Long wait expected to become US citizen

Immigrants will face a significantly longer wait to become US citizens because applications surged more than expected before hefty fee increases took effect July 30, Boston's chief immigration official said yesterday.

The delay has raised concern among immigrant advocacy groups that thousands of immigrants might not be eligible to vote in the 2008 presidential elections because they must be US citizens to go to the polls. It has also stirred anxiety among immigrants who are still awaiting word from the government.

Nationally, 784,601 people applied for citizenship before the fees increased this year, compared with 458,964 during the same period the previous year, a 71 percent jump, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Denis Riordan, Boston's district director for the agency, said "processing time will increase and increase, to be frank, significantly."