How Long Does It Take USCIS To Process Marriage Green Cards?

In a Nutshell

Five U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) service centers currently process Form I-130. - The current average processing time for U.S. citizens filing Form I-130 for a spouse beneficiary is 18 months. - The current average processing time for legal permanent residents filing Form I-130 for a spouse beneficiary is 28 months. - The current average processing time for Form I-485 across 89 field offices is 21.9 months. Processing times for this form range a lot by field office. The quickest processing time is 12 months (Saint Louis, MO) and the longest is 47 months (Salt Lake City, UT).

Written by ImmigrationHelp News TeamLegally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated March 31, 2023


Updated March 31, 2023

If you are a U.S. citizen or have permanent resident status and are petitioning to get a marriage green card for your spouse who is living with you in the U.S., you’ll submit two main forms in your application package. As the petitioner, you’ll file Form I-130: Petition for Alien Relative. As the beneficiary, your spouse will file Form I-485: Application for Adjustment of Status. You can file both of these forms at the same time. This is called concurrent filing.

Form I-130 Processing Times

Form I-130: Petition for Alien Relative is the first form you must file to start the marriage-based green card application process. A U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident must file this form on behalf of their foreign spouse. Five USCIS service centers process Form I-130. 

Here are the current processing times for Form I-130 for U.S. citizens filing for a spouse beneficiary:

USCIS Service CenterLast WeekThis WeekChange?
California Service Center15 months15 monthsNo change
Nebraska Service Center14 months14 monthsNo change
Potomac Service Center16 months16 monthsNo change
Texas Service Center12.5 months12.5 monthsNo change
Vermont Service Center14 months14 monthsNo change
All Field Offices36.5 months36.5 monthsNo change

Here are the current processing times for Form I-130 for lawful permanent residents filing for a spouse beneficiary:

USCIS Service CenterLast WeekThis WeekChange?
California Service Center25 months25 monthsNo change
Nebraska Service Center14.5 months14.5 monthsNo change
Potomac Service Center27.5 months27.5 monthsNo change
Texas Service Center17 months17 monthsNo change
Vermont Service Center37.5 months37.5 monthsNo change
All Field Offices46 months46 monthsNo change

Form I-485 Processing Times 

Form I-485 is the second form you and your spouse must file to get a marriage-based green card. This is the form that allows your spouse to adjust status, get permanent residency, and become a U.S. green card holder. Several USCIS offices process Form I-485. 

Here are the current processing times for Form I-485 by field office:

USCIS Field OfficeLast WeekThis WeekChange?
Agana GU20.5 months20.5 monthsNo change
Albany NY23 months23 monthsNo change
Albuquerque NM20.5 months20.5 monthsNo change
Anchorage AK17 months17 monthsNo change
Atlanta GA38.5 months38.5 monthsNo change
Baltimore MD28 months28 monthsNo change
Boise ID19 months19 monthsNo change
Boston MA20 months20 monthsNo change
Brooklyn NY39 months39 monthsNo change
Buffalo NY15.5 months15.5 monthsNo change
Burlington VT16 months16 monthsNo change
Charleston SC24.5 months24.5 monthsNo change
Charlotte Amalie VI22 months22 monthsNo change
Charlotte NC17.5 months17.5 monthsNo change
Chicago IL21 months21 monthsNo change
Christiansted VI15 months15 monthsNo change
Cincinnati OH17.5 months17.5 monthsNo change
Cleveland OH14.5 months14.5 monthsNo change
Columbus OH15 months15 monthsNo change
Dallas TX20 months20 monthsNo change
Denver CO21.5 months21.5 monthsNo change
Des Moines IA17 months17 monthsNo change
Detroit MI13.5 months13.5 monthsNo change
El Paso TX17.5 months17.5 monthsNo change
Fort Myers FL19 months19 monthsNo change
Fort Smith AR18.5 months18.5 monthsNo change
Fresno CA15 months15 monthsNo change
Greer SC17.5 months17.5 monthsNo change
Harlingen TX15 months15 monthsNo change
Hartford CT15.5 months15.5 monthsNo change
Helena MT18.5 months18.5 monthsNo change
Hialeah FL16.5 months16.5 monthsNo change
Honolulu HI19 months19 monthsNo change
Houston TX25 months25 monthsNo change
Imperial CA13.5 months13.5 monthsNo change
Indianapolis IN18 months18 monthsNo change
Jacksonville FL20.5 months20.5 monthsNo change
Kansas City MO16.5 months16.5 monthsNo change
Kendall FL19 months19 monthsNo change
Las Vegas NV32 months32 monthsNo change
Lawrence MA15.5 months15.5 monthsNo change
Long Island NY20.5 months20.5 monthsNo change
Los Angeles CA17 months17 monthsNo change
Los Angeles County CA14.5 months14.5 monthsNo change
Louisville KY16.5 months16.5 monthsNo change
Manchester NH17.5 months17.5 monthsNo change
Memphis TN18 months18 monthsNo change
Miami FL25 months25 monthsNo change
Milwaukee WI18 months18 monthsNo change
Minneapolis-St. Paul MN32.5 months32.5 monthsNo change
Montgomery AL19.5 months19.5 monthsNo change
Mount Laurel NJ20.5 months20.5 monthsNo change
Nashville TN18 months18 monthsNo change
Newark NJ28.5 months28.5 monthsNo change
New Orleans LA26 months26 monthsNo change
New York City NY16 months16 monthsNo change
Norfolk VA16.5 months16.5 monthsNo change
Oakland Park FL25 months25 monthsNo change
Oklahoma City OK17.5 months17.5 monthsNo change
Omaha NE31 months31 monthsNo change
Orlando FL18 months18 monthsNo change
Philadelphia PA19 months19 monthsNo change
Phoenix AZ15 months15 monthsNo change
Pittsburgh PA18 months18 monthsNo change
Portland ME19 months19 monthsNo change
Portland OR19.5 months19.5 monthsNo change
Providence RI20 months20 monthsNo change
Queens NY31 months31 monthsNo change
Raleigh NC18 months18 monthsNo change
Reno NV17.5 months17.5 monthsNo change
Sacramento CA26.5 months26.5 monthsNo change
Saint Louis MO12 months12 monthsNo change
Salt Lake City UT40 months40 monthsNo change
San Antonio TX16 months16 monthsNo change
San Bernardino CA12.5 months12.5 monthsNo change
San Diego CA15 months15 monthsNo change
San Fernando Valley CA15.5 months15.5 monthsNo change
San Francisco CA22.5 months22.5 monthsNo change
San Jose CA16 months16 monthsNo change
San Juan PR20 months20 monthsNo change
Santa Ana CA15.5 months15.5 monthsNo change
Seattle WA21 months21 monthsNo change
Spokane WA29 months29 monthsNo change
Tampa FL16 months16 monthsNo change
Tucson AZ16.5 months16.5 monthsNo change
Washington DC17 months17 monthsNo change
West Palm Beach FL17 months17 monthsNo change
Wichita KS18 months18 monthsNo change
Yakima WA22.5 months22.5 monthsNo change

