The Form I-130 processing time is determined by the family relationship between the petitioner and the beneficiary, as well as the location from which the application is being submitted. If you are a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (green card holder) who wants to assist an eligible family member in immigrating to the U.S., the initial step is to submit a Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative.
As a U.S. Green Card Holder (legal permanent resident), you can file an I-130 petition for immediate relatives (spouse, unmarried child under 21, or parent). If the beneficiary resides outside the U.S., processing times range from 16-38 months, while for those living in the U.S., processing times range from 13.5-23.5 months.
As a citizen of the U.S., you can file an I-130 petition for immediate relatives (spouse, unmarried child under 21, or parent). If the beneficiary resides outside the U.S. can expect to wait between 13 to 15 months for processing. For those who are residing in the U.S., the processing time for Form I-130 ranges from 13.5 to 23.5 months.
In this article, you can check the individual relationship you have with permanent residents and U.S. citizens, service centers, and their processing time to complete the application.
Form I-130 Processing Time For Spouse
Form I-130 processing time to bring your spouse to the U.S. in 2023, depends on a few factors like your status, your place of living, your spouse’s place of current living, immigration status, and history.
If You Are a Permanent Residence…
As a permanent resident of the U.S., you can file Form I-130 as a petitioner for your spouse. Depending on the service centers the processing time varies. Generally, the estimated processing time ranges from 10.5 to 30 months from the date of submission. The below table shows you the center and the processing time.
| Field Office or Service Center | Processing Time |
| California Service Center | 26 Months |
| Nebraska Service Center | 16 Months |
| Potomac Service Center | 26 Months |
| Texas Service Center | 27.5 Months |
| Vermont Service Center | 37.5 Months |
| All field offices | 38 Months |
If You Are a U.S. Citizen…
As a citizen of the U.S., you can file Form I-130 as a petitioner for your spouse. If you and your spouse both reside outside the U.S., the processing time for the approval of Form I-130 can range from 16 to 27 months. When you both live in the U.S., the processing time for this process is approximately 13.2 months. Depending on the service centers the processing time varies. The below table shows you the center and the processing time.
| Field Office or Service Center | Processing Time |
| California Service Center | 14.5 Months |
| Nebraska Service Center | 14.5 Months |
| Potomac Service Center | 16 Months |
| Texas Service Center | 13 Months |
| Vermont Service Center | 14.5 Months |
| All field offices | 32.5 Months |
Form I-130 Processing Time For Parents
Form I-130 processing time for your parents takes around 12 to 16 months after the submission of the I-130 application. This time depends on the place and the situation of your parents applying. If your parents are already present in the US, USCIS can process their Green Card application through concurrent filing along with Form I-130, which saves the waiting time. However, if your parents are residing outside the US, they file and get approved Form I-130 and then immigrate to the US before applying for an adjustment of status to become a permanent resident. Unfortunately, this can make the Green Card process by an additional 6-12 months.
If You Are a U.S. Citizen…
As a citizen of the U.S., you can file Form I-130 as a petitioner for parents. There are five different processing center and processing time depends on the service centers processing the application. The below table shows you the center and the processing time.
| Field Office or Service Center | Processing Time |
| California Service Center | 14.5 Months |
| Nebraska Service Center | 14.5 Months |
| Potomac Service Center | 16 Months |
| Texas Service Center | 13 Months |
| Vermont Service Center | 14.5 Months |
| All field offices | 32.5 Months |
If you are a U.S. Green Card holder you cannot file a I-130 petition for your parents. Once they become a U.S. citizen they can sponsor their parents.
Related Article: How to Obtain Green Card For Parents
Form I-130 Processing Time For a Brother or Sister (Siblings)
Bringing your siblings (brother or sister) to the U.S. falls under the family-based green card (F4) category. It is a time-consuming process that demands significant amounts of time, energy, and patience, as well as careful attention to detail. Because brothers and sisters are not considered immediate relatives to the U.S. citizen.
