I-130 processing time for each family category
Choose the relationship on your petition and the unit handling it, then enter the receipt date to see how the case compares with the published range.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and past error
I-130 citizen for spouse, parent or child under 21
Within normal time
Too early for a case inquiry.
| Published range, Field Office Directorate | 83.5 to 113.0 months |
|---|---|
| Time since your receipt date | 12.4 months |
| USCIS takes inquiries for receipts on or before | May 18, 2017 |
| National average to a decision (August 2026) | 18.1 months |
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
The I-130 relative petition is published in six categories and by three USCIS units, and the eighteen ranges have little in common. For a U.S. citizen petitioning a spouse, parent or child under 21, the upper bound of the range in the edition of September 17, 2026 goes from 34 months at the Service Center Operations to 113 months at the Field Office Directorate. The preference categories show far longer figures at some units; the longest published upper bound is 340 months, about 28.3 years, and the earliest inquiry date on the list is June 30, 1998. The report to Congress for August 2026 gives a single national average of 18.1 months for all I-130 decisions that month. It is a true figure and so are the ranges; the average weighs every completed petition equally, while each range describes the median and the 80% mark of one category at one unit. USCIS had 2,475,445 I-130 petitions pending, the largest backlog of any form we track.
Six categories, three units
For each I-130 category, here is the shortest and the longest upper bound USCIS publishes across the National Benefits Center, Service Center Operations and the Field Office Directorate. The full list of eighteen lines, with medians and inquiry dates, follows the checker.
| Category | Shortest upper bound | Longest upper bound |
|---|---|---|
| I-130 citizen for spouse, parent or child under 21 | 34 months (Service Center Operations) | 113 months (Field Office Directorate) |
| I-130 green card holder for spouse or child under 21 (F2A) | 49.5 months (Service Center Operations) | 300.5 months (Field Office Directorate) |
| I-130 citizen for unmarried son or daughter 21+ (F1) | 55.5 months (National Benefits Center) | 268 months (Field Office Directorate) |
| I-130 green card holder for unmarried son or daughter 21+ (F2B) | 56 months (National Benefits Center) | 340 months (Field Office Directorate) |
| I-130 citizen for married son or daughter (F3) | 64.5 months (National Benefits Center) | 159 months (Field Office Directorate) |
| I-130 citizen for brother or sister (F4) | 66.5 months (National Benefits Center) | 306.5 months (Field Office Directorate) |
Reading figures measured in years
The longest line on the list reads 340 months, and some inquiry dates go back to June 30, 1998. USCIS does not explain these figures on its tool, so we describe them and stop there. Two things are certain. First, they are office-level statistics about past completions, not a forecast for a petition filed today. Second, they sit next to a national average of 18.1 months for August 2026, which counts every I-130 completed that month. Neither cancels the other.
The petition and the queue are separate
Approval of the I-130 does not by itself end the wait in the preference categories. USCIS explains on the Form I-130 page that immediate relatives always have a visa available, while other relatives must wait for a visa number before filing Form I-485. That second wait is the Visa Bulletin, measured from the priority date. Our green card calculator adds both clocks for a given category and country.
Published processing times
| Form and category | Office | Range (median to 80% of cases) | Inquiries for receipts up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-130 citizen for spouse, parent or child under 21 | Field Office Directorate | 83.5 to 113.0 months | May 18, 2017 |
| I-130 citizen for spouse, parent or child under 21 | National Benefits Center | 53.0 to 58.0 months | December 27, 2021 |
| I-130 citizen for spouse, parent or child under 21 | Service Center Operations | 25.5 to 34.0 months | December 22, 2023 |
| I-130 green card holder for spouse or child under 21 (F2A) | Field Office Directorate | 139.0 to 300.5 months | October 14, 2001 |
| I-130 green card holder for spouse or child under 21 (F2A) | National Benefits Center | 52.0 to 56.5 months | February 7, 2022 |
| I-130 green card holder for spouse or child under 21 (F2A) | Service Center Operations | – to 49.5 months | September 9, 2022 |
| I-130 citizen for unmarried son or daughter 21+ (F1) | Field Office Directorate | 195.0 to 268.0 months | June 29, 2004 |
| I-130 citizen for unmarried son or daughter 21+ (F1) | National Benefits Center | 52.5 to 55.5 months | March 12, 2022 |
| I-130 citizen for unmarried son or daughter 21+ (F1) | Service Center Operations | – to 109.5 months | September 10, 2017 |
| I-130 green card holder for unmarried son or daughter 21+ (F2B) | Field Office Directorate | 188.5 to 340.0 months | June 30, 1998 |
| I-130 green card holder for unmarried son or daughter 21+ (F2B) | National Benefits Center | 53.5 to 56.0 months | February 23, 2022 |
| I-130 green card holder for unmarried son or daughter 21+ (F2B) | Service Center Operations | – to 76.0 months | June 22, 2020 |
| I-130 citizen for married son or daughter (F3) | Field Office Directorate | 110.5 to 159.0 months | July 27, 2013 |
| I-130 citizen for married son or daughter (F3) | National Benefits Center | 53.5 to 64.5 months | June 12, 2021 |
| I-130 citizen for married son or daughter (F3) | Service Center Operations | – to 151.0 months | March 19, 2014 |
| I-130 citizen for brother or sister (F4) | Field Office Directorate | 286.5 to 306.5 months | April 15, 2001 |
| I-130 citizen for brother or sister (F4) | National Benefits Center | 57.0 to 66.5 months | April 9, 2021 |
| I-130 citizen for brother or sister (F4) | Service Center Operations | – to 177.0 months | January 25, 2012 |