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 13.5-54.5 months. - The processing time for legal permanent residents filing Form I-130 for a spouse beneficiary ranges from 32.5-64.5 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 October 2, 2023


Updated October 2, 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 months14.5 monthsNo change
National Benefits Center53 months54.5 months+ 1.5 month
Nebraska Service Center14.5 months13.5 months- 1 month
Potomac Service Center14.5 months14 months- 0.5 month
Texas Service Center13.5 months14 months+ 0.5 month
Vermont Service Center15 months15 monthsNo change
All Field Offices30.5 months31.5 months+ 1 month

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 Center32.5 months35 months+ 2.5 months
National Benefits Center64 months64.5 months+ 0.5 months
Nebraska Service Center32 months33 months+ 1 month
Potomac Service Center32 months32.5 months+ 0.5 months
Texas Service Center36 months36.5 months+ 0.5 months
Vermont Service Center38 months36.5 months- 1.5 months
All Field Offices60 months64 months+ 4 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 months19 months+ 2 months
Albany NY16.5 months17.5 months+ 1 month
Albuquerque NM14 months14 monthsNo change
Anchorage AK16.5 months17 months+ 0.5 months
Atlanta GA22.5 months21.5 months- 1 month
Baltimore MD20 months21 months+ 1 month
Boise ID18.5 months18.5 monthsNo change
Boston MA15.5 months15.5 monthsNo change
Brooklyn NY23 months22 months- 1 month
Buffalo NY12 months12 monthsNo change
Burlington VT13 months12 months- 1 month
Charleston SC21 months20.5 months- 0.5 months
Charlotte Amalie VI17 months17 monthsNo change
Charlotte NC18 months18.5 months+ 0.5 months
Chicago IL16.5 months16.5 monthsNo change
Christiansted VI19 months19 monthsNo change
Cincinnati OH13.5 months14 months+ 0.5 months
Cleveland OH12.5 months12.5 monthsNo change
Columbus OH13 months13.5 months+ 0.5 months
Dallas TX16.5 months16.5 monthsNo change
Denver CO19 months18.5 months- 0.5 months
Des Moines IA16 months16.5 months+ 0.5 months
Detroit MI14.5 months14.5 monthsNo change
El Paso TX14.5 months14 months- 0.5 months
Fort Myers FL17.5 months18 months+ 0.5 months
Fort Smith AR18 months15.5 months- 2.5 months
Fresno CA14.5 months15.5 months+ 1 month
Greer SC14.5 months14 months- 0.5 months
Harlingen TX17.5 months18 months+ 0.5 months
Hartford CT17.5 months15.5 months- 2 months
Helena MT18 months15.5 months- 2.5 months
Hialeah FL14 months14 monthsNo change
Honolulu HI15 months15 monthsNo change
Houston TX15.5 months16 months+ 0.5 months
Imperial CA13.5 months13.5 monthsNo change
Indianapolis IN19 months19.5 months+ 0.5 months
Jacksonville FL17.5 months17.5 monthsNo change
Kansas City MO18 months19 months+ 1 month
Kendall FL18.5 months19 months+ 0.5 months
Las Vegas NV22.5 months22.5 monthsNo change
Lawrence MA13 months13.5 months+ 0.5 months
Long Island NY15 months15 monthsNo change
Los Angeles CA16.5 months16.5 monthsNo change
Los Angeles County CA14 months13.5 months- 0.5 months
Louisville KY13 months13.5 months+ 0.5 months
Manchester NH14 months13.5 months- 0.5 months
Memphis TN20.5 months21.5 months+ 1 months
Miami FL21.5 months21 months- 0.5 months
Milwaukee WI15.5 months14.5 months- 1 month
Minneapolis-St. Paul MN23 months23.5 months+ 0.5 months
Montgomery AL17 months16 months- 1 month
Mount Laurel NJ13.5 months13 months- 0.5 months
Nashville TN19 months19 monthsNo change
Newark NJ17.5 months17 months- 0.5 months
New Orleans LA25.5 months24 months- 1.5 months
New York City NY17 months17.5 months+ 0.5 months
Norfolk VA20 months20.5 months+ 0.5 months
Oakland Park FL18.5 months18 months- 0.5 months
Oklahoma City OK15 months15.5 months+ 0.5 months
Omaha NE19.5 months19 months- 0.5 months
Orlando FL17.5 months16.5 months- 1 month
Philadelphia PA14 months14.5 months+ 0.5 months
Phoenix AZ14 months14 monthsNo change
Pittsburgh PA14.5 months14.5 monthsNo change
Portland ME15 months14.5 months- 0.5 months
Portland OR16.5 months16.5 monthsNo change
Providence RI15 months14.5 months- 0.5 months
Queens NY31.5 months28.5 months- 3 months
Raleigh NC19.5 months20 months+ 0.5 months
Reno NV16 months14.5 months- 1.5 months
Sacramento CA18.5 months19 months+ 0.5 months
Saint Louis MO12.5 months13 months+ 0.5 months
Salt Lake City UT38 months37 months- 1 month
San Antonio TX16 months16.5 months+ 0.5 months
San Bernardino CA15 months15.5 months+ 0.5 months
San Diego CA17.5 months18 months+ 0.5 months
San Fernando Valley CA15 months14 months- 1 month
San Francisco CA18.5 months18.5 monthsNo change
San Jose CA13.5 months14 months+ 0.5 months
San Juan PR16.5 months17 months+ 0.5 months
Santa Ana CA17 months16.5 months- 0.5 months
Seattle WA17.5 months17.5 monthsNo change
Spokane WA24.5 months23 months- 1.5 months
Tampa FL15 months15 monthsNo change
Tucson AZ14.5 months14.5 monthsNo change
Washington DC16.5 months16.5 monthsNo change
West Palm Beach FL16 months16 monthsNo change
Wichita KS15.5 months16 months+ 0.5 months
Yakima WA16 months16 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 Center7 months6 months- 1 month
National Benefits Center10 months9 months- 1 month
Nebraska Service Center13.5 months4.5 months- 9 months
Texas Service Center15.5 months14 months- 1.5 months
Vermont Service Center12.5 months14 months+ 1.5 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.