The Form I-485 processing time varies based on the applicant’s category of adjustment and the USCIS field office processing the application. Although the steps involved in obtaining an adjustment of status are generally the same, the processing time for Form I-485 can vary significantly due to factors such as the eligibility, the current workload of the USCIS, and the completeness and accuracy of the application package.
Form I-485 Timeline & Process Steps
Upon the successful submission of Form I-485 to the USCIS, you can anticipate the following process steps and timeline required for the application process. Check our detailed guide on what’s next after filing I-485 Form.
- Notice of Action: In 2-4 weeks after submitting Form I-485, you’ll receive your Notice of Action.
- Notice of Biometric Services Appointment: In 5-8 weeks after submitting Form I-485, you’ll receive notice of your Biometric Services Appointment.
- Biometric Services Appointment: In 5-8 weeks after submitting Form I-485, you’ll be scheduled your Biometric Services Appointment.
- Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card: In 14-20 weeks after filing Form I-485, you’ll receive your EAD card.
- Notice of Interview: In 4-10 months after submitting Form I-485, you’ll receive notice of your Interview.
- Adjustment of Status Interview: In 6-12 months after filing Form I-485, your Adjustment of Status Interview will be scheduled.
- Receive Permanent Residence: In 8-14 months after filing Form I-485, you’ll receive green card holder status.
Note: The process steps and timeline mentioned above may vary depending on various factors such as your application status, individual circumstances, filing office, and workload of the USCIS.
Different Categories & Its Processing Time For Form I-485
- The average processing time for Form I-485 Employment-Based Applications is 5 to 51 months
- The average processing time for Form I-485 Family-Based Applications is 12 to 40 months
- The average processing time for Form I-485 (Asylum, Refugee & HRIFA) Applications is 21 to 40 months
Related Article: Check our comprehensive guide on the Form I-485 checklist
Below you can find the complete categories, service centers, and their processing time for the form I-485.
Employment-Based Form I-485 Processing Time
| Field Office or Service Center | Processing Time |
| California Service Center | 30 Months |
| Nebraska Service Center | 26.5 Months |
| Texas Service Center | 50.5 Months |
| Agana GU | 17 Months |
| Albany NY | 22 Months |
| Albuquerque NM | 25 Months |
| Anchorage AK | 10.5 Months |
| Atlanta GA | 23 Months |
| Baltimore MD | 25.5 Months |
| Boise ID | 16 Months |
| Boston MA | 19.5 Months |
| Brooklyn NY | 18 Months |
| Buffalo NY | 18.5 Months |
| Burlington VT | 16.5 Months |
| Charleston SC | 23.5 Months |
| Charlotte Amalie VI | 18 Months |
| Charlotte NC | 25 Months |
| Chicago IL | 22.5 Months |
| Christiansted VI | 22 Months |
| Cincinnati OH | 20 Months |
| Cleveland OH | 16.5 Months |
| Columbus OH | 20 Months |
| Dallas TX | 26 Months |
| Denver CO | 22 Months |
| Des Moines IA | 10.5 Months |
| Detroit MI | 21 Months |
| El Paso TX | 22 Months |
| Fort Myers FL | 22 Months |
| Fort Smith AR | 18.5 Months |
| Fresno CA | 19.5 Months |
| Greer SC | 14 Months |
| Harlingen TX | 8 Months |
| Hartford CT | 21 Months |
| Helena MT | 9.5 Months |
| Hialeah FL | 21.5 Months |
| Honolulu HI | 5 Months |
| Houston TX | 29 Months |
| Imperial CA | 13 Months |
| Indianapolis IN | 18 Months |
| Jacksonville FL | 18.5 Months |
| Kansas City MO | 20 Months |
| Kendall FL | 21.5 Months |
| Las Vegas NV | 21.5 Months |
| Lawrence MA | 22.5 Months |
| Long Island NY | 17.5 Months |
| Los Angeles CA | 20 Months |
| Los Angeles County CA | 18 Months |
| Louisville KY | 17 Months |
| Manchester NH | 21 Months |
| Memphis TN | 18.5 Months |
| Miami FL | 23.5 Months |
| Milwaukee WI | 18.5 Months |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul MN | 22.5 Months |
| Montgomery AL | 19 Months |
| Mount Laurel NJ | 20.5 Months |
| Nashville TN | 18.5 Months |
| Newark NJ | 22.5 Months |
| New Orleans LA | 23.5 Months |
| New York City NY | 18.5 Months |
| Norfolk VA | 26 Months |
| Oakland Park FL | 23 Months |
| Oklahoma City OK | 18.5 Months |
| Omaha NE | 24 Months |
| Orlando FL | 23 Months |
| Philadelphia PA | 18 Months |
| Phoenix AZ | 22.5 Months |
| Pittsburgh PA | 22 Months |
| Portland ME | 25.5 Months |
| Portland OR | 21 Months |
| Providence RI | 17 Months |
| Queens NY | 19 Months |
| Raleigh NC | 25 Months |
| Reno NV | 19.5 Months |
| Sacramento CA | 16 Months |
| Saint Louis MO | 18 Months |
| Salt Lake City UT | 19 Months |
| San Antonio TX | 24.5 Months |
| San Bernardino CA | 19.5 Months |
| San Diego CA | 18 Months |
| San Fernando Valley CA | 21 Months |
| San Francisco CA | 14.5 Months |
| San Jose CA | 19.5 Months |
| San Juan PR | 19.5 Months |
| Santa Ana CA | 18.5 Months |
| Seattle WA | 25 Months |
| Spokane WA | 15 Months |
