I-130 Processing Time: Green Card For Spouse, Alien, Parents, Siblings & Children’s Petition

Form I-130, the petition for alien relatives is the first step toward family reunification for anyone looking to bring family members to the United States, whether they are US citizens sponsoring a relative or permanent resident hoping to bring family members to the country.

In this in-depth article, we explore the most recent processing times for form I-130 across a variety of family preference categories, providing insight into the complex web of timelines and USCIS procedures.

Understanding Form I-130 and Family Preference Categories

The foundation for sponsoring a family member’s immigration to the US is Form I-130. You will fit into one of the USCIS-outlined family preference groups based on your relationship to the intended immigrant. Among these categories are

1. Permanent resident filing for a spouse or child under 21
2. US citizen filing for a spouse, parent, or child under 21
3. US citizen filing for an unmarried son or daughter 21 or older
4. Permanent resident filing for an unmarried son or daughter 21 or older
5. US citizen filing for a married son or daughter
6. US citizen filing for a brother or sister

Every classification has a specific processing schedule and a USCIS service center where petitions are handled.

2024 USCIS I-130 Processing Times

Form I-130 petitions are processed by USCIS as of March 2024 at several service centers around the country, including those in Vermont, California, Nebraska, Texas, and Potomac. Processing times in the USCIS service center differ greatly depending on the kind of relationship.

Processing Times for Each I-130 Application Type Across the Different Service Centers

1. Permanent resident filing for a spouse or child under 21

• California service center: 42 months (applications received around September 14, 2020)
• Nebraska service center: 24.5 months (applications received around February 28th, 2022)
• Potomac service center: 31 months (applications received around August 14th, 2021)
• Texas service center: 35 months (applications received around April 14th, 2021)
• Vermont service center: 34.5 months (applications received around April 1st, 2021)

2. US citizen filing for a spouse, parent, or child under 21

California, Nebraska, Potomac, Texas, and Vermont service centers: 14 months processing time for applications received around January 14th, 2023

3. US citizen filing for an unmarried son or daughter 21 or older

Processing times vary across service centers

• California: 79.5 months (applications received around July 28th, 2017)
• Nebraska: 26 months (applications received around June 14th, 2022)
• Potomac: 47 months (applications received around April 14, 2020)
• Texas: 47.5 months (applications received around April 1st, 2020)
• Vermont: 48.5 months (applications received around June 28th, 2020)

4. Permanent resident filing for an unmarried son or daughter 21 or older

Processing times vary across service centers

• California: 71.5 months (applications received around April 2nd, 2018)
• Nebraska: 47.5 months (applications received around October 2nd, 2020)
• Potomac: 44.5 months (applications received around November 2nd, 2020)
• Texas: 51.5 months (applications received around June 27th, 2020)
• Vermont: 71 months (applications received around April 14th, 2020)

5. US citizen filing for a married son or daughter

Processing times vary across service centers

• California: 80.5 months (applications received around June 29, 2017)
• Nebraska: 45.5 months (applications received around May 28, 2020)
• Potomac: 46 months (applications received around May 28, 2020)
• Texas: 51.5 months (applications received around February 23rd, 2020)
• Vermont: 49 months (applications received around March 7th, 2020)

6. US citizen filing for a brother or sister

Processing times vary across service centers

• California: 49.5 months (applications received around June 22nd, 2020)
• Nebraska: 25.5 months (applications received around March 15, 2022)
• Potomac: 41 .5 months (applications received around August 17th, 2020)
• Texas: 49 months (applications received around November 14th, 2020)
• Vermont: 50 months (applications received around January 14th, 2015)

Conclusion

Anyone navigating the US immigration system must be aware of the processing times for form I-130 applications. These schedules offer important information about the anticipated wait times for family-based immigration petitions.

Candidates should be aware of any changes in processing schedules and be ready for them while USCIS continues to handle petitions. This article is a thorough resource for anyone looking to sponsor a family member’s immigration to the US, providing clarity on the present situation regarding I-130 processing times in 2024.