Processing times
How long is I-140 taking right now?
Each form has a published range for every office, and where yours is handled can change it by months.
I-140 · Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers
USCIS published these on September 17, 2026
USCIS posts
3 to 6.5 months
Advanced degree or exceptional ability (E21)
I-140 by category - fastest first
Pick one to see its dates above.
- Advanced degree or exceptional ability (E21)3–6.5 mo
- Skilled worker or professional (E31; E32)4–8 mo
- Unskilled worker (EW3)9–15 mo
- Outstanding professor or researcher (E12)15–18.5 mo
- Schedule A Nurses25.5–26.5 mo2.1–2.2 yrs
- Multinational executive or manager (E13)27.5–29.5 mo2.3–2.5 yrs
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 Check on USCIS's processing times page.