USCIS processing times
N-400 processing time at the San Francisco, CA field office
The current processing time for naturalization applications at the San Francisco, CA field office, and every change USCIS has published since May 2022.
USCIS last updated this figure on Sep 17, 2026: 80% of N-400 naturalization applications at the San Francisco, CA field office were decided within 14.5 months, and 93% within 22.5 months. Both numbers come from cases USCIS finished over the previous six months, so they describe how long recent applicants waited, not a deadline for your case.
San Francisco, CA ranks 76th of 90 field offices, where 1st is the fastest. The median office is at 12.5 months. That puts San Francisco, CA 2 months slower than the median.
A year ago, on Oct 16, 2025, the figure was 6.5 months. It's up 8 months since. Since USCIS moved to the 80% measure in May 2022, San Francisco, CA has ranged from 6 months (Dec 2024) to 17 months (Jul 2022).
You can ask USCIS about a case once it's older than the 93% figure. As of Oct 16, 2026, that meant a receipt date before Dec 8, 2024. The cutoff moves forward about a day per day as long as the 93% figure holds.
History
San Francisco, CA: the 80% figure over time
Every point is a figure USCIS published. The gray line is the median across all field offices for the same category, so you can tell whether this office is moving with everyone else or on its own.
Every change USCIS published
| Date | 80% decided | 93% decided | 80% change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14.5 months | 22.5 months | +1 mo | |
| 13.5 months | 18 months | +1.5 mo | |
| 12 months | 15.5 months | +2 mo | |
| 10 months | 11.5 months | +1.5 mo | |
| 8.5 months | 10.5 months | +1 mo | |
| 7.5 months | 9.5 months | +0.5 mo | |
| 7 months | 8.5 months | 0 | |
| 7 months | 8 months | +0.5 mo | |
| 6.5 months | 8 months | 0 | |
| 6.5 months | 8.5 months | 0 | |
| 6.5 months | 9 months | −0.5 mo | |
| 7 months | 9 months | +0.5 mo |
Show all 37 changes
| Date | 80% decided | 93% decided | 80% change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.5 months | 9 months | +0.5 mo | |
| 6 months | 9 months | −0.5 mo | |
| 6.5 months | 10 months | −0.5 mo | |
| 7 months | 10.5 months | 0 | |
| 7 months | 11 months | −0.5 mo | |
| 7.5 months | 11 months | 0 | |
| 7.5 months | 11.5 months | −0.5 mo | |
| 8 months | 11.5 months | −0.5 mo | |
| 8.5 months | 11.5 months | +0.5 mo | |
| 8 months | 11.5 months | 0 | |
| 8 months | 12.5 months | 0 | |
| 8 months | 13 months | 0 | |
| 8 months | 14 months | −0.5 mo | |
| 8.5 months | 15 months | −1 mo | |
| 9.5 months | 17.5 months | −0.5 mo | |
| 10 months | 17.5 months | −1 mo | |
| 11 months | 18.5 months | −1 mo | |
| 12 months | 20 months | −2 mo | |
| 14 months | 22.5 months | −1.5 mo | |
| 15.5 months | 24 months | −0.5 mo | |
| 16 months | 24 months | −1 mo | |
| 17 months | 24 months | 0 | |
| 17 months | 22 months | +0.5 mo | |
| 16.5 months | 19 months | +0.5 mo | |
| 16 months | 18.5 months | — |
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How the 80% figure moved
| Compared with | Then | 80% change |
|---|---|---|
| 3 months ago (Jul 16, 2026) | 12 months | +2.5 mo |
| 6 months ago (Apr 16, 2026) | 7 months | +7.5 mo |
| 12 months ago (Oct 16, 2025) | 6.5 months | +8 mo |
| 24 months ago (Oct 16, 2024) | 7 months | +7.5 mo |
Other field offices in California
- Los Angeles, CA10.5 months
- Los Angeles County, CA10.5 months
- San Bernardino, CA13 months
- San Fernando Valley, CA13 months
- Santa Ana, CA14 months
- Imperial, CA14.5 months
- Fresno, CA15.5 months
- San Diego, CA15.5 months
- Sacramento, CA16 months
- San Jose, CA16 months
Fastest offices
- Cranbury, NJ9 months
- Cincinnati, OH9.5 months
- Helena, MT9.5 months
- Hialeah, FL9.5 months
- Montgomery, AL9.5 months
Slowest offices
- Lawrence, MA18 months
- San Jose, CA16 months
- Sacramento, CA16 months
- San Diego, CA15.5 months
- Fresno, CA15.5 months
FAQ
Common questions
How long does an N-400 take at the San Francisco, CA field office?
As of USCIS's Sep 17, 2026 update, 80% of N-400 naturalization applications at San Francisco, CA were decided within 14.5 months and 93% within 22.5 months. Both are measured on cases completed over the past six months.
When can I submit a case inquiry at San Francisco, CA?
When your receipt date is before Dec 8, 2024 (as of Oct 16, 2026). Use USCIS's e-Request tool for cases outside normal processing time. The date moves forward roughly a day per day.
Is San Francisco, CA faster or slower than other offices?
It ranks 76th of 90. The median field office is at 12.5 months; the fastest is Cranbury, NJ at 9 months and the slowest is Lawrence, MA at 18 months.
Can I move my case to a faster office?
Not by choice. Your home address decides the field office. If you actually move, update your address with USCIS, and the case may be transferred to the office that serves the new address.
How often does USCIS update these numbers?
USCIS says monthly. Since May 2022 the 80% figure for San Francisco, CA has changed 27 times.
Why does the history start in May 2022?
That's when USCIS switched its headline figure to the 80% measure. Before May 6, 2022 the smaller published number was the median, so earlier values aren't comparable.
USCIS processing times
What the two numbers mean
USCIS publishes two figures for each office. The headline one is how long it took to decide 80% of the cases completed over the last six months. The second is the 93% mark: once a case is older than that, USCIS treats it as outside normal processing time and lets you submit a case inquiry. The "receipt date for a case inquiry" USCIS shows is today minus that 93% figure.
Both describe cases USCIS already finished. They read recent throughput at that office. They're not a promise about your case.
Sources and method
Where these numbers come from
Every figure is USCIS's own, from its Case Processing Times tool. USCIS shows only today's number and overwrites it when it changes. It keeps no history.
The history comes from the open jzebedee/uscis project, which has saved a copy of USCIS's processing-time data every day since March 2022. We read that archive daily and string each office's and category's changes into one timeline.
On May 6, 2022 USCIS switched its headline number from the median to the 80% measure, so the 80% history starts that day.