USCIS Processing Times (August 2026)
Official USCIS processing times for every form and category, with the change from last month. The figure is the time within which 80% of cases were completed — not an average.
Employment-based I-485: 42.5 months (service centers), 9.5 months (field offices). I-140 NIW: 30 months. EAD based on a pending I-485: 12 months (National Benefits Center).
Details: I-485 by office · I-140 by category · EAD (I-765). Waiting on a visa number instead? See the Visa Bulletin.
I-129
| Category | Office | 80% of cases completed within | vs last month |
|---|---|---|---|
| E - Treaty traders and investors | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 20 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| E3 - Specialty occupation workers from Australia | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 5 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| H-1B - Specialty occupation - Visa to be issued abroad | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 11 months | ▲ 1 month longer |
| H-1B - Specialty occupation - Change of status in the U.S. | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 10 months | — No change |
| H-1B - Specialty occupation - Extension of stay in the U.S. | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 11.5 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| H-2A - Temporary agricultural workers - Named Beneficiary | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 15 days | was 2 months |
| H-2A - Temporary agricultural workers - Unnamed Beneficiary | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 15 days | was 2 weeks |
| H-2B - Temporary nonagricultural workers | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 4 months | ▼ 1.5 months shorter |
| H-3 - Temporary trainees | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 17 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| Intracompany transferees and blanket L | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 6.5 months | ▼ 0.5 months shorter |
| O - Extraordinary ability | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 14.5 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| P - Athletes, artists, and entertainers | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 13 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| Q - Cultural exchange visitors | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 7 months | ▼ 12.5 months shorter |
| R - Religious occupation | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 9.5 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| TN - United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA, formerly NAFTA) professional | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 4.5 months | — No change |
I-130
| Category | Office | 80% of cases completed within | vs last month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent resident filing for a spouse or child under 21 | All Field Offices | 139 months | ▼ 28 months shorter |
| Permanent resident filing for a spouse or child under 21 | National Benefits Center | 52 months | — No change |
| U.S. citizen filing for a spouse, parent, or child under 21 | All Field Offices | 83.5 months | ▲ 3.5 months longer |
| U.S. citizen filing for a spouse, parent, or child under 21 | National Benefits Center | 53 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| U.S. citizen filing for a spouse, parent, or child under 21 | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 25.5 months | ▲ 1.5 months longer |
| U.S. citizen filing for unmarried son/daughter 21 or older | All Field Offices | 195 months | ▼ 21 months shorter |
| U.S. citizen filing for unmarried son/daughter 21 or older | National Benefits Center | 52.5 months | — No change |
| Permanent resident for unmarried son or daughter 21 or older | All Field Offices | 188.5 months | — No change |
| Permanent resident for unmarried son or daughter 21 or older | National Benefits Center | 53.5 months | — No change |
| U.S. citizen filing for a married son or daughter | All Field Offices | 110.5 months | ▼ 48.5 months shorter |
| U.S. citizen filing for a married son or daughter | National Benefits Center | 53.5 months | — No change |
| U.S. citizen filing for a brother or sister | All Field Offices | 286.5 months | — No change |
| U.S. citizen filing for a brother or sister | National Benefits Center | 57 months | ▼ 1.5 months shorter |
I-131
| Category | Office | 80% of cases completed within | vs last month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Re-entry permit or refugee travel document | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 16.5 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| Advance parole | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 26.5 months | ▲ 2.5 months longer |
I-140 · details
| Category | Office | 80% of cases completed within | vs last month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extraordinary ability (E11) | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 32.5 months | ▲ 1.5 months longer |
| Outstanding professor or researcher (E12) | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 15 months | ▼ 0.5 months shorter |
| Multinational executive or manager (E13) | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 27.5 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| Advanced degree or exceptional ability (E21) | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 3 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| Skilled worker or professional (E31; E32) | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 4 months | — No change |
| Unskilled worker (EW3) | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 9 months | ▲ 1.5 months longer |
| Advanced degree or exceptional ability requesting a National Interest Waiver (NIW) | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 30 months | ▲ 1 month longer |
| Schedule A Nurses | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 25.5 months | ▲ 1 month longer |
I-485 · details
| Category | Office | 80% of cases completed within | vs last month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment-based adjustment applications | All Field Offices | 9.5 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| Employment-based adjustment applications | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 42.5 months | ▲ 2.5 months longer |
| Based on grant of asylum more than 1 year ago | All Field Offices | 34.5 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| Based on refugee admission more than 1 year ago | All Field Offices | 30 months | ▼ 2 months shorter |
| Based on an approved T Visa | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 43.5 months | — No change |
