Updated USCIS Processing Times for Immediate Relative I-130s and I-129Fs

30 responses to “Updated USCIS Processing Times for Immediate Relative I-130s and I-129Fs”

1. 

   Dennis Walter

   August 19, 2020

   With the current COVID situation, what is the I-129f situation and are there any steps one can take to ensure a prompt processing?

   Reply
   1. 

      Gary Chodorow

      September 6, 2020

      See Consular Posts May Prioritize K-1 Visas.

      Reply
2. 

   Bukaz yasin

   September 11, 2020

   How long will processing of my I-129F petition take? It was received by USCIS on June 11.

   Reply
   1. 

      Gary Chodorow

      September 13, 2020

      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.

      Reply
3. 

   Rupi

   September 15, 2020

   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

   Reply
   1. 

      Tina

      October 6, 2020

      I’m having this problem too

      Reply
4. 

   Alysha

   September 19, 2020

   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?

   Reply
   1. 

      Gary Chodorow

      September 20, 2020

      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.

      Reply
5. 

   King

   September 19, 2020

   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?

   Reply
   1. 

      Gary Chodorow

      September 20, 2020

      King: Thanks for checking in. This webpage tracks processing time for K-1s and K-2s but not K-3s or K-4s.

      Reply
6. 

   VCP

   November 2, 2020

   Hello!! I submitted I-130s for my parents in Nov. 2019. When do you think the I-130s will be adjudicated?

   Reply
   1. 

      Gary Chodorow

      November 4, 2020

      VCP: Which USCIS service center are the I-130s pending at?

      Reply
   2. 

      PMC

      November 12, 2020

      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?

      Reply
      1. 

         Gary Chodorow

         November 12, 2020

         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.

         Reply
7. 

   PMC

   November 12, 2020

   Thank you sir. Our I-129F is at the California Service Center.

   Reply
   1. 

      Gary Chodorow

      November 12, 2020

      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.

      Reply
8. 

   Lucky

   November 17, 2020

   Hi, why is there no I-129F processing time listed for the USCIS Texas Service Center?

   Reply
   1. 

      Gary Chodorow

      November 17, 2020

      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.

      Reply
9. 

   Aida Garcia

   December 18, 2020

   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…

   Reply
   1. 

      Gary Chodorow

      December 18, 2020

      Hola Aida: Si usted es ciudadana y sus hijos menores de eded son solteros, entonces estas peticiones deben ser clasificados “immediate relatives.”

      Reply
10. 

    Laura

    February 10, 2021

    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!

    Reply
    1. 

       Gary Chodorow

       February 10, 2021

       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.

       Reply
11. 

    bh jones

    May 31, 2021

    Just to get this right, it is now taking 3 years to process I-130s through the Vermont Service Center?!? Really?? The “Receipt date for a case inquiry” is the full 39 months earlier. A year earlier it was 16 to 18 months (less than 1/2 the time). Did the people at the VSC just take a year’s vacation during Covid?

    Is there any type of “National Association of Immigration Attorneys”? Can’t you guys talk to someone in charge to say “Hey, what’s the problem here?”.

    Reply
    1. 

       Gary Chodorow

       June 1, 2021

       BH Jones: The first thing to realize is that the Trump administration policy was to slow legal immigration, and many tactics were used to that end, including slowing down I-130 processing times.

       The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) is advocating strongly that the Biden administration restore reasonable processing times. For example, see America as a Welcoming Nation: A Roadmap, https://www.aila.org/advo-media/tools/ailastandswithdreamers-week-of-action/american-as-a-welcoming-nation-a-roadmap. And for more details, see Policy Brief: How USCIS Can Dismantle the Invisible Wall Slowing Case Adjudication, https://www.aila.org/advo-media/aila-policy-briefs/policy-brief-recommendations-for-how-uscis.

       Hopefully the Biden administration will take steps to turn around the trend of increasing processing times. Here is one policy statement by the administration: FACT SHEET: President Biden Outlines Steps to Reform Our Immigration System by Keeping Families Together, Addressing the Root Causes of Irregular Migration, and Streamlining the Legal Immigration System, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/02/fact-sheet-president-biden-outlines-steps-to-reform-our-immigration-system-by-keeping-families-together-addressing-the-root-causes-of-irregular-migration-and-streamlining-the-legal-immigration-syst/

       Reply
       1. 

          bh jones

          June 4, 2021

          Gary, thanks for the reply and the links.

          “The first thing to realize is that the Trump administration policy was to slow legal immigration, and many tactics were used to that end, including slowing down I-130 processing times.” Imagine your boss telling you to “work slower”.

          Reply
12. 

    Hossein

    September 22, 2021

    Now that the I130 is taking so long at the california center, should I apply for K3 visa right after applying for I 130 ?

    Reply
    1. 

       Gary Chodorow

       September 27, 2021

       Probably not. See Choosing the Best Visa Strategy for a Fiancée or Spouse: K-1, K-3, or CR1/IR1 Immigrant Visa?.

       Reply
13. 

    Erik

    June 27, 2022

    Are I-129Fs still only being processed in California?

    Reply
    1. 

       Gary Chodorow

       July 2, 2022

       Erik: Our above table shows that I-129Fs are being processed at the California and Vermont Service Centers.

       Reply
14. 

    Emily

    August 9, 2025

    The biggest takeaway? The average wait time is now 17 months for cases submitted by U.S. citizens for their spouse, parent, or unmarried child under 21. That resonates even more when you consider that the USCIS used to aim for about five months—so the reality now feels almost unimaginable.

    Even more striking is the contrast for permanent resident sponsors. Their petitions now stretch from 55 to 89 months—that’s roughly 4.5 to 7.5 years!

    I found an especially relatable perspective in a personal story featured in The Cut, where a newlywed waiting on her I‑130 described the emotional rollercoaster of checking USCIS timelines—first expecting weeks, then facing month-after-month uncertainty.

    All this really brings home how critical timely processing is—not just for paperwork, but for relationships and lives on pause. Whether you’re awaiting a spouse, parent, or child, these updates underscore the value of preparation, understanding, and holding onto hope while the months roll—because every “waiting period” isn’t just procedural; it’s deeply personal.

    Reply