I-751 Processing Time 2026: Current Wait Times & What to Expect

Updated October 21, 2026: replaced the service center table with USCIS figures published October 19, 2026, added monthly data through August 2026, and rewrote the steps for a delayed case.

The wait for I-751 approval got slower during 2025 and 2026. The monthly average peaked at 27.9 months in March 2026 and was 21.9 months in August 2026, while the number of pending petitions kept growing, driven by a gap between the number of petitions USCIS receives and the number it approves each month. The queue is out of your hands, but a clean petition is not: Immiva's I-751 preparation checks every field and document before you file.

Current I-751 Processing Times in 2026

On October 19, 2026, the USCIS Case Processing Times tool showed that 80% of I-751 petitions were completed within 36 months. USCIS lists only one office for this form, "All Field Offices". The monthly average from USCIS's reports to Congress is a different measure: it was 21.9 months in August 2026, down from a peak of 27.9 months in March 2026.

If you are filing with a waiver (because you divorced, experienced abuse, or your spouse passed away), note that the tool shows one figure for the whole form. It does not list waiver cases separately.

Immiva's monthly USCIS snapshot: October 2026

We record the USCIS Case Processing Times tool each month. This snapshot uses figures USCIS published on October 19, 2026. The tool's number means that 80% of cases were completed within that many months, based on the past six months of completed cases. The case inquiry receipt date is the date before which you may ask USCIS about your case. For other forms, see our USCIS processing times by form.

USCIS no longer lists individual service centers such as Vermont or Nebraska for this form. Times that were once posted by service center now appear under "Service Center Operations (SCOPS)" where USCIS lists them, and for the I-751 the tool shows only All Field Offices.

How Processing Times Have Changed Over Time

USCIS publishes historic national medians by fiscal year. Here is what they show for the I-751.

The median rose from 13.6 months in FY2021 to 23.5 months in FY2024, then fell to 21.0 months in FY2025 and was 22.5 months for FY2026 (October 1, 2025 to August 30, 2026). USCIS queried these figures in September 2026. They are a different measure from the 80% figure in the tool and from the monthly average in the reports to Congress, so do not compare them number for number.

I-751 backlog: what the monthly data shows

USCIS files monthly processing data with Congress. This table covers September 2025 to February 2026. Later months are in the chart further down.

Source: USCIS Report to Congress, "Number of Service-Wide Forms by Month, Form Status, and Processing Time" (USCIS Immigration and Citizenship Data)

I-751 Remove Conditions: Monthly USCIS Data (Sep 2025 to Feb 2026). Left: petitions received vs. approved. Right: pending backlog and average processing time. Source: USCIS Report to Congress.

USCIS takes in roughly 12,000 to 13,000 I-751 petitions a month. Since December, it's approved only 5,300 to 6,100 of them. That gap of 6,000-plus cases every month isn't closing, which is why total pending cases climbed from 263,656 in September to 289,491 in February.

75% of those pending cases, 217,999 out of 289,491 as of February 2026, have been waiting more than six months. That share has grown every single month.

From September 2025 to February 2026, the average processing time went from 20.6 months to 26.3 months, which is 5.7 months added.

From September 2025 to February 2026, approval rates among decided petitions ran from 95.9% to 98.2%. In August 2026, USCIS approved 3,534 petitions and denied 983.

Average I-751 processing time, August 2025 to August 2026

Source: USCIS monthly Report to Congress (FY22 Appropriations Reporting Requirement), Aug 2025 to Aug 2026.

The monthly average was 20.4 months in August 2025 and 21.9 months in August 2026, with a peak of 27.9 months in March 2026. In August 2026, 360,671 petitions were pending, 268,379 of them for more than six months. USCIS received 14,018 petitions that month.

What this means if you're filing now

USCIS's tool showed 36 months as the point by which 80% of I-751 petitions were completed, as of October 19, 2026. The monthly average was 21.9 months in August 2026. Plan for a long wait and keep your receipt notice.

The 48-month extension on your receipt notice matters a lot at these timelines. Your extended green card should remain valid throughout the wait, but it's worth understanding exactly what the extension covers.

If you're eligible to file N-400 while your I-751 is pending, it's worth considering. USCIS handles both at the same field office, and in some cases it moves things along. See our guide to filing N-400 with a pending I-751 for more information.

The 48-Month Extension: Your Safety Net

Here's the most important thing to understand: when USCIS accepts your I-751 petition, they automatically extend your conditional green card for 48 months beyond its expiration date (USCIS Alert, January 2023).

