Estimate how long your green card, work visa, or citizenship case will take — step by step, based on your pathway and country.
The U.S. immigration system is notoriously complex, with processing times that vary dramatically based on your pathway, country of birth, USCIS workload, and individual case factors. This calculator provides realistic estimates based on current 2026 processing data from USCIS, the Department of Labor, and the Department of State.
| Pathway | Total Time (Most Countries) | Total Time (India) |
|---|---|---|
| EB-1A Self-Petition | 12-18 months | 18-30 months |
| EB-2 NIW Self-Petition | 12-24 months | 12-15+ years |
| EB-2 with PERM | 2-4 years | 13-18+ years |
| EB-3 with PERM | 3-5 years | 12-18+ years |
| L-1A → EB-1C | 1-2 years | 2-3 years |
| Marriage to U.S. Citizen | 12-18 months | 12-18 months |
| H-1B (lottery to start) | 6-10 months | 6-10 months |
| F-1 → H-1B → Green Card | 5-8 years | 15-22+ years |
| Naturalization | 8-15 months | 8-15 months |
| EB-5 Investor | 2-4 years | 2-4 years (set-aside) |
Required for most EB-2 and EB-3 green cards. The employer must prove no qualified U.S. worker is available. This involves a prevailing wage determination (6-8 months), recruitment (1-2 months), and DOL adjudication (4-8 months). About 25% of PERMs are audited, adding 6-12 months. Total: 12-18 months. See our PERM guide for details.
Filed by the employer (or self-petitioner for EB-1A and NIW) after PERM approval. Regular processing: 6-14 months. Premium processing ($2,805): 15 business days. See I-140 processing times for current data by category.
This is the variable that makes the biggest difference. For most countries, employment-based categories are current (zero wait). For India and China, the wait can be years or decades. Use our Green Card Calculator to check your specific date. Read our Visa Bulletin explainer to understand how it works.
The final step — filing to become a permanent resident. Current processing: 8-24 months depending on field office. See our I-485 processing time guide. While pending, you receive an EAD work permit and Advance Parole travel document.
Speeds things up: Premium processing for I-140 ($2,805 for 15-day response), filing I-485 concurrently with I-140, filing online (20-30% faster than paper at most USCIS offices), living near a fast USCIS field office, and having a complete, error-free application that avoids RFEs.
Slows things down: PERM audits (+6-12 months), RFEs on any form (+2-4 months per RFE), Visa Bulletin retrogression, security background check delays, USCIS field office backlog, and changing employers mid-process (may require restarting PERM).
This calculator provides estimates based on current USCIS processing times, DOL data, and Visa Bulletin trends as of April 2026. Actual times may vary based on individual case complexity, RFEs, audits, and policy changes. Use these estimates for planning, not as guarantees.
The per-country cap limits each country to approximately 7% of annual employment-based green cards (~9,800/year). With demand from Indian nationals far exceeding this allocation (400,000+ approved I-140s pending), the backlog grows every year. See our Indian professionals backlog guide.
Yes. File I-140 with premium processing, file I-485 as soon as your priority date is current, file online for faster processing, and submit a complete application to avoid RFEs. For extreme delays, consider an expedite request or writ of mandamus.
For most people: EB-1A self-petition (12-18 months, no employer needed, no PERM) or marriage to a U.S. citizen (12-18 months). For entrepreneurs: EB-5 investor set-aside categories are current for all countries. See our how to get a green card fast guide.