I-140 processing times
How long does a regular I-140 take right now?
Half of online I-140 petitions are decided in about 1.9 months (58 days); 80% within about 7.4 months (225 days).
Based on I-140 petitions filed online (IOE). Paper filings are not included. Based on 96,616 cases decided in the last 6 months · updated 2026-10-17.
Trend — days to decision by month
Processing times have risen over the last year. Median (p50) and 80th percentile (p80), months with ≥30 decided cases.
Distribution — how long decided cases took
Decided in the last 6 months, by time to decision.
Regular vs Premium Processing (Form I-907)
Premium Processing is an optional $2,965 fee (effective March 1, 2026) that puts USCIS on a fixed clock for your I-140. Compare it against the regular figure above to decide if it's worth it.
15 business days
EB-1A, EB-1B, EB-2, EB-3
45 business days
EB-2 NIW and EB-1C
USCIS commits to taking action (approval, denial, RFE, or investigation) within that window — not to approving. It does not speed up the green card itself if your priority date isn't current (visa retrogression).
How we calculate this
- Processing time = decision date − receipt date, in calendar days, for decided cases (approved or denied).
- Population: online (IOE) I-140s. Receipt date is USCIS's actual receipt date where we captured it; for cases first seen mid-process, it's estimated to the case's filing block month. Paper filings are not included.
- We report the median (p50) and 80th percentile (p80), not the average — averages understate because slow cases are still pending.
- Global figure: cases decided in the last 6 months. Trend: last 12 months by decision month.
- We hide any segment with fewer than 30 cases.
Estimate based on online-filed cases observed over the last 6 months. It is not a guarantee, is not legal advice, and is not affiliated with USCIS. It does not include paper filings. Your case may vary.