Local USCIS Office in Providence, Rhode Island
In 2019, over 3,400 green card recipients lived in Rhode Island (Statista). The dept. of homeland security’s citizenship and immigration department (USCIS) processes these and other cases at their field offices. Field offices are present in all parts of the country. To categorize these physical locations, the federal agency uses a system consisting of Districts instead of States or Cities. There are a total of 26 districts and some districts have jurisdiction over counties in multiple states.
Regardless of the location of the office, one of the duties it performs is interviewing immigration hopefuls, except those seeking asylum. The government has separate centers for asylum seekers. There are different ways in which you can find a field office. Of course, you can search them using your favorite search engine or the website that lists locations. However, for the most up-to-date information, it’s better to use the office locator tool provided by the USCIS. After you enter your zip code, this search engine gives you the name and address of the nearest office.
The Providence Field Office
The Providence field office is located in the Boston District. It’s the only field office in the state of Rhode Island and it serves the entire state. The name and address of the office are as follows:
Providence (PRO) 1543 Atwood Avenue Johnston, RI 02919
There are some special instructions that you should remember about field office visits:
- Firstly, the federal agency does not allow walk-ins, so you’ll have to schedule a meeting.
- Secondly, some office locations change their timings or even close their operations temporarily or permanently, so it’s useful to check before visiting. information about office closures is available on the following page.
- Thirdly, the USCIS recommends you to come for your appointment no later and no earlier than 15 minutes. Punctuality helps to keep things running smoothly in the waiting area and avoid any issues that may arise from coming late. If you know that you won’t be able to make it to the meeting, then make sure you inform the agency as soon as possible.
Case Processing Times
The Providence field office has the following processing times for citizenship and naturalization applications.
- Naturalization (N-400): 7.5 to 16 months
- Certificate of Citizenship (N-600): 6.5 to 14.5 months
- Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate Under Section 322 (N-600K): 10 to 22.5 months
It’s noteworthy that these times are part of a test where they calculate times based on previously concluded cases. They are testing this format with many forms. To understand the format further, let’s consider the example of the and 600K application. The minimum time of 10 months is the duration in which the office concludes 50% of the cases, and the maximum time of 22.5 months is for 93% of the cases. So, in theory, this leaves a 7% chance of the application taking longer to process than the provided duration. With the old format, the agency places an upper limit of 130% on the time it shows to you.
Citizenship Resources
If you’re looking for information about your citizenship or need to calculate when you can file your citizenship application, the USCIS website should be your first choice. The website comprehensively covers the citizenship procedures. It also has an early and N-400 application calculator that tells you when you’ll be eligible to submit your application 90 days in advance.