Local USCIS Office in Buffalo, New York
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is a federal agency that handles lawful immigration to the U.S. To serve applicants, the agency has divided the country into 26 districts.
The Buffalo Field Office
The USCIS has designated New York City and Buffalo, NY, as separate districts. The Acting District Directors for New York City and Buffalo are Michael Borgen and Edward Newman respectively.
Buffalo Field Office
The office is located at:
Federal Center 130 Delaware Avenue, First Floor, Buffalo, NY, 14202
The counties served by the Buffalo office include:
- Alleghany
- Cattaraugus
- Cayuga
- Chautauqua
- Chemung
- Cortland
- Erie
- Genesee
- Jefferson
- Lewis
- Livingston
- Monroe
- Niagara
- Onondaga
- Ontario
- Orleans
- Oswego
- Schuyler
- Seneca
- Steuben
- Tompkins
- Wayne
- Wyoming
- Yates
Case Processing Times
- Application for Certificate of Citizenship (N-600): 7.5 months to 16 months
- Application for Naturalization (N-400): Buffalo: 6.5 months to 12.5 months
- Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate Under Section 322 (N-600K): 8 months to 23.5 months
USCIS Services
Through its offices and official website, the USCIS provides a wide variety of services, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Citizenship (naturalization and family-based)
- Immigration of family members
- E-Verification of right to work
- Humanitarian programs
- Resources and tools for integration
The USCIS website contains detailed information about several topics, including green card, citizenship, filing fees, and laws & policies concerning immigrants.
Green Card: The green card section is accessible from the main menu. It has information on topics like eligibility categories, who can apply, how to apply, general processes and procedures, pending applications, adjustment of status, etc.
Citizenship: The citizenship section is also accessible from the menu. Besides important updates, it covers topics like eligibility requirements, N-400 applications, resources for the naturalization test, civic integration, etc.
Online Services: The official website allows you to perform many tasks, thus eliminating the need to contact USICS or visit a local office for those tasks. Here are some of the tools available on the USICS website:
- Explore My Options: A research tool to explore your immigration options by providing your current status and your immigration goal.
- Check Case Processing Times: By selecting your form (N-400, N-600, I-90, etc.) and your field office, you can find out the expected case processing time.
- Locators: The locator’s section of the site contains tools for finding English and Citizenship classes, field offices, application fees for different forms, and healthcare providers.
- File Online: The following forms can currently be filed online: AR-11, G-639, I-90, I-130, I-539, N-336, N-400, N-565, N-600, and N-600K.
Before visiting a local office, it’s useful to check online for the required service. If visiting is the only option, then it’s a good idea to go through the USCIS guidelines for visitors.