Nearly 250,000 Immigration Cases Remained Unopened in FY 2025
In the span of just nine months, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) went from having no unopened cases to leaving nearly a quarter million applications untouched. Known as a frontlog, these petitions haven’t even been logged for processing by immigration officers.
For the petitions that officers did log in their systems, there was also a dramatic increase in the cases that are pending a decision. For some humanitarian and employment authorization forms, the backlog of pending cases rose by more than 800,000 between the end of Fiscal Year 2023 and the end of Fiscal Year 2025.
Manifest analyzed USCIS performance data for FY 2025 to understand the state of USCIS frontlogs (unopened cases) and backlogs (opened but pending cases), plus what it could mean for your pending case.
USCIS frontlogs surged in 2025
USCIS defines a frontlog as the applications that have been received but not yet opened or recorded in the agency’s system. At the end of FY 2023, USCIS had no frontlog. For most of FY 2024, the agency also had no frontlog.
Starting in the second quarter of FY 2025, the USCIS frontlog numbers climbed sharply to about 34,000. Then they doubled between Q2 and Q3, before another fourfold increase between Q3 and Q4.
All told, the number of unopened USCIS petitions increased by nearly seven times in the second half of FY 2025, from 34,028 in Q2 up to 247,974 in Q4.
USCIS frontlogs (unopened petitions) by year
| Fiscal Quarter | Unopened Petitions (Frontlog) |
| FY 2023 Q4 | 0 |
| FY 2024 Q1 | 0 |
| FY 2024 Q2 | 77,291 |
| FY 2024 Q3 | 0 |
| FY 2024 Q4 | 0 |
| FY 2025 Q1 | 0 |
| FY 2025 Q2 | 34,028 |
| FY 2025 Q3 | 60,171 |
| FY 2025 Q4 | 247,974 |
Source: USCIS Citizenship and Immigration Data
Backlogs surge across employment, humanitarian categories
USCIS backlogs also grew substantially. The total number of pending cases rose by about 47% between FY 2023 and 2025, according to USCIS performance data.
Backlogs represent cases that have been opened but are pending adjudication. As numbers rise alongside frontlogs (cases not even opened yet), Manifest immigration attorney Ana Gabriela Urizar says the combined effect leaves applicants facing delays at every stage of the immigration process.
She explains: “This likely has contributed to processing times climbing across popular employment-based categories, such as the O-1, EB-1A, and EB-2 NIW,” she says. “There are simply more cases in the queue than the agency is resolving.”
Which forms saw the biggest backlog increases in 2025
Among individual forms, humanitarian and employment-based categories saw the largest numerical increases over the past year. In particular, the backlog for Form I-765 (to get an Employment Authorization Document) grew from 0 pending cases at the end of FY 2023 to nearly 1 million at the end of FY 2025.
USCIS has not publicly explained what is driving the frontlog or backlog spikes. An increase in demand, internal staffing shortages, or processing system changes could all be contributing factors.
USCIS forms with the biggest backlog increases
| USCIS Petition | FY 2025 Pending Cases | Backlog Growth over FY 2025 |
| Form I-765 (Work Permit) | 942,100 | +942,100 |
| Form I-821 (TPS) | 977,100 | +870,800 |
| Form I-485 (Adjustment of Status) | 799,400 | +225,900 |
| Form I-90 (Green Card Renewal/Replacement) | 271,300 | +206,500 |
| Form I-589 (Asylum) | 1,306,000 | +166,400 |
Backlogs with the biggest percentage growth
Volume only tells one part of the story. By looking at percentage growth instead of raw backlog numbers, we can see which categories are getting delayed the fastest, regardless of size.
By this metric, the forms that saw some of the biggest increases include TPS petitions, nonimmigrant status extensions, and Green Card renewals.
| USCIS Petition | Increase in Backlog over FY 2025 |
| Form I-821 (TPS) | +819% |
| Form I-539 (Change/Extend Status) | +497% |
| Form I-90 (Green Card Renewals) | +318% |
| Form I-129 (Nonimmigrant Work Visas) | +162% |
| Form I-914 (T Visas) | +117% |
| Form I-140 (Employment-Based Immigrant Visas) | +114% |
What to do if you have a case pending
Manifest attorney Urizar says these statistics suggest that the published USCIS processing times may not reflect the real-world delays that happen outside of the adjudication process. “The processing times from USCIS don’t count frontlogs or backlogs, which is why I always tell applicants to treat these numbers as estimates,” she says. “Cases can and are absolutely approved at a reasonable pace.”
Urizar also recommends:
- If you’re pursuing an employment-based visa or Green Card: Both the I-129 and I-140 petitions are among the top forms that experienced backlog growth. Factor delays into any job offer timelines or international travel plans.
- If you filed an I-765 (EAD): Expect waits to be longer than historical norms, and verify your receipt notice dates.
- If you’re in TPS or another humanitarian category: Consult with an attorney to create a strategic plan around your legal status and work authorization, if applicable.
For the most accurate picture of where your case stands, check your specific form’s current processing times and consult with an immigration attorney on how this may affect your case.
