Average USCIS processing time by form, August 2026
These figures come from the monthly report USCIS sends to Congress, which lists receipts, approvals, denials, pending cases and an average processing time for each major form.[1] USCIS defines the figure as "the number of months it took for an application, petition, or request to be processed from receipt to completion," averaged over all cases completed in the month, and notes it "may differ from processing times reported on other USCIS.gov webpages."[1]
| Form | Avg. time | vs. a year earlier | Pending | Approved in month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I-130 (family petition) | 18.1 mo | +3.3 months | 2,475,445 | 28,025 |
| I-485 family-based | 12.4 mo | +3.6 months | 601,751 | 25,232 |
| I-485 employment-based | 11.8 mo | +2.3 months | 270,857 | 11,694 |
| I-485 asylee | 29.9 mo | +15.0 months | 138,562 | 786 |
| I-485 refugee | 16.3 mo | +7.8 months | 157,877 | 77 |
| I-485 Cuban Adjustment Act | 20.6 mo | +8.9 months | 355,520 | 386 |
| I-485 other | 22.1 mo | +2.3 months | 77,774 | 746 |
| I-751 (remove conditions) | 21.9 mo | +1.5 months | 360,671 | 3,534 |
| I-765 (work permit) | 6.8 mo | +3.2 months | 1,921,541 | 125,318 |
| N-400 (naturalization) | 12.7 mo | +6.3 months | 813,453 | 15,349 |
| I-360 (special immigrant) | 10.4 mo | +1.1 months | 313,952 | 4,516 |
The full monthly series for every form is free to download as uscis-processing-times.csv. Form pages: I-485, I-130, I-765, N-400, and the combined green card processing time.
USCIS processing time trends since Nov 2022
We store every monthly report from November 2022 to August 2026 (45 months), so trends use the same measure throughout.[3][1]
- I-130 (family petition)
- I-485 family-based
- I-485 employment-based
- I-765 (work permit)
- N-400 (naturalization)
Is USCIS getting faster? Receipts vs. decisions
A queue shrinks only when USCIS decides more cases than it receives. Over the 12 reports from September 2025 to August 2026, the balance by form was:[1]
| Form | Received | Decided | Decided per 100 received | Pending change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I-130 (family petition) | 709,802 | 687,670 | 97 | +85,762 |
| I-485 family-based | 422,278 | 380,667 | 90 | +41,000 |
| I-485 employment-based | 244,784 | 144,458 | 59 | +100,428 |
| I-751 (remove conditions) | 170,969 | 69,990 | 41 | +99,691 |
| I-765 (work permit) | 2,403,214 | 1,989,008 | 83 | +145,548 |
| N-400 (naturalization) | 742,259 | 455,570 | 61 | +284,611 |
Below 100 decided per 100 received means the backlog is growing. Pending counts can also shift because of transfers and administrative closures, which USCIS notes are not reflected in the report.[1]
Premium processing and faster options
Premium processing buys a faster decision, not a faster green card, and it is only available for some forms. Since March 1, 2026 it costs $2,965 for Form I-129 work-visa petitions (including H-1B, L-1 and O-1) and for I-140 petitions in EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3, and $2,075 for I-765 work permits in the F-1 OPT and STEM OPT categories.[9][10] USCIS commits to act within 15 business days for most classifications.[8] It is not available for I-485, I-130 or N-400, which is why those forms dominate the averages above. Fee details are on the H1B fee calculator.
Why this differs from the USCIS case processing tool
USCIS's online Check Case Processing Times tool shows times for a specific form, category and office and is updated monthly.[5] The report used here is a nationwide average over every case completed in the month. Both are official, and they answer different questions:
- Monthly report (this page): how long finished cases took, nationally, by form, back to 2022.
- Case processing tool: the time within which most cases at your office are completed, and the date after which you can submit a case inquiry.
When USCIS last explained the tool's method on its main site, it said the figure is the time in which 80% of completed cases were decided over the prior six months, and that the case inquiry date reflects the 93% completion time.[6][7] Those explanations date from 2022, so the tool's current notes take precedence.
USCIS's official times change every month; we update this page when USCIS publishes the next report in its data library.[4] A long average can also reflect old cases being cleared, not only slow new ones.
Pending caseload by form
Pending counts show where queues are building. In August 2026, 2,475,445 I-130 petitions and 1,921,541 work-permit applications were pending.[1]
- I-130 (family petition)
- I-765 (work permit)
- N-400 (naturalization)
Frequently asked questions
What are current USCIS processing times?
In August 2026, the nationwide average from receipt to decision was 18.1 mo for I-130, 12.4 mo for family-based I-485, 11.8 mo for employment-based I-485, 6.8 mo for I-765 and 12.7 mo for N-400.
How often does USCIS update processing times?
USCIS updates its online case processing tool monthly and publishes the monthly report to Congress in its data library, usually a few weeks after the month ends.
What should I do if my case is outside normal processing time?
The USCIS case processing tool shows a "case inquiry date" for each form and office. If your receipt date is earlier than that date, you can submit an online case inquiry with USCIS.
Why is my USCIS processing time different from the average?
Averages mix simple and complex cases, many offices and cases that wait for a visa number. Requests for evidence, interviews, background checks and your service center all change individual times.
Sources
- Number of Service-Wide Forms by Month, Form Status, and Processing Time: August 2026 (report to Congress, CSV)
- Number of Service-Wide Forms by Month, Form Status, and Processing Time: August 2025 (report to Congress, CSV)
- Number of Service-Wide Forms by Month, Form Status, and Processing Time: November 2022 (report to Congress, CSV)
- Immigration and Citizenship Data (data library)
- Check Case Processing Times
- USCIS Simplifying, Improving Communication of Case Processing Data (archived news release)
- Frequently Asked Questions on USCIS Processing Times (80% processing time, 93% case inquiry date)
- How Do I Request Premium Processing?
- Adjustment to Premium Processing Fees, final rule, 91 FR 1059
- Form G-1055, Fee Schedule (edition 10/26/26)
- I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
- N-400, Application for Naturalization