 48 hours, and mailed them back via regular mail, some applicants might have received text message alerts, or emails if the form G-1145 was also sent in.
About three weeks after the application is received USCIS issues the fingerprint appointments, the first Deferred Action applicants attended service centers for photographs and fingerprints on Thursday September 6th.
The first completed applications arrived to decision-making officers on Monday September 10th, and approvals for deferred action were issued the same date for those who prove a prima-facie case with preponderance of the evidence.
Director Mayorka has ensured that these applications are processed without delay producing a surprising turnaround time.
Although work permits have not been issued as of today, Mr. Mayorka has said that those will be sent in the next few weeks.
It is important to recall that Deferred Action does not grant instate tuition or a possibility of a permanent status, and that the struggle continues for the DREAM Act, and Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
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