How long USCIS is taking to decide I-485 green card applications filed from inside the US, from real cases we tracked from receipt to decision. Updated every day.
Based on 53 I-485 cases decided in the last 12 months, measured from the USCIS received date. USCIS national median, FY2026 for I-485: 6.2 months (family-based; employment-based cases are similar).
We don't yet have 10 or more decided I-485 cases in any single recent month, so there's no month-by-month trend to show yet. The figures above cover the whole last 12 months.
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A few weeks after filing, USCIS schedules fingerprints and a photo at an Application Support Center. Missing or rescheduling it pushes everything back. Sometimes USCIS reuses biometrics it already has and no appointment is sent.
Most family-based applications, especially marriage-based ones, are interviewed at the local field office; many employment-based applications are decided without one. Field office workload is the biggest single variable, so the same form can take months in one city and over a year in another.
For family preference and most employment-based categories, USCIS can only approve once your priority date is current under the Visa Bulletin's Final Action Dates. A category that retrogresses can freeze an otherwise ready case. Immediate relatives of US citizens aren't subject to this wait.
USCIS now generally expects the medical exam (Form I-693) to be filed with the I-485. A missing or invalid medical, or gaps in the Affidavit of Support (I-864), are common reasons for a Request for Evidence, which adds weeks to months.
This page is general information, not legal advice. For decisions about your own case, check USCIS's current guidance or talk to an immigration attorney.
Other forms: I-129F · I-751 · I-730 · I-601A · N-400 · N-600 · N-600K · I-539 · I-821 · I-129 · I-526E · I-829 · I-360 · I-918 · I-914 · I-817 · I-600A · I-600 · I-800A · I-800 · I-90 · N-565 · I-102 · I-824
All USCIS processing timesHalf of the 53 I-485 cases we tracked to a decision in the last 12 months were decided within 5.0 months, and the middle half took between 3.2 months and 6.9 months. USCIS's published national median for I-485 is 6.2 months (family-based; employment-based cases are similar).
Yes, if you also apply for a work permit (I-765) and advance parole (I-131); they're often approved together as one combo card. Leaving the US without advance parole while the I-485 is pending usually abandons the application, with narrow exceptions for some H-1B and L-1 holders. Confirm the details for your case with USCIS or an immigration attorney.
No. USCIS waives interviews for some applicants, more often in employment-based cases. Marriage-based cases are usually interviewed.
Your status changes to "New Card Is Being Produced", then "Card Was Mailed To Me", usually within a few weeks. The card arrives by mail with a USPS tracking number shown in your case status.
The USCIS figure we show is for family-based applications; employment-based ones are similar nationally. Our own numbers combine every I-485 we tracked to a decision.
Ours come from real I-485 cases we tracked from the day USCIS received them to the day they were approved or denied, over the last 12 months. USCIS's median covers its whole fiscal year and, for some forms, only one category. Neither predicts a single case exactly: your service center or field office, your category and any Request for Evidence matter more.
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