I-485 processing time

What the data says today

USCIS reports I-485s in six categories, and they wait very differently.

Sources: USCIS, All Forms by Quarter, FY2026 Q3 for the medians and decisions, and the USCIS monthly report, Aug 2026 for the averages. “Decided” means approved plus denied.

Three cautions when you read it:

• A median only counts finished cases. A case still waiting is not in it. In the August report, 449,160 of 601,751 pending family I-485s (74.6%) had waited more than six months. For employment it was 137,354 of 270,857 (50.7%).
• A median and an average are different measures. They cover different periods, so do not subtract one from the other.
• Small categories are rough. The refugee median rests on 148 decisions and the Cuban median on 586.

The path from filing to green card

This is the order USCIS lists for adjustment of status (USCIS adjustment of status).

1. File. Most categories need an approved immigrant petition first, or one filed at the same time where USCIS allows it. For family cases, see I-130 processing time. For employment cases, see PERM processing time. In general you may not file until a visa is available in your category (Visa Bulletin). If an I-693 medical report is required, send it with the I-485 or USCIS may reject the package. On Oct. 7, 2026, USCIS changed the filing location for I-485s sent by mail (direct filing addresses).
2. Receipt. USCIS sends a receipt notice with your receipt number. If you mailed the case more than 30 days ago and have no receipt, USCIS says to contact it.
3. Biometrics. USCIS mails a notice for an Application Support Center visit to take your fingerprints, photo or signature. If you miss it without asking to reschedule, USCIS may deny the case.
4. Interview, if scheduled. USCIS decides case by case whether to call you in. Bring the originals of what you submitted, including passports and the I-94.
5. Request for evidence, if needed. Not everyone gets one. The notice gives a deadline, and missing it can lead to a denial.
6. Decision, then the card. An approval notice usually comes first and the card a little later. USCIS says a denial generally cannot be appealed, though a motion to reopen or reconsider may be possible.

Your online case status changes along this path. Our status index explains the messages. The one that follows the biometrics step is Case Was Updated To Show Fingerprints Were Taken.

Where the pending cases are

USCIS publishes I-485 counts for each field office, not a time. So the table shows counts for April to June 2026: pending cases, and cases approved plus denied that quarter. The last column is our rough indicator, pending divided by decided. It comes from USCIS counts and is not a USCIS processing time.

Source: USCIS I-485 performance data, FY2026 Q3. These are the 15 field offices with the most pending cases. Together they hold 495,968 of the 1,236,979 pending at field offices (40.1%). A ratio of 22.4 means Houston’s pending cases are 22.4 times the number it decided in the quarter.

Service centers are a separate list in the file. Vermont had 246,100 pending, Nebraska 42,805, California 21,108 and Texas 13,250.

Office totals mix every category. At four of these offices, most pending cases are in USCIS’s humanitarian group: Kendall 89.7%, Hialeah 86.9%, Tampa 74.4% and Houston 60.2%. That group decided 51 cases at Kendall, 4 at Hialeah, 98 at Tampa and 34 at Houston in the quarter. For your own case type, use the category medians above.

The work permit and travel document filed with it

Many applicants file an EAD (Form I-765) and advance parole (Form I-131) with the I-485, and USCIS says you may file them together. For I-485s filed after April 1, 2024, the extra fees are on the USCIS fee schedule.

For April to June 2026, USCIS reports a median of 6.4 months for adjustment-of-status EADs, across 82,172 decisions. Advance parole for people inside the U.S. had a median of 5.8 months, across 61,991 decisions. See I-765 processing time for the category counts.

USCIS says that generally, if you have a pending I-485 and leave the U.S. without an advance parole document, you will have abandoned your application (while your application is pending). Read USCIS on travel documents before you plan a trip.

If it is taking longer than normal

USCIS says it does not research cases within expected processing times. First compare your filing date with the time shown for your office on the USCIS processing times page. If you are past it:

1. Case inquiry. Use the e-Request tool to ask about a case taking longer than expected.
2. Contact Center. Call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 with your receipt number.
3. Expedite. USCIS considers requests case by case, at its sole discretion, and generally requires documents. The need for a work permit alone, without other compelling factors, does not warrant an expedite (expedite requests).
4. Address. If you move, tell USCIS within 10 days. Changing it with the Postal Service does not update USCIS (change of address).
5. Interview. If you absolutely cannot attend, call before the date. USCIS reschedules only for emergency reasons outside your control, and it can delay the case.

The YourCaseStatus app (coming soon) will alert you when your status changes. For every form, see the processing times hub.

Official links

• USCIS Form I-485
• Check your case status
• USCIS processing times
• Case inquiry (e-Request)
• While your green card application is pending
• Visa Bulletin, State Department