USCIS Processing Times for I-129Fs and I-130s for Immediate Relatives
This post includes two tables:
Table 1 shows processing times at all Service Centers for:
Forms I-130, Petitions for Alien Relatives, filed by U.S. citizens for immediate relatives (i.e., spouses, parents, or children under 21). More specifically, these processing times are for standalone I-130s, meaning I-130s not filed together with Form I-485, Application to Adjust Status; and
Forms I-129F, Petitions for Alien Fiancé(e)s. Upon approval of such petitions, the beneficiaries apply for K-1 or K-2 visas at U.S. consular posts abroad.
Source: USCIS Case Processing Times. These I-130s and I-129Fs are filed with USCIS lockboxes and from there routed to different Service Centers according to workload.
Table 2 shows numbers of I-130s received, approved, denied, and pending at each service center. Source: USCIS Performance Data.
Table 1: Processing Times for standalone I-130s for immediate relatives
Date Checked: 2021-01-27
Form
USCIS service center
Estimated time range (in months)
Receipt date for a case inquiry
I-130
California
16 – 21
2019-05-08
“
Nebraska
6 – 8
2020-06-09
“
Potomac
11.5 – 15
2019-11-02
“
Texas
8.5 – 10.5
2020-03-17
“
Vermont
26 – 33.5
2018-04-18
“
Average
13.5 – 17.5
I-129F
California
6 – 8
2020-06-03
“
Nebraska
none shown
none shown
“
Potomac
none shown
none shown
“
Texas
none shown
none shown
“
Vermont
21.5 – 27.5
2018-10-17
“
Average
14 – 18
Table 2: Numbers of I-130s received, approved, denied, and pending at each service center
Bukaz: You raise an important question. The processing times shown here report current processing times. But you are asking for a prediction about future processing times, which may be impacted by various factors, such as: (a) how will COVID-19 impact the number of applications/petitions submitted and the number of officers assigned to adjudicate them? (b) how will USCIS’ budgetary woes (Update: USCIS Cancels Employee Furlough, But Processing Delays Loom) impact processing times? (c) what priority is USCIS giving to this type of case now under the Trump administration, and how might that change if there were a Biden administration? Unfortunately, I don’t have a crystal ball.
Hi My priority date is October 2019 for an I-130 in the F2A category (spouse or unmarried child of a permanent resident) filed at the California Service Center. The processing times posted by USCIS seem to increase every month.
Hi I’m a US citizen. I filed an I-130 for my spouse. The Texas Service Center received it May 7, 2019, but no decision has been made yet. What should I do?
Alysha: USCIS suggests: “We have posted a ‘Receipt date for a case inquiry’ … to show when you can inquire about your case. If your receipt date is before the ‘Receipt date for a case inquiry,’ you can submit an ‘outside normal processing time’ service request online.” You may also want to scheduled a consultation to have our firm review your I-130 for any issues that could potentially cause delay.
My receipt date on Form I-129F for K3 (spouse of U.S. citizen) is December 2019. It is already outside the normal processing time per USCIS website. I completed the Form for Outside Normal Processing Time, waited 1 month, no response. Are they really processing I129Fs?
Hello. USCIS sent a receipt notice of our I-129F K-1 Fiancé Visa on April 13, 2020. The last update on their website about our case is from April 15, 2020. (Current status: Case was receieved) Should we expect an update in the next 4 days as it will be 7months by that time?
Start by checking the status of your I-129F online. Find the receipt number on your receipt notice and then check the status here: https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do.
Assuming the status shows your case is still pending, you next should look at your receipt notice to identify which USCIS service center is handling your case. Then, you can look at the above table to identify the estimated processing time. Finally, if the receipt date for your I-129F is earlier than the “receipt date for a case inquiry,” you should file an inquiry with USCIS to check the status of your case. The inquiry can be made by phone to the USCIS Contact Center or by using the “Case Outside Normal Processing Time” e-Request form at https://egov.uscis.gov/e-request/Intro.do.
Lucky: USCIS has not assigned USCIS Texas, Potomac, or Nebraska Service Center to adjudicate I-129Fs. All I-129Fs are currently being adjudicated by the California and Vermont Service Centers.
