The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is presently processing clearance requests at a very slow pace and has suspended processing of all nongovernmental fingerprint requests until further notice due to a new computer system at the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Service division. The slowdown is affecting requests pending as of September 7, 2014, and possibly earlier.

The FBI has stated that the current wait time is approximately 12 weeks, which represents roughly a threefold increase from the usual four to six weeks. Applicants should, thus, plan for lengthy delays and backlog given that no date has been announced for the resumption of normal activity and processing times.

However, requests submitted by FBI-approved channelers are still being processed as usual. Channelers are, though, restricted to submitting clearance requests on behalf of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents only. Individuals in nonimmigrant visa categories will simply have to endure the delays.

The FBI has asked that applicants refrain from calling to check on the status of their clearance requests for at least 12 weeks.

*Not admitted to the practice of law.

Tags: clearance requests, FBI, Greenberg Traurig, gtlaw
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Photo of Ian Macdonald Ian Macdonald

Ian R. Macdonald Co-Chairs the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice’s International Employment, Immigration & Workforce Strategies group. He focuses his practice on developing, assessing and managing global mobility programs for multinational companies on a range of challenges affecting the movement of people capital

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Ian R. Macdonald Co-Chairs the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice’s International Employment, Immigration & Workforce Strategies group. He focuses his practice on developing, assessing and managing global mobility programs for multinational companies on a range of challenges affecting the movement of people capital domestically and internationally, including secondment agreements, benefits transferability, local host country employment concerns and immigration.

Ian and his team work closely with companies to manage and modify, where needed, corporate immigration programs to maximize efficiency, service and regulatory compliance levels. He is experienced with the full range of business immigration sponsorship categories (visas and permanent residence), anti-discrimination rules to reduce or eliminate risk of employment litigation, employer sanction cases, and I-9 and E-Verify compliance. Ian assists clients with establishing risk-based performance standards (RBPS) and Department of Homeland Security protocol, providing risk assessment assistance to corporations subject to Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) and assisting clients with ITAR/Export Control compliance within the immigration context.

Ian has developed strategic relationships abroad that he utilizes when working with clients to ensure compliance with foreign registration requirements. He is experienced with analyzing complex global mobility opportunities on country-specific matters to facilitate the transfer of personnel. Ian is also experienced in counseling employers on immigration strategy as well as immigration consequences of mergers and acquisitions, reduction in workforces, and furloughs.

Prior to joining the firm, Ian worked for the United Nations, various non-governmental think tanks and corporate law firms in London, Washington, D.C., New York and Atlanta.

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