| Tampa FL | 19.5 Months |
| Tucson AZ | 22 Months |
| Washington DC | 34 Months |
| West Palm Beach FL | 22.5 Months |
| Wichita KS | 18.5 Months |
| Yakima WA | 19.5 Months |
Family-Based Form I-485 Processing Time
| Field Office or Service Center | Processing Time |
| Agana GU | 20.5 Months |
| Albany NY | 23 Months |
| Albuquerque NM | 20.5 Months |
| Anchorage AK | 17 Months |
| Atlanta GA | 38.5 Months |
| Baltimore MD | 28 Months |
| Boise ID | 19 Months |
| Boston MA | 20 Months |
| Brooklyn NY | 39 Months |
| Buffalo NY | 15.5 Months |
| Burlington VT | 16 Months |
| Charleston SC | 24.5 Months |
| Charlotte Amalie VI | 22 Months |
| Charlotte NC | 17.5 Months |
| Chicago IL | 21 Months |
| Christiansted VI | 15 Months |
| Cincinnati OH | 17.5 Months |
| Cleveland OH | 14.5 Months |
| Columbus OH | 15 Months |
| Dallas TX | 20 Months |
| Denver CO | 21.5 Months |
| Des Moines IA | 17 Months |
| Detroit MI | 13.5 Months |
| El Paso TX | 17.5 Months |
| Fort Myers FL | 19 Months |
| Fort Smith AR | 18.5 Months |
| Fresno CA | 15 Months |
| Greer SC | 17.5 Months |
| Harlingen TX | 15 Months |
| Hartford CT | 15.5 Months |
| Helena MT | 18.5 Months |
| Hialeah FL | 16.5 Months |
| Honolulu HI | 19 Months |
| Houston TX | 25 Months |
| Imperial CA | 13.5 Months |
| Indianapolis IN | 18 Months |
| Jacksonville FL | 20.5 Months |
| Kansas City MO | 16.5 Months |
| Kendall FL | 19 Months |
| Las Vegas NV | 32 Months |
| Lawrence MA | 15.5 Months |
| Long Island NY | 20.5 Months |
| Los Angeles CA | 17 Months |
| Los Angeles County CA | 14.5 Months |
| Louisville KY | 16.5 Months |
| Manchester NH | 17.5 Months |
| Memphis TN | 18 Months |
| Miami FL | 25 Months |
| Milwaukee WI | 18 Months |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul MN | 32.5 Months |
| Montgomery AL | 19.5 Months |
| Mount Laurel NJ | 20.5 Months |
| Nashville TN | 18 Months |
| Newark NJ | 28.5 Months |
| New Orleans LA | 26 Months |
| New York City NY | 16 Months |
| Norfolk VA | 16.5 Months |
| Oakland Park FL | 25 Months |
| Oklahoma City OK | 17.5 Months |
| Omaha NE | 31 Months |
| Orlando FL | 18 Months |
| Philadelphia PA | 19 Months |
| Phoenix AZ | 15 Months |
| Pittsburgh PA | 18 Months |
| Portland ME | 19 Months |
| Portland OR | 19.5 Months |
| Providence RI | 20 Months |
| Queens NY | 31 Months |
| Raleigh NC | 18 Months |
| Reno NV | 17.5 Months |
| Sacramento CA | 26.5 Months |
| Saint Louis MO | 12 Months |
| Salt Lake City UT | 40 Months |
| San Antonio TX | 16 Months |
| San Bernardino CA | 12.5 Months |
| San Diego CA | 15 Months |
| San Fernando Valley CA | 15.5 Months |
| San Francisco CA | 22.5 Months |
| San Jose CA | 16 Months |
| San Juan PR | 20 Months |
| Santa Ana CA | 15.5 Months |
| Seattle WA | 21 Months |
| Spokane WA | 29 Months |
| Tampa FL | 16 Months |
| Tucson AZ | 16.5 Months |
| Washington DC | 17 Months |
| West Palm Beach FL | 17 Months |
| Wichita KS | 18 Months |
| Yakima WA | 22.5 Months |
Under the Haitian Refugee Immigrant Fairness Act (HRIFA) Form I-485 Processing Time
| Field Office or Service Center | Processing Time |
| Nebraska Service Center | 26.5 Months |
Asylum-Based Form I-485 Processing Time
| Field Office or Service Center | Processing Time |
| Nebraska Service Center | 39 Months |
| Texas Service Center | 40 Months |
Refugee-Based Form I-485 Processing Time
| Field Office or Service Center | Processing Time |
| Nebraska Service Center | 35.5 Months |
Based on an approved T Visa Form I-485 Processing Time
| Field Office or Service Center | Processing Time |
| Vermont Service Center | 28.5 Months |
Based on an approved U Visa Form I-485 Processing Time
| Field Office or Service Center | Processing Time |
| Nebraska Service Center | 21 Months |
| Vermont Service Center | 25 Months |
Reasons for Form I-485 Application Delays
There are several reasons for the delay in processing your I-485 application form. The most common reasons are:
- You have received a Request for Evidence (RFE), which is asking for additional information to support your submission of Form I-485.
- The appointment for your biometrics has been rescheduled.
- Your case has been transferred to a different USCIS Service Center.
- There have been processing errors related to your Form I-485.
- The USCIS may conduct additional checks and investigations related to your case.
- You have changed your address, and it’s important to update it with USCIS.
Let Us Help You Finish Your I-485 Application Successfully
If you take the extra time and care to complete your Form I-485, you can minimize the processing time for your application. ImmigrationDirect helps optimize your I-485 Form processing time with our best approach. Our objective is to help you prepare an application that meets all eligibility requirements and is thoroughly documented, thereby reducing the likelihood of receiving Requests for Evidence (RFEs) or denials. Our customized online system process and lawyer consultation ensure USCIS approval of your application.
