How long is I-612 taking right now?
Each form has a published range for every office, and where yours is handled can change it by months.
I-612 · Application for Waiver of the Foreign Residence Requirement
I-612: fee, documents and who can fileChecked automatically
USCIS posts
2 to 5 months
Application for a waiver of the 2-year foreign residence requirement
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I-612 by category - fastest first
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Form I-612 at a glance
Of the 2 categories USCIS lists for Form I-612, the shortest posted time is 2 to 5 months, for Application for a waiver of the 2-year foreign residence requirement; the longest is 21.5 to 25 months (1.8 to 2.1 years), for Application for a waiver of the 2-year foreign residence requirement based on exceptional hardship or persecution.
The last change ImmigraMate recorded to the posted range for I-612 at Application for a waiver of the 2-year foreign residence requirement was on September 17, 2026. It now reads 2 to 5 months.
I-612 is the Application for Waiver of the Foreign Residence Requirement. I-612: fee, documents and who can file
Forms decided centrally, at the National Benefits Center or Service Center Operations. Here the category of work is what changes the answer, not the office.
USCIS publishes the time by which 80% and 93% of cases were completed. Confirm on USCIS's processing times page.
Questions about I-612 processing times
How long is Form I-612 taking right now?
For Application for a waiver of the 2-year foreign residence requirement, USCIS currently posts 2 to 5 months on Form I-612. These are the figures USCIS published in October 2026. Of the 2 categories USCIS lists for Form I-612, the shortest posted time is 2 to 5 months, for Application for a waiver of the 2-year foreign residence requirement; the longest is 21.5 to 25 months (1.8 to 2.1 years), for Application for a waiver of the 2-year foreign residence requirement based on exceptional hardship or persecution.
How much does Form I-612 cost?
USCIS charges no filing fee for Form I-612.
I-612: fee, documents and who can fileWhat if my I-612 is taking longer than the posted time?
Once your case is older than the upper end of the posted range, 5 months for Application for a waiver of the 2-year foreign residence requirement, USCIS accepts a case inquiry about it as outside normal processing times. Check your case status first: a recent update may already answer the question.
What each case status meansIf a case inquiry does not move it, you can ask your member of Congress to contact USCIS about the case for you.
How a congressional inquiry works