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 December 11, 2023


Updated December 11, 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 months14 monthsNo change
Nebraska Service Center14 months14 monthsNo change
Potomac Service Center14 months14 monthsNo change
Texas Service Center14 months14 monthsNo change
Vermont Service Center14 months14 monthsNo change
All Field Offices14 months14 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 Center38.5 months38.5 monthsNo change
Nebraska Service Center29 months29 monthsNo change
Potomac Service Center32.5 months32.5 monthsNo change
Texas Service Center37 months37 monthsNo change
Vermont Service Center34.5 months34.5 monthsNo change
All Field Offices70.5 months70.5 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 GU17 months17 monthsNo change
Albany NY20 months20 monthsNo change
Albuquerque NM14.5 months14.5 monthsNo change
Anchorage AK16.5 months16.5 monthsNo change
Atlanta GA23 months23 monthsNo change
Baltimore MD24 months24 monthsNo change
Boise ID18 months18 monthsNo change
Boston MA15 months15 monthsNo change
Brooklyn NY23 months23 monthsNo change
Buffalo NY12 months12 monthsNo change
Burlington VT12 months12 monthsNo change
Charleston SC20.5 months20.5 monthsNo change
Charlotte Amalie VI17.5 months17.5 monthsNo change
Charlotte NC18.5 months18.5 monthsNo change
Chicago IL17.5 months17.5 monthsNo change
Christiansted VI17 months17 monthsNo change
Cincinnati OH14.5 months14.5 monthsNo change
Cleveland OH13.5 months13.5 monthsNo change
Columbus OH13.5 months13.5 monthsNo change
Dallas TX15 months15 monthsNo change
Denver CO18.5 months18.5 monthsNo change
Des Moines IA17 months17 monthsNo change
Detroit MI14.5 months14.5 monthsNo change
El Paso TX14 months14 monthsNo change
Fort Myers FL18.5 months18.5 monthsNo change
Fort Smith AR13.5 months13.5 monthsNo change
Fresno CA16 months16 monthsNo change
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 FL15 months15 monthsNo change
Honolulu HI15 months15 monthsNo change
Houston TX16.5 months16.5 monthsNo change
Imperial CA12.5 months12.5 monthsNo change
Indianapolis IN20 months20 monthsNo change
Jacksonville FL19 months19 monthsNo change
Kansas City MO20.5 months20.5 monthsNo change
Kendall FL19.5 months19.5 monthsNo change
Las Vegas NV22 months22 monthsNo change
Lawrence MA14 months14 monthsNo change
Long Island NY15 months15 monthsNo change
Los Angeles CA15.5 months15.5 monthsNo change
Los Angeles County CA13 months13 monthsNo change
Louisville KY14 months14 monthsNo change
Manchester NH13.5 months13.5 monthsNo change
Memphis TN22 months22 monthsNo change
Miami FL23.5 months23.5 monthsNo change
Milwaukee WI14 months14 monthsNo change
Minneapolis-St. Paul MN23.5 months23.5 monthsNo change
Montgomery AL15 months15 monthsNo change
Mount Laurel NJ14 months14 monthsNo change
Nashville TN20 months20 monthsNo change
Newark NJ17.5 months17.5 monthsNo change
New Orleans LA25.5 months25.5 monthsNo change
New York City NY18 months18 monthsNo change
Norfolk VA21 months21 monthsNo change
Oakland Park FL16.5 months16.5 monthsNo change
Oklahoma City OK16 months16 monthsNo change
Omaha NE19.5 months19.5 monthsNo change
Orlando FL18 months18 monthsNo change
Philadelphia PA15 months15 monthsNo change
Phoenix AZ14.5 months14.5 monthsNo change
Pittsburgh PA14.5 months14.5 monthsNo change
Portland ME13.5 months13.5 monthsNo change
Portland OR17 months17 monthsNo change
Providence RI16.5 months16.5 monthsNo change
Queens NY21 months21 monthsNo change
Raleigh NC21 months21 monthsNo change
Reno NV15 months15 monthsNo change
Sacramento CA19 months19 monthsNo change
Saint Louis MO14.5 months14.5 monthsNo change
Salt Lake City UT34.5 months34.5 monthsNo change
San Antonio TX17 months17 monthsNo change
San Bernardino CA15 months15 monthsNo change
San Diego CA18.5 months18.5 monthsNo change
San Fernando Valley CA13 months13 monthsNo change
San Francisco CA19 months19 monthsNo change
San Jose CA14 months14 monthsNo change
San Juan PR17.5 months17.5 monthsNo change
Santa Ana CA17 months17 monthsNo change
Seattle WA18 months18 monthsNo change
Spokane WA15.5 months15.5 monthsNo change
Tampa FL15.5 months15.5 monthsNo change
Tucson AZ13.5 months13.5 monthsNo change
Washington DC19 months19 monthsNo change
West Palm Beach FL16.5 months16.5 monthsNo change
Wichita KS15 months15 monthsNo change
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 months8 monthsNo change
Nebraska Service Center3.5 months3.5 monthsNo change
Texas Service Center11 months11 monthsNo change
Vermont Service Center10 months10 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.