| Based on an approved U Visa | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 25 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
I-539
| Category | Office | 80% of cases completed within | vs last month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Change of status to B nonimmigrant | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 8 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| Change of status to F or M student or J exchange visitor category | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 8.5 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| Change of status to H4 dependents | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 10.5 months | — No change |
| Change of status to L dependent | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 14.5 months | — No change |
| All other change of status applications | National Benefits Center | 1 week | — No change |
| All other change of status applications | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 14 months | ▲ 2 months longer |
| Change of status to H4 dependent with I-765 | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 7.5 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| Extension of stay for B nonimmigrant | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 8.5 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| Extension of stay for F or M students and J exchange visitor category | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 6.5 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| Extension of stay for H4 dependents | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 10.5 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| Extension of stay for L dependents | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 8.5 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| All other extension of stay applications | National Benefits Center | 3 weeks | — No change |
| All other extension of stay applications | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 11 months | ▲ 1 month longer |
| Extension of stay for T nonimmigrant | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 22 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| Extension of stay for U nonimmigrant | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 20.5 months | — No change |
| Extension of stay for H4 dependents with I-765 | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 5 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| Reinstatement to student status | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 15 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
I-751
| Category | Office | 80% of cases completed within | vs last month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Removal of lawful permanent resident conditions (spouses of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents) | All Field Offices | 36 months | ▼ 1 month shorter |
| Removal of lawful permanent resident conditions (spouses of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents) | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 35 months | ▲ 1.5 months longer |
I-765 · details
| Category | Office | 80% of cases completed within | vs last month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Based on being an H-4 spouse of an H-1B nonimmigrant (filed with I-539 H4) [(c)(26)] | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 6.5 months | — No change |
| Based on being an L-2 spouse of an L-1 nonimmigrant [(a)(18)] | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 18 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| Based on being admitted as a Refugee [(a)(3)] | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 18.5 months | ▼ 0.5 months shorter |
| Based on an approved asylum application [(a)(5)] | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 2.5 months | ▼ 1 month shorter |
| Application for Suspension of Deportation/Sec.244/NACARA/Cancel of Removal [(c)(10)] | National Benefits Center | 10 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| Based on parole | National Benefits Center | 13.5 months | — No change |
| Alien with Final Order of Deportation Under an OSUP [(c)(18)] | National Benefits Center | 16.5 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| Based on being an H-4 spouse of an H-1B nonimmigrant (Standalone; not filed with I-539 H4) [(c)(26)] | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 17.5 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| Based on a request by a qualified F-1 academic student [(c)(3)] | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 5 months | ▲ 1 month longer |
| Based on a pending asylum application [(c)(8)] -renewal/replacement | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 18.5 months | ▲ 3 months longer |
| Based on a pending asylum application [(c)(8)] – Initial Application | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 1 month | was 1 week |
| Based on a pending I-485 adjustment application [(c)(9)] | National Benefits Center | 12 months | ▲ 1 month longer |
| Based on a pending I-485 adjustment application [(c)(9)] | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 12.5 months | — No change |
| Based on TPS for El Salvador [(c)(19), (a)(12)] | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 18.5 months | ▲ 0.5 months longer |
| All other applications for employment authorization | National Benefits Center | 10.5 months | ▲ 1 month longer |
| All other applications for employment authorization | Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | 16 months | ▲ 1 month longer |
FAQ
Are USCIS processing times averages?
No. USCIS publishes the time within which 80% of cases were completed over the past six months. A typical (median) case finishes sooner than the number shown; the remaining 20% take longer.
Why does employment-based I-485 show two very different times?
USCIS reports service center processing (42.5 months) and field office processing (9.5 months) separately. They are different case pools — the field office figure covers cases transferred for interview — so the numbers cannot be averaged or compared as "faster" and "slower" options; you do not choose which one handles your case.
What should I do if my case is outside the posted time?
USCIS lets you submit an online case inquiry once your receipt date is earlier than the "Receipt date for a case inquiry" shown on the official processing times page for your form, category and office.
How often are these numbers updated?
USCIS updates its processing times page roughly monthly. This page shows the latest month recorded here and the change from the previous month.
Source: USCIS Check Case Processing Times ↗. Office and category names are USCIS's own wording. Information only, not legal advice.