Certainly true. Although I would say that everyone's application is different and at least as I understand the system, a host of circumstances could lengthen processing time. Things like someone else with the same name showing up on the IRS' list of seriously delinquent taxpayers would be one example. From the online system's data last year, we know they pull Lexis Nexis data on applicants and perhaps there are flags in those files that trigger further review. It wouldn't surprise me if certain applications get set aside for investigation or disambiguation and that might be a factor in processing time.

As it stands, there are enough data points here and elsewhere in the last few months that at least make me think if your application is straightforward, you stand a very strong chance of getting it turned around quickly. It is nothing like the 14 weeks it took for my application a year ago. Then again, I have a fairly common name, so perhaps I fell into one of the buckets above.