Presenté dos formularios de I-130 para mis hijos menores de edad.En este caso mi petición es de primer órden?? Que tiempo se podría demorar??? Lo están procesando en en Centro de Servicios de Nebraska. Gracias…
Hello – Is there a way to determine whether the California or Vermont Service Center will process my I-129F? They both have drastically different processing times so I am just curious as to what factors will determine which service center processes the application. Thanks in advance!
With the current COVID situation, what is the I-129f situation and are there any steps one can take to ensure a prompt processing?
See Consular Posts May Prioritize K-1 Visas.
How long will processing of my I-129F petition take? It was received by USCIS on June 11.
Bukaz: You raise an important question. The processing times shown here report current processing times. But you are asking for a prediction about future processing times, which may be impacted by various factors, such as: (a) how will COVID-19 impact the number of applications/petitions submitted and the number of officers assigned to adjudicate them? (b) how will USCIS’ budgetary woes (Update: USCIS Cancels Employee Furlough, But Processing Delays Loom) impact processing times? (c) what priority is USCIS giving to this type of case now under the Trump administration, and how might that change if there were a Biden administration? Unfortunately, I don’t have a crystal ball.
Hi
My priority date is October 2019 for an I-130 in the F2A category (spouse or unmarried child of a permanent resident) filed at the California Service Center. The processing times posted by USCIS seem to increase every month.
Thanks
I’m having this problem too
Hi
I’m a US citizen. I filed an I-130 for my spouse. The Texas Service Center received it May 7, 2019, but no decision has been made yet. What should I do?
Alysha: USCIS suggests: “We have posted a ‘Receipt date for a case inquiry’ … to show when you can inquire about your case. If your receipt date is before the ‘Receipt date for a case inquiry,’ you can submit an ‘outside normal processing time’ service request online.” You may also want to scheduled a consultation to have our firm review your I-130 for any issues that could potentially cause delay.
My receipt date on Form I-129F for K3 (spouse of U.S. citizen) is December 2019. It is already outside the normal processing time per USCIS website. I completed the Form for Outside Normal Processing Time, waited 1 month, no response. Are they really processing I129Fs?
King: Thanks for checking in. This webpage tracks processing time for K-1s and K-2s but not K-3s or K-4s.
Hello!! I submitted I-130s for my parents in Nov. 2019. When do you think the I-130s will be adjudicated?
VCP: Which USCIS service center are the I-130s pending at?
Hello. USCIS sent a receipt notice of our I-129F K-1 Fiancé Visa on April 13, 2020.
The last update on their website about our case is from April 15, 2020. (Current status: Case was receieved)
Should we expect an update in the next 4 days as it will be 7months by that time?
PMC:
Start by checking the status of your I-129F online. Find the receipt number on your receipt notice and then check the status here: https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do.
Assuming the status shows your case is still pending, you next should look at your receipt notice to identify which USCIS service center is handling your case. Then, you can look at the above table to identify the estimated processing time. Finally, if the receipt date for your I-129F is earlier than the “receipt date for a case inquiry,” you should file an inquiry with USCIS to check the status of your case. The inquiry can be made by phone to the USCIS Contact Center or by using the “Case Outside Normal Processing Time” e-Request form at https://egov.uscis.gov/e-request/Intro.do.
Thank you sir. Our I-129F is at the California Service Center.
PMC: So, it’s still too early to file an inquiry per the “Receipt Date for Case Inquiry.” Hopefully you’ll receive your decision soon.
Hi, why is there no I-129F processing time listed for the USCIS Texas Service Center?
Lucky: USCIS has not assigned USCIS Texas, Potomac, or Nebraska Service Center to adjudicate I-129Fs. All I-129Fs are currently being adjudicated by the California and Vermont Service Centers.
Hola Abogado…
Presenté dos formularios de I-130 para mis hijos menores de edad.En este caso mi petición es de primer órden??
Que tiempo se podría demorar???
Lo están procesando en en Centro de Servicios de Nebraska.
Gracias…
Hola Aida: Si usted es ciudadana y sus hijos menores de eded son solteros, entonces estas peticiones deben ser clasificados “immediate relatives.”
Hello – Is there a way to determine whether the California or Vermont Service Center will process my I-129F? They both have drastically different processing times so I am just curious as to what factors will determine which service center processes the application. Thanks in advance!
Laura: USCIS says these I-130s and I-129Fs are filed with USCIS lockboxes and from there routed to different Service Centers according to “workload.” https://www.uscis.gov/forms/all-forms/service-center-forms-processing.