I-130 processing time
Petition for Alien Relative
From USCIS data captured October 19, 2026
Filing fee: $675 paper · $625 online all fees →
Shortest typical wait
Service Center Operations (SCOPS)
25.5 – 34 months
Longest typical wait
All Field Offices
83.5 – 113 months
Offices
3
process this form
Family-preference categories are shown separately
The range above covers immediate relatives, where only USCIS processing controls the wait. Family-preference categories (F1–F4) also depend on visa availability. See the published cutoffs in the Visa Bulletin; that comparison does not determine whether you may file or what action to take.Get I-130 updates
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Research from our archive
What changed for I-130
11 captures · July 22, 2026–October 19, 2026
We compared 3 identical category-and-office combinations in our first and latest captures. 3 changed. More waits are longer than in our first capture.
Largest net change: All Field Offices · +7.8 months.
Arrive Legal analysis of its own weekly captures. This compares posted data points; it does not predict a case or fill missing weeks. Methodology · Download data
Every office, fastest to slowest
| Office | Category | Current time | Case inquiry possible for receipts on/before |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Benefits Center | Permanent resident filing for a spouse or child under 21† | 52 – 56.5 months | February 14, 2022 |
| U.S. citizen filing for a spouse, parent, or child under 21 | 53 – 58 months | January 03, 2022 | |
| U.S. citizen filing for unmarried son/daughter 21 or older† | 52.5 – 55.5 months | March 19, 2022 | |
| Permanent resident for unmarried son or daughter 21 or older† | 53.5 – 56 months | March 02, 2022 | |
| U.S. citizen filing for a married son or daughter† | 53.5 – 64.5 months | June 19, 2021 | |
| U.S. citizen filing for a brother or sister† | 57 – 66.5 months | April 16, 2021 | |
| Service Center Operations (SCOPS) | Permanent resident filing for a spouse or child under 21† | 49.5 months | September 16, 2022 |
| U.S. citizen filing for a spouse, parent, or child under 21 | 25.5 – 34 months | December 29, 2023 | |
| U.S. citizen filing for unmarried son/daughter 21 or older† | 109.5 months | September 17, 2017 | |
| Permanent resident for unmarried son or daughter 21 or older† | 76 months | June 29, 2020 | |
| U.S. citizen filing for a married son or daughter† | 151 months | March 26, 2014 | |
| U.S. citizen filing for a brother or sister† | 177 months | February 01, 2012 | |
| All Field Offices | Permanent resident filing for a spouse or child under 21† | 139 – 300.5 months | October 21, 2001 |
| U.S. citizen filing for a spouse, parent, or child under 21 | 83.5 – 113 months | May 25, 2017 | |
| U.S. citizen filing for unmarried son/daughter 21 or older† | 195 – 268 months | July 06, 2004 | |
| Permanent resident for unmarried son or daughter 21 or older† | 188.5 – 340 months | July 07, 1998 | |
| U.S. citizen filing for a married son or daughter† | 110.5 – 159 months | August 03, 2013 | |
| U.S. citizen filing for a brother or sister† | 286.5 – 306.5 months | April 22, 2001 |
† Family-preference category: the posted time includes the wait for visa availability (Visa Bulletin), not just USCIS processing.
National context
Historical median by fiscal year
This is the national median for completed cases—not the current office-level 80% time shown above. The two measures are not directly comparable.
| Classification | FY 2021 | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | FY 2025 | FY 2026* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoptions | 27.7 | 35.4 | 49.2 | 37.3 | 45.9 | 45.5 |
| Immediate Relative1 | 10.2 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 11.7 | 14.4 | 12.9 |
* FY2026 is partial: Oct. 1, 2025–May 31, 2026.
USCIS notes
- Form I-130 data does not include preference-based I-130s.
Filing on your own?
It's normal and permitted. What the I-130 process involves, and the reasons people commonly hire an attorney →
The national I-130 line
Cases waiting
2,359,470
nationwide (FY2026 Q2)
The line is
stable
+0.1% since FY2025 Q4
What that usually means
Intake and decisions roughly even — no clear pressure either way.
From USCIS's official quarterly report. See the full outlook and methodology →
Related forms
Other USCIS forms commonly tracked in the same process — listed for reference, not as guidance on what to file.
I-4858.5 – 60.5 months
Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
I-7655 – 28 months
Application for Employment Authorization
I-13126.5 – 34 months
Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records
I-75135 – 58.5 months
Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence
N-4009 – 31.5 months
Application for Naturalization
Frequently asked questions
How long does Form I-130 take in 2026?
Per USCIS data captured October 19, 2026, I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) takes from 25.5 – 34 months at the office with the shortest wait (Service Center Operations (SCOPS)) to 83.5 – 113 months at the longest (All Field Offices).
Which office is fastest for I-130?
As of the latest data, Service Center Operations (SCOPS) shows the shortest time: 25.5 – 34 months.
What does this processing time mean?
USCIS calculates it as the time in which 80% of adjudicated cases were completed over the past six months. It is a reference point, not a promise about any individual case.
How often is this page updated?
Arrive Legal captures USCIS-published data weekly and archives every capture to show trends over time.
Official source: USCIS Case Processing Times. See our methodology.