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Begin my evaluationUnderstanding the numbers
Where this wait fits.
USCIS publishes processing times per form and classification, and updates them monthly. The single biggest lever on this wait is premium processing — an optional paid service that guarantees USCIS takes action within a fixed number of business days, turning a multi-month wait into weeks. It does not change the standard of review or the odds of approval; it only changes the speed.
By category
Processing times at a glance.
Standard processing figures for the categories we handle, pulled directly from USCIS's own tool in September 2026, with the premium processing option for each. The biggest move since July: O-1 (O-1A/O-1B) standard processing jumped from 3–6 months to roughly 14 months — I-140 categories kept climbing too. Bars are scaled to a 36-month reference; EB-5 runs close to that scale.
O-1A — Business
Form I-129
Standard~14 months
Premium · 15 business days $2,965
O-1B — Arts & media
Form I-129
Standard~14 months
Premium · 15 business days $2,965
L-1 — Intracompany
Form I-129
Standard~7 months
Premium · 15 business days $2,965
EB-1A — Extraordinary ability
Form I-140
Standard~31 months
Premium · 15 business days $2,965
EB-1B — Outstanding researcher
Form I-140
Standard~15.5 months
Premium · 15 business days $2,965
EB-1C — Multinational manager
Form I-140
Standard~27 months
Premium · 45 business days $2,965
EB-2 NIW — National interest
Form I-140
Standard~29 months
Premium · 45 business days $2,965
EB-5 — Investor
Form I-526E
Standard~35 months
No premium processing Rural TEA priority ~12–24 mo
Data pulled directly from egov.uscis.gov/processing-times in September 2026
| Category | Form | Standard processing | Premium processing |
|---|---|---|---|
| O-1A — Business | I-129 | ~14 months | 15 business days |
| O-1B — Arts & media | I-129 | ~14 months | 15 business days |
| L-1 — Intracompany | I-129 | ~7 months | 15 business days |
| EB-1A — Extraordinary ability | I-140 | ~31 months | 15 business days |
| EB-1B — Outstanding researcher | I-140 | ~15.5 months | 15 business days |
| EB-1C — Multinational manager | I-140 | ~27 months | 45 business days |
| EB-2 NIW — National interest | I-140 | ~29 months | 45 business days |
| EB-5 — Investor | I-526E | ~35 months | Not available |
Read these as reference points, not promises. USCIS reports the point by which 80% of cases in a category are completed over the past six months — half of the remaining 20% could be faster, half slower. Confirm your exact figure on the official USCIS processing times tool by form, classification, and office.
The petition you choose matters more than the queue.
With premium processing, an EB-1A I-140 is decided in 15 business days and an EB-2 NIW in 45. The delay that costs the most time is an RFE or denial on a petition filed in the wrong category or with thin evidence. A free evaluation tells you which petition your record supports before you file.
Reference detail
How USCIS is routing these cases now.
A few structural changes are worth understanding, not just the headline numbers.
01
Service centers were consolidated
USCIS no longer publishes separate figures for Texas, Nebraska, Vermont, or California service centers on I-129 and I-140 petitions. All are now reported under a single "Service Center Operations (SCOPS)" figure per form and classification, since SCOPS now moves casework between locations based on staffing and workload rather than a fixed office.
02
I-140 is prioritized by visa availability
SCOPS prioritizes I-140 adjudication using the monthly State Department Visa Bulletin — cases with an immigrant visa currently available move first, so they can proceed to I-485 adjustment. This does not affect premium-processed petitions, which stay on their own guaranteed timeline.
03
EB-5's I-526E depends on I-956F
USCIS only completes a Form I-526E after its associated Form I-956F (the regional center project's own commercial-enterprise application) has been adjudicated. A project with a pending I-956F holds up every investor's I-526E filed against it, independent of the investor's own case.
For your exact, current figure, use the official USCIS processing times tool — select your form, classification, and office for a live estimate and the receipt date USCIS is currently working through.
Tracking the trend
Monthly change log.
