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I-129 processing times

Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker. Newest: Apr–Jun 2026.

If you file today, most likely
7–12 months
could be 5–16 months
How we worked this out

The range starts from USCIS’s median of 9.5 months for Apr–Jun 2026 and widens it by how far real waits landed from the median in past quarters. In past quarters, the typical wait fell in the most likely range about half the time, and in the could-be range 8 times in 10.

Premium and regular processing together: with premium processing, USCIS acts within weeks.

Time to clear backlog

3.2 months

up from 2.4 months

Pending applications

192,712

+60% vs. previous quarter

Decided in Apr–Jun 2026

183,308

+22% vs. previous quarter

Approval rate

78%

−12 pts vs. previous quarter
Special cases:

The work visa timeline puts the whole wait as dates.

If you file today

CategoryMost likely (50%)Could be (80%)USCIS median
I-1297–12 months

premium and regular together

5–16 months9.5 months

What happened to the applications

  • Approved
  • Denied
  • Pending at quarter end
  • Filed
050k100k150k200k250k202120222023202420252026
Source: USCIS’s quarterly All USCIS Application and Petition Form Types reports, via the Immigration and Citizenship Data page.

USCIS median and backlog over time

Time to clear backlog is how long USCIS would need to decide every pending case if it kept deciding them at the same speed. It is not your wait: the pile includes cases on hold and cases USCIS cannot decide yet.

How to read the chart

For Apr–Jun 2024, USCIS published the quarter before's medians again, so the chart has none for Apr–Jun 2024.

  • Time to clear backlog
  • USCIS median processing time
0246810months202120222023202420252026
USCIS’s median is how long the cases it decided in the quarter had taken.