The past year has been one of the messiest years in immigration document processing we have ever seen. Between the Trump administration’s constant discouragement of immigration applications, and USCIS’s own issues with budget shortfalls and COVID-19 shutdowns, application processing times have suffered.
Now, with President Biden in office, there is a push to get things back on track and get back to a functional system. Here are the current processing times for the three most popular types of applications.
One thing to keep in mind is that different processing centers have different processing times, and you will not usually know which center has your application until you have already filed and receive a receipt notice. So, the times below are used as examples rather than actual times it might take your application to be processed. Once you do know, you can go to the USCIS Processing Times page, select your application type and processing center, and get the most accurate time possible.
I-130, Petition for Alien Relative
Processing times have been increasing, from an average of 6 months in Fiscal Year 2016, over 10 months in FY2020. The most up to date times, from the California Service Center, are:
I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card
Processing times have been increasing, going from an average of 6 months in 2016 to an average of 7.5 months in 2020. Here are processing times from the Potomac Service Center, the only one handling these applications:
I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
Once again, we see an increase from 6.8 to 10 months between FY 2016 and FY 2020. The latest processing times from the Chicago Field Office are:
In general, things are taking a long time. With COVID-19 looking a little better this year, and with the Biden administration streamlining USCIS operations, we may see some improvements in processing times. Nonetheless, our advice is to apply as soon as possible. Contact us today to discuss your case!