Adjustment of Status (AOS) processing times vary greatly, but generally range from under a year to over two years (12-36+ months), depending heavily on the category (family vs. employment), sponsor (citizen vs. green card holder), and location, with immediate relatives often faster (12-18 months) than employment-based cases (which can face visa backlogs). You can check current USCIS timelines for Form I-485 on their website, using your receipt notice to find your specific processing center.
The truth is, the full timeline of how long an adjustment of status can take varies dramatically based on several factors. Some applicants receive approval in as little as eight months, but others wait over two years. The process depends on your specific case type, where you file, and the current processing backlogs.
2-3 weeks: USCIS mails you a receipt notice acknowledging acceptance of your application. 1.5-2 months: USCIS mails you a biometrics appointment which you must attend. 8-12 months: USCIS approves your EAD (Employment Authorization Document) and Advance Parole (if you filed Forms I-765 and I-131)
Approximately 10 to 14 Months After Filing
Most Form I-130 petitions for immediate relatives are approved within a 10 to 14 month time frame, but they can take longer in some cases. If you are in the United States and also filed an application to adjust status, USCIS will begin reviewing Form I-485 at this point.
Yes, you can stay in the U.S. while your I-485 application is pending, as long as you are in authorized stay. You may also be eligible to work and study while your application is pending.
You are in what is known as Pending Adjustment of Status or Pending "AOS". This is not an actual immigration status, however it is the written USCIS policy not to refer you to ICE to be placed into removal proceedings unless there is reason to believe that you are potential danger to the community you live in.
USCIS is currently facing a record backlog, with over 11 million pending cases as of July 2025. While some forms are moving faster, green card renewals, replacements, and employment-based petitions remain slow, taking months or even years due to high demand and visa limits.
For U.S. citizens, spouse Green Card processing time averages 9-20 months total. This includes I-130 processing and final steps. For Green Card holders, the marriage Green Card wait time is 3-5 years or more.
The fastest green card processing is for immediate relatives (spouses, minor children, parents) of U.S. citizens, potentially taking under a year if adjusting status in the U.S., while employment-based EB-1 cases (extraordinary ability, multinational managers) offer quick paths with premium processing options, sometimes in months. Other family categories and employment-based categories (EB-2, EB-3) involve significant visa backlogs, extending wait times from years to over a decade, though military service members also get expedited processing.
The workload of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), background checks, and the filing method can affect the processing time of I-485. Consider expedited processing for urgent situations. Prepare all the important documents, regardless of your case, before submitting your I-485 application.
You may check your case status online or call our USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 to check the status of your Form I-485. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability: TTY 800-767-1833.
For example, if you are filing Form I-485 for family-based adjustment of status, you can use the table to estimate a processing time of about 8.2 months. However, recent data indicate that the processing time for Form I-485 is approximately 10.9 months for family-based adjustment applications.
Starting September 2, 2025, nonimmigrant visa applicants in most visa categories, including those who are renewing, will be required to attend an in-person interview with a consular officer.
Concurrent Filing (When Both Are Filed Together)
USCIS may review both applications simultaneously. The I-130 approval is still technically a prerequisite, but in practice, the I-130 and I-485 may be approved around the same time. This can shorten the overall processing time compared to filing them separately.
Yes, you can travel to the U.S. on a valid visitor visa (B-2) while your I-130 petition is pending, but there are important factors to consider.
If you leave the U.S. while your adjustment of status is pending without Advance Parole (and without another valid visa for reentry): Your I-485 application will be automatically considered abandoned. You may be denied reentry at the border. You will likely have to restart the green card process from scratch.
Practically speaking, this fee only applies to employers who use an H-1B visa petition to bring a foreign national to the United States. Current employers of H-1 workers who wish to continue to employ this worker need not worry about this fee, and can instead file an extension of status petition.
Part 2: Staying in the Schengen Area Past 90 Days