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How long does it take to get a green card?

It depends on the path. For spouses, parents and children of U.S. citizens there is no visa line: USCIS processing is the wait (I-130 13.0 mo, I-485 7.0 mo median). For employment and other family categories, the Visa Bulletin wait can add years — over a decade for some countries.

Family-based green cards

Step	Current time	Source
I-130 for spouse/parent/child of a citizen	13.0 mo median	USCIS, Apr–Jun 2026
I-130 for other relatives	43.3 mo median	USCIS, Apr–Jun 2026
Visa Bulletin wait (F1–F4)	F2A ~0 years, F1 ~5.8 years, F4 ~14 years	November 2026 bulletin
I-485 family-based (inside the U.S.)	7.0 mo median	USCIS, Apr–Jun 2026

Employment-based green cards

Step	Current time	Source
Prevailing wage determination	several months (see queue)	DOL
PERM labor certification	300 days average	DOL
I-140 immigrant petition	3.9 mo median	USCIS, Apr–Jun 2026
Visa Bulletin wait	EB-2: rest of world ~1.6 years, India ~13 years, China ~5.1 years	November 2026 bulletin
I-485 employment-based	6.0 mo median	USCIS, Apr–Jun 2026

"Wait" for Visa Bulletin categories = time between the final action date and the bulletin month, i.e. how long applicants who just became eligible had waited. Check your own date with the priority date calculator.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a marriage green card take?

For spouses of U.S. citizens filing inside the U.S., USCIS decided I-130 petitions for immediate relatives in a median of 13.0 mo and family-based I-485 applications in 7.0 mo (Apr–Jun 2026). The two are usually filed together, so the green card often arrives in about a year, but many cases take longer.

How long does an employment-based green card take?

PERM labor certification currently averages 300 days, I-140 a median of 3.9 mo (faster with premium processing) and the employment-based I-485 6.0 mo. If your Visa Bulletin category is backlogged, add the wait for your priority date: EB-2 India ~13 years, EB-2 rest of world ~1.6 years.

Why do some family categories take decades?

Preference categories have annual limits, so applicants wait for their priority date. In the November 2026 Visa Bulletin the people who just became eligible had waited about: F4 Philippines ~18.5 years, F3 Mexico ~25.3 years, F2A ~0 years.

Sources.

Figures are copied from the official files without changes; derived numbers (changes, backlog estimates) are explained on the methodology page. Not legal advice.