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I-821 processing times

Application for Temporary Protected Status. Newest: Apr–Jun 2026.

If you file today, most likely
13–26 months
could be 9–48 months
How we worked this out

The range starts from USCIS’s median of 15.5 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. We make the range wider when USCIS decides far fewer cases than usual. But in past slowdowns like this, the typical wait fell inside the could-be range only about 2 times in 3.

Time to clear backlog

210 months

up from 187 months

Pending applications

567,110

−1% vs. previous quarter

Decided in Apr–Jun 2026

8,106

−12% vs. previous quarter

Approval rate

91%

+3 pts vs. previous quarter

If you file today

CategoryMost likely (50%)Could be (80%)USCIS median
I-82113–26 months9–48 months15.5 months

What happened to the applications

  • Approved
  • Denied
  • Pending at quarter end
  • Filed
0200k400k600k800k1m1.2m202120222023202420252026
Source: USCIS’s quarterly All USCIS Application and Petition Form Types reports, via the Immigration and Citizenship Data page. A diamond marks a pending count that doesn't match the quarter before's count plus the quarter's filings minus its decisions: it is what USCIS reported, but USCIS doesn't say why they differ, so the pages draw no conclusions from it.

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
0100200300months202120222023202420252026
USCIS’s median is how long the cases it decided in the quarter had taken. A diamond marks a pending count that doesn't match the quarter before's count plus the quarter's filings minus its decisions: it is what USCIS reported, but USCIS doesn't say why they differ, so the pages draw no conclusions from it.