Historical Form I-485* Processing Times: 2018-2022

Historical USCIS processing times for adjustment of status applications have been relatively consistent. In the last five years, the average median processing time for an adjustment of status application (Form I-485) was 10 months.

FY 2018FY 2019FY 2020FY 2021FY2022
Form I-486: for all family-based adjustment applications10.6 months10 months8.8 months9.9 months11 months

*USCIS does not track historical data for Form I-485 by eligibility category or family relationship. The above data is for Form I-485 for all family-based adjustment of status applications, which includes spouses, parents, and children (immediate relative or family member).

Form I-765 Processing Times

When you submit Form I-485 to adjust your status, you can also apply for a work permit (also called an employment authorization document or EAD). To do so, you need to file Form I-765: Application for Employment Authorization. If you file both forms at the same time, you do not have to pay an additional filing fee for Form I-765. Prior to 2022, most applicants received their work permits 4–6 months after submitting their forms to USCIS. Current wait times are considerably longer, ranging from 11–19 months.

Here are the current processing times for marriage green card applicants who file Form I-765 at the same time as their Form I-485 to adjust status:

USCIS Service CenterLast WeekThis WeekChange?
California Service Center18.5 months18.5 monthsNo change
National Benefits Center11.5 months11.5 monthsNo change
Nebraska Service Center17 months17 monthsNo change
Texas Service Center16.5 months16.5 monthsNo change
Vermont Service Center15 months15 monthsNo change

Historical I-765* Work Authorization Application Processing Times: 2018–2022

USCIS processing times for work permit applications have been climbing in recent years. In the last five years, the average median processing time for a work authorization application (Form I-765) was 3.6 months. Times have ranged from less than one month to 9.2 months, with the longest waiting period in the last five years being in 2022.

FY 2018FY 2019FY 2020FY 2021FY2022
Form I-765 based on pending I-4850.9 months2 months2.5 months3.2 months9.2 months

*USCIS does not track historical data for Form I-765 by eligibility category or family relationship. The above data is for Form I-765 file concurrently with any family-based adjustment of status application, which includes spouses, parents, and children.

How Long Will My Marriage Green Card Application Take?

The entire marriage green card timeline can take 10–38 months. Several factors influence wait times, including processing delays — such as the continued backlog due to the pandemic — and staffing or budget issues at a given service center or field office. Aside from submitting your forms, you’ll need to submit supporting documents, undergo a medical examination, biometrics appointment, and a green card interview

If you’re wondering what’s happening with your marriage green card case, you can check your case status online using the receipt number from your application receipt notice. Our Learning Center contains several articles that can help you understand your case status.

If your application is outside normal processing times, you can contact USCIS to ask for additional information. If you still have questions or need legal advice, we can connect you to an immigration lawyer through our $24/month Ask an Attorney program.