I-129F processing time and the K-1 fiancé(e) visa
Enter the receipt date of your I-129F to see how far the petition has come against the range USCIS publishes for fiancé(e) and spouse K visas.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and past error
I-129F fiancé(e) petition (K-1)
Within normal time
Too early for a case inquiry.
| Published range, Service Center Operations | 13.0 to 16.5 months |
|---|---|
| Time since your receipt date | 12.4 months |
| USCIS takes inquiries for receipts on or before | June 3, 2025 |
How this was calculated
- USCIS published these ranges on September 17, 2026. The upper figure is the time within which USCIS completed 80% of cases; the lower one is the median.
- The national average is a different measure: all cases completed in the month, from receipt to decision, as reported to Congress.
Processing-time data: ImmigrationTimes.org (CC BY 4.0), from USCIS; selected and reformatted. Check your own case on egov.uscis.gov.
Estimate from public data, not legal advice. Your case may differ (cross-chargeability, CSPA, waivers). For advice, see a licensed immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative. Not affiliated with USCIS or the Department of State. Method and past error
A U.S. citizen who wants to bring a fiancé or fiancée from abroad to marry in the United States starts with Form I-129F, the petition for an alien fiancé(e). USCIS publishes one line for it at Service Center Operations, covering K-1 fiancé(e)s and the related K-2, K-3 and K-4 categories. In the edition of September 17, 2026, the range is 13 to 16.5 months: the median petition was decided in 13 months and 80% within 16.5. Case inquiries are accepted for receipts up to June 3, 2025. That is only the USCIS part of a K-1 visa. After approval, the case moves to the State Department for the visa interview abroad, a stage for which no wait is published that we can use. The I-129F fee is $675 on paper, and the State Department charges $265 for the K visa. After arrival and the wedding, the green card application is a family-based I-485 with its own processing time.
Three stages, one with a published time
| Stage | Who handles it | Published time | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form I-129F petition | USCIS, Service Center Operations | 13 to 16.5 months | $675 |
| K-1 visa interview abroad | State Department | Not published | $265 |
| Green card after the wedding (I-485) | USCIS field office | 32.8 months at the median office (80% mark) | $1,440 |
Only the first and last rows have official figures. Sites that quote a single K-1 total are adding the middle stage from their own estimates.
The 90-day window does not move
The petition must show the intent to marry within 90 days of admission as a K-1. That window starts when the fiancé(e) enters the United States, so a slow I-129F does not eat into it. What a slow petition does affect is everything planned around the arrival: leases, jobs, the wedding date.
Checking a petition that seems slow
Enter the receipt date from the I-797C notice in the checker. It shows the months elapsed and compares them with the median and the 80% mark. Once the receipt date is on or before June 3, 2025, the inquiry date in the current edition, USCIS treats the petition as outside normal processing time and accepts a case inquiry. Before that date, the petition counts as within the published range, however long the separation feels.
After the wedding
Once married, the couple files Form I-485 at the field office for their address, and its range varies from office to office. The family I-485 page lists them. The K-1 visa cost page adds up every fee along the way, and the Form I-129F page gives the current edition.
Published processing times
| Form and category | Office | Range (median to 80% of cases) | Inquiries for receipts up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-129F fiancé(e) petition (K-1) | Service Center Operations | 13.0 to 16.5 months | June 3, 2025 |