If You Are a U.S. Citizen…
As a citizen of the U.S., you can file Form I-130 as a petitioner for brothers or sisters. Usually, the processing time takes around 2-5 years or longer. Depending on the service centers the processing time varies. The below table shows you the center and the processing time.
| Field Office or Service Center | Processing Time |
| California Service Center | 83.5 Months |
| Nebraska Service Center | 22 Months |
| Potomac Service Center | 37 Months |
| Texas Service Center | 43.5 Months |
| Vermont Service Center | 113.5 Months |
| All field offices | 32 Months |
If you are a U.S. Green Card holder you cannot file an I-130 petition for your siblings. Once they become a U.S. citizen they can sponsor their brothers and sisters.
Related Article: How to Obtain Green Card For Siblings
Form I-130 Processing Time For Child Under 21
If You Are a Permanent Residence…
As a permanent resident of the U.S., you can file Form I-130 as a petitioner for a child under 21 years of age. It falls under Second Preference (2A). The processing time of I-130 for a child under 21 years of age, typically takes between 23 to 38 months. Depending on the service centers the processing time varies. The below table shows you the center and the processing time.
| Field Office or Service Center | Processing Time |
| California Service Center | 26 Months |
| Nebraska Service Center | 16 Months |
| Potomac Service Center | 26 Months |
| Texas Service Center | 27.5 Months |
| Vermont Service Center | 37.5 Months |
| All field offices | 38 Months |
If You Are a U.S. Citizen…
As a U.S. citizen, you can file Form I-130 as a petitioner for a child under 21 years of age. It takes 10-13 months to process the I-130 form. Depending on the service centers the processing time varies. The below table shows you the center and the processing time.
| Field Office or Service Center | Processing Time |
| California Service Center | 14.5 Months |
| Nebraska Service Center | 14.5 Months |
| Potomac Service Center | 16 Months |
| Texas Service Center | 13 Months |
| Vermont Service Center | 14.5 Months |
| All field offices | 32.5 Months |
Form I-130 Processing Time For Unmarried Son or Daughter 21 or Older
If You Are a Permanent Residence…
As a permanent resident of the U.S., you can file Form I-130 as a petitioner for an unmarried son or daughter 21 or older. It falls under the F2B category. Depending on the service centers the processing time varies. The below table shows you the center and the processing time.
| Field Office or Service Center | Processing Time |
| California Service Center | 65.5 Months |
| Nebraska Service Center | 35 Months |
| Potomac Service Center | 35.5 Months |
| Texas Service Center | 41.5 Months |
| Vermont Service Center | 42 Months |
| All field offices | 32.5 Months |
If You Are a U.S. Citizen…
As a citizen of the U.S., you can file Form I-130 as a petitioner for an unmarried son or daughter 21 or older. It falls under the F1 category. Depending on the service centers the processing time varies. The below table shows you the center and the processing time.
| Field Office or Service Center | Processing Time |
| California Service Center | 77 Months |
| Nebraska Service Center | 26.5 Months |
| Potomac Service Center | 36.5 Months |
| Texas Service Center | 42.5 Months |
| Vermont Service Center | 42 Months |
| All field offices | 45.5 Months |
Form I-130 Processing Time For a Married Son or Daughter
Married son or daughter falls under the family-based F3 category. Due to the restricted number of F3 visas allocated each year, the USCIS requires sufficient time to carefully handle and examine the applications.
If You Are a U.S. Citizen…
As a citizen of the U.S., you can file Form I-130 as a petitioner for a married son or daughter. Depending on the service centers the processing time varies. The below table shows you the center and the processing time.
| Field Office or Service Center | Processing Time |
| California Service Center | 106.5 Months |
| Nebraska Service Center | 38 Months |
| Potomac Service Center | 36.5 Months |
| Texas Service Center | 44.5 Months |
| Vermont Service Center | 44 Months |
| All field offices | 57.5 Months |
Get Help Completing Form I-130 For Your Family
The Form I-130 processing time is increasing steadily, and even minor errors in the filing process can result in significant delays or even denial of the petition. It is important to carefully read and follow the instructions provided in the form while filling. ImmigrationDirect will help with lawyer consultation and ensure that your application gets filled out correctly and that you have everything to avoid any other delays to your processing time.
