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 25, 2023


Updated March 25, 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 Center10.5 months15 months4.5 months
Nebraska Service Center10.5 months14 months3.5 months
Potomac Service Center12 months16 months4 months
Texas Service Center 11.5 months12.5 months1 month
Vermont Service Center16 months14 months2 months
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 Center25.5 months25 months0.5 month
Nebraska Service Center10.5 months14.5 months4 months
Potomac Service Center29 months27.5 months1.5 months
Texas Service Center 20 months17 months3 months
Vermont Service Center30 months37.5 months7.5 months
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 GU23 months20.5 months2.5 months
Albany NY31.5 months23 months8.5 months
Albuquerque NM17 months20.5 months3.5 months
Anchorage AK25 months17 months8 months
Atlanta GA35 months38.5 months3.5 months
Baltimore MD47 months28 months19 months
Boise ID26 months19 months7 months
Boston MA23 months20 months3 months
Brooklyn NY40.5 months39 months0.5 month
Buffalo NY19 months15.5 months3.5 months
Burlington VT22.5 months16 months6.5 months
Charleston SC24 months24.5 months0.5 months
Charlotte Amalie VI19.5 months22 months2.5 months
Charlotte NC23 months17.5 months5.5 months
Chicago IL20.5 months21 months0.5 month
Christiansted VI12 months15 months3 months
Cincinnati OH19 months17.5 months1.5 months
Cleveland OH17 months14.5 months2.5 months
Columbus OH19 months15 months4 months
Dallas TX24 months20 months4 months
Denver CO20 months21.5 months1.5 months
Des Moines IA15 months17 months2 months
Detroit MI15.5 months13.5 months2 months
El Paso TX16.5 months17.5 months1 month
Fort Myers FL18.5 months19 months0.5 month
Fort Smith AR18 months18.5 months0.5 month
Fresno CA18 months15 months3 month
Greer SC16.5 months17.5 months1 month
Harlingen TX15 months15 monthsNo change
Hartford CT16.5 months15.5 months1 month
Helena MT16.5 months18.5 months2 months
Hialeah FL18 months16.5 months1.5 months
Honolulu HI27 months19 months8 months
Houston TX24 months25 months1 month
Imperial CA15.5 months13.5 months2 months
Indianapolis IN23.5 months18 months5.5 months
Jacksonville FL22.5 months20.5 months2 months
Kansas City MO19 months16.5 months2.5 months
Kendall FL19.5 months19 months0.5 month
Las Vegas NV30 months32 months2 months
Lawrence MA16.5 months15.5 months1 month
Long Island NY27.5 months20.5 months7 months
Los Angeles CA19.5 months17 months1.5 months
Los Angeles County CA17 months14.5 months2.5 months
Louisville KY18 months16.5 months1.5 months
Manchester NH16 months17.5 months1.5 months
Memphis TN15 months18 months3 months
Miami FL25.5 months25 months0.5 month
Milwaukee WI25.5 months18 months7.5 months
Minneapolis-St. Paul MN36 months32.5 months3.5 months
Montgomery AL29 months19.5 months9.5 months
Mount Laurel NJ26 months20.5 months5.5 months
Nashville TN20 months18 months2 months
Newark NJ23.5 months28.5 months5 months
New Orleans LA25.5 months26 months0.5 month
New York City NY17 months16 months1 month
Norfolk VA22.5 months16.5 months6 months
Oakland Park FL19.5 months25 months5.5 months
Oklahoma City OK16.5 months17.5 months1 month
Omaha NE32.5 months31 months1.5 months
Orlando FL17.5 months18 months0.5 month
Philadelphia PA22 months19 months3 months
Phoenix AZ14.5 months15 months0.5 month
Pittsburgh PA24.5 months18 months6.5 months
Portland ME16 months19 months3 months
Portland OR21 months19.5 months1.5 months
Providence RI21 months20 months1 month
Queens NY24.5 months31 months6.5 months
Raleigh NC23 months18 months5 months
Reno NV24.5 months17.5 months7 months
Sacramento CA33 months26.5 months6.5 months
Saint Louis MO16 months12 months4 months
Salt Lake City UT27 months40 months13 months
San Antonio TX15.5 months16 months0.5 month
San Bernardino CA14.5 months12.5 months2 months
San Diego CA20.5 months15 months4.5 months
San Fernando Valley CA16.5 months15.5 months1 month
San Francisco CA31 months22.5 months8.5 months
San Jose CA35 months16 months9 months
San Juan PR23.5 months20 months3.5 months
Santa Ana CA15.5 months15.5 monthsNo change
Seattle WA29 months21 months8 months
Spokane WA26 months29 months3 months
Tampa FL15 months16 months1 month
Tucson AZ16.5 months16.5 monthsNo change
Washington DC18 months17 months1 month
West Palm Beach FL20 months17 months3 months
Wichita KS20 months18 months2 months
Yakima WA26.5 months22.5 months4 months

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 8–16 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 Center21 months18.5 months2.5 months
National Benefits Center10 months11.5 months1.5 months
Nebraska Service Center15.5 months17 months1.5 months
Texas Service Center15 months16.5 months1.5 months
Vermont Service Center13.5 months15 months1.5 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. 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.