US citizenship backlog hits 742,138 as USCIS receives 2X new applications

USCIS received 145,872 citizenship applications from April to June, while 70,539 cases were decided during the quarter.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released fresh data on applications for US citizenship, showing that its pending naturalisation workload remained above 742,000 cases at the end of June 2026.

 

USCIS received 145,872 Form N-400 applications during the third quarter of fiscal year 2026, covering April to June. It approved 57,697 and denied 12,842 applications, taking total decisions during the quarter to 70,539. This means USCIS decided roughly 48 cases for every 100 new applications received during the period.

 

The data are relevant for lawful permanent residents (LPRs), including Indians living in the US who are eligible to seek citizenship. Naturalisation is the process through which eligible permanent residents become US citizens after meeting requirements under immigration law.

  

Most of the workload came from regular, non-military naturalisation applications.

 

USCIS received 140,179 regular N-400 applications during the quarter. It approved 54,974 and denied 12,591, resulting in 67,565 completed cases. At the end of June, 727,371 regular naturalisation applications were pending, according to the quarterly data. The median processing time for this category was 9.5 months.

 

Military naturalisation was a much smaller part of the overall caseload. USCIS received 5,693 such applications, approved 2,723 and denied 251. There were 14,767 military naturalisation cases pending at the end of the quarter.

 

Processing was also considerably faster for military applications, with a median processing time of 2.6 months, compared with 9.5 months for regular applications.

 

The quarterly figures highlight the pressure on the naturalisation system. USCIS received more than twice as many regular N-400 applications as it completed during the April-June period: 140,179 receipts against 67,565 completions. The difference does not mean that all newly filed applications are immediately added to the end of the queue, but it shows why the existing pending inventory remains substantial.

 

For the wider N-400 category, including military applications, 145,872 applications were received and 70,539 cases were completed during the quarter. Approvals accounted for the majority of decisions, while denials made up about 18 per cent of total decisions.

 

The fiscal year-to-date figures through June 30 provide a broader view. For regular naturalisation, USCIS had received 523,605 applications and completed 325,167 cases, comprising 279,685 approvals and 45,482 denials. The pending inventory remained at 727,371 at the quarter-end.

 

Houston, Dallas and Chicago have large backlogs

 

The workload is not evenly spread across USCIS field offices.

 

Houston had 31,057 pending naturalisation applications at the end of the quarter, the highest figure among the offices highlighted in the data. Dallas followed with 28,662 pending cases, while Chicago had 23,623. San Jose had 20,899 and San Antonio 18,999 pending applications.

 

Dallas received the highest number of applications among these offices during the quarter, at 6,167, followed by Houston with 5,545 and Chicago with 5,077. Houston recorded the largest number of approvals, at 4,441.

 

The number of denials also varied significantly between field offices. Brooklyn recorded 733 denials during the quarter, while Queens recorded 706 and New York 706. The figures reflect differences in case volumes and outcomes at individual offices and should not be interpreted as an indication of an applicant's likelihood of approval.

 

What this means for citizenship applicants

 

The latest USCIS data does not mean that every applicant will wait 9.5 months. The 9.5-month figure is a median processing time for regular naturalisation applications, so individual cases can take less or more time depending on factors including the USCIS office handling the application and whether additional review or information is required.

 

The naturalisation process involves several stages. After submitting Form N-400, an applicant may have a biometrics appointment, followed by an interview and English and civics tests where applicable. After approval, the applicant must take the Oath of Allegiance before becoming a US citizen.

 

For Indians who are already US permanent residents and are considering naturalisation, the latest figures underline the importance of checking the current USCIS processing time for the relevant field office rather than relying solely on the national median.

 

The USCIS quarterly data cover April to June 2026. Processing times and pending inventories can change as new applications are received and cases are completed, so applicants should check the latest information directly with USCIS before making plans around a citizenship application.