Processing times move, sometimes sharply, as USCIS caseloads and staffing shift. Each refresh of this page records what changed instead of silently swapping in new numbers, so the trend stays visible. Across 2026, standard I-140 processing roughly tripled, and O-1 petitions more than doubled in a single update.
| Standard processing | Before Jul 2026 | Jul 2026 | Sep 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| O-1 (O-1A / O-1B) | — | 3–6 months | ~14 months |
| L-1 | — | 3–8 months | ~7 months |
| EB-1A | 6–10 months | ~29 months | ~31 months |
| EB-1B | 6–11 months | ~16 months | ~15.5 months |
| EB-1C | 8–14 months | ~26 months | ~27 months |
| EB-2 NIW | 7–13 months | ~27 months | ~29 months |
Sep 2026
O-1 processing more than doubled. Standard I-129 processing for O-1 (O-1A/O-1B) jumped from 3–6 months to roughly 14 months — the largest single move we've tracked on this page. L-1 moved more modestly, from 3–8 to roughly 7 months. I-140 categories kept climbing: EB-1A to ~31 months, EB-1B to ~15.5, EB-1C to ~27, EB-2 NIW to ~29. EB-5 (I-526E) now runs around 35 months. USCIS also consolidated service-center reporting into a single "Service Center Operations" figure per form, and confirmed I-140 adjudication is prioritized by Visa Bulletin availability — see the notes below.
View earlier changes (2)
Jul 2026
I-140 times jumped sharply. EB-1A standard processing moved from 6–10 months to roughly 29 months; EB-1B from 6–11 to roughly 16 months; EB-1C from 8–14 to roughly 26 months; EB-2 NIW from 7–13 to roughly 27 months. I-129 categories (O-1, L-1) moved more modestly, to 3–6 and 3–8 months respectively. Premium processing windows and the EB-5 no-premium-processing rule were unchanged.
Mar 2026
Premium processing fee increased. The Form I-907 fee for I-129 and I-140 rose from $2,805 to $2,965 under a Federal Register rule tying the increase to the CPI-U. The 15- and 45-business-day guarantee windows did not change.
This page and its log are refreshed monthly, after USCIS updates its figures, and sooner if USCIS or DHS makes a material change. Next scheduled refresh: mid-October 2026.
What it means for you
Planning around the timeline.
Processing time drives when you can start work, when you can travel, and which path is fastest overall. The right move depends on your category, your deadline, and whether you are inside or outside the US.
01
Use premium where it pays off
For I-129 (O-1, L-1) and I-140 (EB-1A/B), premium processing turns months into 15 business days for a fixed fee. We advise when the timeline justifies it — and when standard processing is fine.
02
Mind the consular wait
USCIS approval is only the first wait. For green-card categories a per-country priority-date wait can follow, and applicants abroad then face a consular interview. We sequence all three.
03
Adjust in-country when possible
If you are already in the US in valid status, adjustment or change of status through USCIS can avoid the consulate entirely — no stamp, no appointment queue, just the USCIS timeline.
FAQ
Common questions.
No. Premium processing only changes speed, not the standard of review. USCIS commits to taking an action — approval, denial, RFE, NOID, or fraud investigation — within 15 business days (or 45 for EB-1C and EB-2 NIW). A well-prepared petition is what drives approval; premium processing simply gets you the answer faster. If USCIS issues an RFE, that premium window pauses until you respond and then restarts.
As of March 1, 2026, the premium processing fee for Form I-129 and Form I-140 is $2,965 (up from $2,805). This is in addition to the standard government filing fees and any attorney fees. Premium processing for ancillary forms — I-765 employment authorization and I-539 status extensions — runs 30 business days at separate, lower fees. The fee is set by USCIS and is subject to periodic adjustment.
Premium processing is available for I-129 (O-1, L-1, H-1B) and I-140 (EB-1A, EB-1B, EB-1C, EB-2 NIW, EB-2, EB-3). EB-1A and EB-1B carry a 15-business-day guarantee; EB-1C and EB-2 NIW carry 45 business days. It is not available for the EB-5 immigrant petition (Form I-526E), and it does not apply to the Department of State consular interview stage. Your attorney can confirm eligibility for your specific filing.
The EB-5 immigrant petition involves extensive review of the investment, the source of funds, and the underlying project, and it has no premium processing option. Standard processing now runs around 35 months. Its I-526E also can't complete until the associated Form I-956F (the regional center project's own application) is adjudicated. The EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act created priority handling for petitions tied to rural Targeted Employment Area projects, which can move materially faster (often in the 12–24 month range), making project selection one of the most important timeline decisions in an EB-5 plan.
The figures here were pulled directly from USCIS's own processing times tool in September 2026. USCIS updates its official figures monthly and they can shift with policy or staffing changes. Always confirm your exact, current estimate on the official USCIS processing times tool at egov.uscis.gov/processing-times by selecting your form, classification, and office.
Yes. "Processing times," "procesing times," and "usics processing times" all refer to the same thing — how long USCIS takes to adjudicate a given form and classification. However it's spelled or typed, the figures on this page and on USCIS's own processing times tool describe the same underlying data.