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 processing time for U.S. citizens filing Form I-130 for a spouse beneficiary ranges from 13-54.5 months. - The processing time for legal permanent residents filing Form I-130 for a spouse beneficiary ranges from 32-67.5 months. - The current average processing time for Form I-485 across 89 field offices is around 20 months.

Written by ImmigrationHelp News TeamLegally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated November 27, 2023


Updated November 27, 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 Center14.5 months14 months- 0.5 months
Nebraska Service Center13 months14 months+ 1 month
Potomac Service Center13.5 months14 months+ 0.5 months
Texas Service Center14 months14 monthsNo change
Vermont Service Center14.5 months14 months- 0.5 months
All Field Offices34.5 months14 months- 20.5 months

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 Center36.5 months38.5 months+ 2 months
Nebraska Service Center32 months29 months- 3 months
Potomac Service Center32.5 months32.5 monthsNo change
Texas Service Center35.5 months37 months+ 1.5 months
Vermont Service Center35 months34.5 months- 0.5 months
All Field Offices67.5 months70.5 months+ 3 months

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 GU17 months17 monthsNo change
Albany NY18.5 months20 months+ 1.5 months
Albuquerque NM14.5 months14.5 monthsNo change
Anchorage AK18 months16.5 months- 1.5 months
Atlanta GA22 months23 months+ 1 month
Baltimore MD22 months24 months+ 2 months
Boise ID18.5 months18 months- 0.5 months
Boston MA15 months15 monthsNo change
Brooklyn NY22 months23 months+ 1 month
Buffalo NY12 months12 monthsNo change
Burlington VT12 months12 monthsNo change
Charleston SC21 months20.5 months- 0.5 months
Charlotte Amalie VI17.5 months17.5 monthsNo change
Charlotte NC19 months18.5 months- 0.5 month
Chicago IL17.5 months17.5 monthsNo change
Christiansted VI17 months17 monthsNo change
Cincinnati OH14 months14.5 months+ 0.5 months
Cleveland OH13 months13.5 months+ 0.5 months
Columbus OH13.5 months13.5 monthsNo change
Dallas TX16 months15 months- 1 month
Denver CO18.5 months18.5 monthsNo change
Des Moines IA17 months17 monthsNo change
Detroit MI14.5 months17 months+ 2.5 months
El Paso TX13.5 months14 months+ 0.5 months
Fort Myers FL18 months18.5 months+ 0.5 months
Fort Smith AR14 months13.5 months- 0.5 months
Fresno CA15.5 months16 months+ 0.5 months
Greer SC13.5 months13.5 monthsNo change
Harlingen TX18.5 months18.5 monthsNo change
Hartford CT15.5 months15.5 monthsNo change
Helena MT17 months17 monthsNo change
Hialeah FL14.5 months15 months+ 0.5 months
Honolulu HI15 months15 monthsNo change
Houston TX16.5 months16.5 monthsNo change
Imperial CA13.5 months12.5 months- 1 month
Indianapolis IN19.5 months20 months+ 0.5 months
Jacksonville FL18 months19 months+ 1 month
Kansas City MO20 months20.5 months+ 0.5 months
Kendall FL19 months19.5 months+ 0.5 months
Las Vegas NV23.5 months22 months- 1.5 months
Lawrence MA13.5 months14 months+ 0.5 months
Long Island NY15 months15 monthsNo change
Los Angeles CA16.5 months15.5 months- 1 month
Los Angeles County CA13.5 months13 months0.5 months
Louisville KY13.5 months14 months+ 0.5 months
Manchester NH13.5 months13.5 monthsNo change
Memphis TN21.5 months22 months+ 0.5 months
Miami FL22.5 months23.5 months+ 1 month
Milwaukee WI14 months14 monthsNo change
Minneapolis-St. Paul MN24 months23.5 months- 0.5 months
Montgomery AL15.5 months15 months- 0.5 months
Mount Laurel NJ13.5 months14 months+ 0.5 months
Nashville TN19.5 months20 months+ 0.5 months
Newark NJ17.5 months17.5 monthsNo change
New Orleans LA26.5 months25.5 months- 1 month
New York City NY18 months18 monthsNo change
Norfolk VA20.5 months21 months+ 0.5 months
Oakland Park FL16.5 months16.5 monthsNo change
Oklahoma City OK16 months16 monthsNo change
Omaha NE19 months19.5 months+ 0.5 months
Orlando FL17 months18 months+ 1 month
Philadelphia PA14.5 months15 months+ 0.5 months
Phoenix AZ14.5 months14.5 monthsNo change
Pittsburgh PA14.5 months14.5 monthsNo change
Portland ME14.5 months13.5 months-1 month
Portland OR14 months17 months+ 3 months
Providence RI15.5 months16.5 months+ 1 month
Queens NY23 months21 months- 1 month
Raleigh NC20 months21 months+ 1 month
Reno NV15 months15 monthsNo change
Sacramento CA19 months19 monthsNo change
Saint Louis MO14.5 months14.5 monthsNo change
Salt Lake City UT36 months34.5 months- 1.5 months
San Antonio TX17 months17 monthsNo change
San Bernardino CA15 months15 monthsNo change
San Diego CA18.5 months18.5 monthsNo change
San Fernando Valley CA13.5 months13 months- 0.5 months
San Francisco CA19 months19 monthsNo change
San Jose CA14.5 months14 months- 0.5 months
San Juan PR17 months17.5 months+ 0.5 months
Santa Ana CA17 months17 monthsNo change
Seattle WA18 months18 monthsNo change
Spokane WA20.5 months15.5 months- 5 months
Tampa FL15 months15.5 months+ 0.5 months
Tucson AZ14.5 months13.5 months- 1 month
Washington DC17 months19 months+ 2 months
West Palm Beach FL16.5 months16.5 monthsNo change
Wichita KS15.5 months15 months- 0.5 months
Yakima WA16.5 months16.5 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 4.5–14 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 Center5.5 months5.5 monthsNo change
National Benefits Center8.5 months8 months- 0.5 months
Nebraska Service Center4 months3.5 months- 0.5 months
Texas Service Center13 months11 months- 2 months
Vermont Service Center10.5 months10 months- 0.5 months

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.