This extension started on January 25, 2023. USCIS made this change specifically because processing times had grown longer than the original 12 or 24 month extensions could cover.

What the 48-Month Extension Means for You

With your expired green card and your I-797C receipt notice together, you can:

Continue working legally. Your receipt notice satisfies Form I-9 employment verification requirements. Present your expired green card plus the receipt notice as a List C document (combined with a List B document).

Travel internationally. You can leave and re-enter the United States with your expired card and receipt notice. CBP officers are trained to recognize this combination as valid proof of status.

Apply for state IDs and driver's licenses. Most DMVs accept the receipt notice with your expired card, though policies vary by state.

Complete real estate and financial transactions. Banks and mortgage lenders increasingly recognize the 48-month extension letters.

What Happens After You File Form I-751

Once USCIS receives your petition, here's the typical timeline:

Step 1: Receipt Notice (2 to 4 weeks)

USCIS sends Form I-797C, Notice of Action, confirming they received your petition. This notice includes your case receipt number and the 48-month extension language.

Step 2: Biometrics Appointment (6 to 10 weeks after receipt)

You'll receive an appointment notice for fingerprinting at a local Application Support Center (ASC). This appointment usually takes less than 20 minutes.

In some cases, USCIS reuses biometrics from your original I-485 application. If so, you'll receive a "biometrics reuse" notice instead of an appointment.

Step 3: Active Review (Variable)

Your case enters the adjudication queue. During this phase, USCIS reviews your evidence to determine if your marriage is bona fide. This is where most of the waiting happens.

Step 4: Decision or Interview

USCIS either approves your petition without an interview or schedules you for one. If you've submitted strong documentation proving a genuine marriage, your interview may be waived.

If USCIS needs more information, they'll send a Request for Evidence (RFE). Responding quickly and completely to an RFE is critical since delays here extend your overall timeline.

Will You Need an I-751 Interview?

Not everyone gets called for an interview. USCIS may waive it if your evidence is strong and there are no red flags. Waiver cases and incomplete filings are more likely to require one. For the full list of factors that affect interview likelihood, see our I-751 guide.

What If Your Case Is Taking Too Long?

If your I-751 is outside normal processing time, work through these steps in order. Our guide to USCIS processing times by form explains how the tool works for other forms.

1. Check your case inquiry date. On the USCIS Case Processing Times page, choose I-751, enter your receipt date and select "Get Inquiry Date". The tool gives you either an estimated date or a link to submit a question. As of October 19, 2026, the case inquiry receipt date for the I-751 was December 18, 2021. You can also check your receipt number in USCIS Case Status Online. A status of "Case Was Received" for months is normal and does not give a decision date.
2. Submit the online request or call USCIS. The e-Request "Check Case Processing" form is at egov.uscis.gov/e-request/ccpt. USCIS accepts it only for certain cases, and not if your case had activity in the last 60 days (a notice received, an RFE answered, or an online status update). It asks for your receipt number, the date you filed, the form and your email. You can also call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283, Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm Eastern.
3. Ask for an expedite only if a criterion fits. USCIS lists severe financial loss (not caused by a late filing or a late RFE response), an emergency or urgent humanitarian situation, and a clear USCIS error, among others. Meeting a criterion does not guarantee approval. Make only one request, because multiple requests can delay processing. See USCIS's page on how to make an expedite request.
4. Contact the CIS Ombudsman. The Ombudsman is an independent office in DHS and not part of USCIS. It can help if you contacted USCIS in the last 90 days, gave it at least 60 days to resolve the issue, and your case inquiry date has passed. You submit DHS Form 7001 online through the Ombudsman case assistance page. The Ombudsman cannot compel USCIS to act.
5. Optionally, ask your congressional representative's office. A member of Congress or their staff may submit a case assistance request to the Ombudsman for you with your consent. A congressional inquiry pauses Ombudsman help for 45 days.

While you wait, your I-751 receipt notice extends your conditional resident status and work authorization for 48 months, according to USCIS. After that, call the Contact Center at 800-375-5283 for evidence of your status.

Consider a Mandamus Lawsuit (Last Resort)

If a case stays pending for a very long time, an immigration attorney can tell you whether court action fits your situation.

Change log

• October 21, 2026: replaced the service center table with the October 19, 2026 USCIS snapshot, added monthly data through August 2026 and a trend chart, updated the fiscal year medians, and rewrote the delayed case steps.
• June 12, 2026: fact review and corrections.