USCIS Processing Times Tracker

USCIS processing times are one of the most-checked pieces of information in the US immigration world — and also one of the most misunderstood. The times USCIS publishes are not guarantees; they are estimates based on how long it has taken to complete 80% of cases of that type at that service center. Your case may move faster or slower.

Each form is processed at a specific service center — and which center handles your case depends on where you live, which form you filed, and how USCIS has allocated its workload. Your service center is printed on your I-797 receipt notice. The three-letter code tells you everything: EAC = Vermont (Eastern Adjudication Center), WAC = California (Western), LIN = Nebraska, SRC = Texas, MSC = Potomac.

Processing times can shift dramatically month to month — sometimes by several months in either direction — based on staffing, policy changes, and the volume of applications USCIS receives. The COVID-19 pandemic caused historic backlogs, and while USCIS has worked to reduce them, waits for some forms remain significantly longer than pre-2020 levels.

The inquiry dateshown in this tool is the receipt date before which you may be eligible to submit a case inquiry to USCIS if your case hasn't been decided. You can submit an inquiry online at egov.uscis.gov/e-request. USCIS is not obligated to expedite your case simply because you inquire, but it can sometimes prompt a review of stuck cases.

Always cross-check this tool with the live USCIS processing times page before making any decisions — we update our data monthly, but USCIS updates theirs more frequently.