Summary: The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) collects fees for processing aliens' applications for such things as naturalization and adjustment of status (to become permanent residents). Eighteen percent of INS' fiscal year 1997 budget, or $566 million, is earmarked for processing applications. The number of applications received by INS is growing, and there are indications that some INS field units are faster than others at processing applications. In fiscal year 1996, INS received nearly 5.4 million new applications and completed about 5.6 million applications--a 115 percent increase over the number of applications received and completed in fiscal year 1989. At the end of fiscal year 1996, INS had an inventory of about 1.7 million applications waiting to be processed. This represents an increase of about 2.5 times the pending caseload at the end of fiscal year 1989. A recent INS report found differences in application production rates and projected processing times among its district offices. This report examines differences in production rates and processing times among INS field units. GAO also asked officials at nine district offices and two service centers about the factors that accounted for the differences GAO found.
