EB-1, EB-2, EB-3 Processing Times in 2026: What to Expect by Category

You filed your I-140 six months ago, and the priority date isn't moving. All the while, the clock is ticking.

That's the reality for thousands of employment-based green card applicants right now, and the numbers behind it are worse than they were a year ago. USCIS ended fiscal year 2025 with 11.6 million pending cases, a 23% increase over the prior year close, and the backlog grew by more than 800,000 cases in a single quarter.

This guide breaks down the processing times for EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 visas by stage and by country, with data that’s current as of the June 2026 Visa Bulletin and the latest USCIS reporting. The employment-based immigration attorneys at SimVisa work with applicants across all three categories, and the patterns explained here reflect what we've seen in cases this year.

The Three Stages of the Employment-Based Green Card Timeline

The phrase "processing time" is a common source of confusion. In actuality, it isn't a single number. An employment-based (EB) green card must move through up to three separate queues, and a backup in any one of them can cause the whole case to stall.

PERM Labor Certification (Department of Labor)

Certification is required for most EB-2 and EB-3 cases, but not for EB-1A, EB-1C, or EB-2 with a National Interest Waiver. This phase currently averages about 501 days as of mid-2026, down from a 512-day peak in February.

I-140 Immigrant Petition (USCIS)

This step is where USCIS confirms that you meet the requirements for the category you’re applying to. Standard processing times range from a few months to over two years, depending on category and service center. Premium processing is available for an additional fee.

Visa Availability (Adjustment of Status or Consular Processing)

Your priority date (the date your PERM certification was filed, or your I-140 if PERM isn’t required) has to become "current" before USCIS can issue a green card. For EB-2 and EB-3 applicants from India and China, this is by far the longest stage.

The I-140 and I-485 can sometimes be filed together (concurrent filing) if the priority date is current at the time of filing. For most EB-1 and EB-2 applicants outside of India and China, that concurrent window has been open through most of 2026.

EB-1 Processing Times in 2026

The EB-1 category covers individuals with extraordinary ability (EB-1A), outstanding professors and researchers (EB-1B), and multinational executives or managers (EB-1C). None of these visas requires PERM certification, which removes the longest single delay from the timeline.

I-140 Standard Processing

As of June 2026, USCIS reports that it takes roughly 17.5–26.5 months to complete 80% of EB-1 cases under standard processing.

EB-1A and EB-1B cases with strong, well-documented evidence often conclude in the six-to-12-month range. EB-1C tends to run longer because both the qualifying multinational corporate structure and the executive or managerial role of the beneficiary must be verified.

Premium Processing

EB-1A and EB-1B qualify for the 15-business-day premium-processing window for a $2,965 fee (increased from $2,805 effective March 1, 2026). EB-1C is also eligible for premium processing, but within a 45-business-day window.

Premium processing means USCIS will take some action within the guaranteed timeframe. If they miss the deadline, the fee is refunded, but adjudication continues. A Request for Evidence (RFE) pauses the clock, and a response resets it.

EB-1 Visa Availability in June 2026

• China: April 1, 2023
• India: Retrogressed to December 15, 2022 (a 3.5-month backward movement from May)
• Mexico, Philippines, and all other countries: Current; eligible applicants can file Form I-485 with Form I-140 right now

For most countries, an EB-1 case with premium processing and a current priority date can progress from initial filing to final issuance of a green card in roughly 12–18 months.

For India, the timeline is closer to several years and getting longer. The Department of State has warned that further retrogression (or potentially making the EB-1 visa category "unavailable" for Indian applicants) may be necessary before the fiscal year ends on September 30, 2026.

EB-2 Processing Times in 2026

The EB-2 visa is for professionals who hold advanced degrees or persons of exceptional ability. The National Interest Waiver (NIW) lets the beneficiary self-petition without an employer or PERM certification if the work is deemed in the U.S. national interest.

PERM Certification and I-140 Standard Processing

For employer-sponsored EB-2 applications (not NIW), the case starts with PERM certification at the Department of Labor, which currently takes around 501 days. After certification, the I-140 process follows.

I-140 standard processing for EB-2 has been creeping up throughout 2026, with many cases running up to 20 months or longer at some service centers. For EB-2 NIW specifically, the I-140 review alone can take up to 25 months with standard processing.

Premium Processing

EB-2 I-140s (including NIW) qualify for premium processing for a $2,965 fee, with an administrative window of 45 business days. That's still a major reduction compared to 20-plus months of standard adjudication. For NIW filers, getting an answer in roughly nine weeks has real strategic value.

EB-2 Visa Availability in June 2026

• China: September 1, 2021
• India: Retrogressed to September 1, 2013
• Mexico, Philippines, and all other countries: Current through both May and June 2026

On May 22, 2026, the State Department announced that the annual per-country limit for EB-2 India in Fiscal Year 2026 had been reached. Indian applicants can still file if their priority date is current under the bulletin, but no immigrant visas will be issued in this category for the rest of FY2026 (through September 30, 2026).

The State Department has also flagged China EB-2 as another category where retrogression or unavailability is possible before the fiscal year closes.

Realistic EB-2 Totals

For EB-2 NIW applicants with premium processing and a current priority date in other countries, the full journey from filing to green card typically takes 18–30 months in 2026. Most of that time is spent on the I-485, which isn’t eligible for any form of premium processing.

For EB-2 India, the priority date alone is now 13 years behind, and the State Department's statement about further retrogression makes any kind of numeric prediction essentially meaningless.

EB-3 Processing Times in 2026

The EB-3 visa category covers skilled workers (positions requiring at least two years of training or experience), professionals (those who hold at least a bachelor's degree), and "other workers" (unskilled positions requiring less than two years’ experience). EB-3 requires PERM in all subcategories except where the beneficiary qualifies under a separate path.

PERM Certification and I-140 Standard Processing

PERM is the front-end bottleneck for EB-3 applications, taking around 501 days on average right now, plus another three to five months if the case is selected for audit. EB-3 I-140s themselves are typically approved faster than EB-2 (often in a few months) because the underlying PERM process has already taken care of much of the qualifying work.

Premium Processing

EB-3 I-140s qualify for premium processing on the 15-business-day timeline at $2,965. Premium processing only accelerates the processing of Form I-140; it does nothing for PERM or for the visa availability wait that follows.

EB-3 Visa Availability in June 2026

The following are the Final Action Dates for EB-3 professionals and skilled workers:

• China: Advanced six weeks to August 1, 2021
• India: Advanced one month to December 15, 2013
• Philippines: August 1, 2023; may retrogress before the fiscal year ends
• All other countries, Mexico: June 1, 2024

For other workers, they are:

• China: April 1, 2019
• India: December 15, 2013
• Philippines: November 1, 2021
• All other countries, Mexico: February 1, 2022

In 2026, a “Rest of World” EB-3 case may take two to five years from start to finish, largely due to the PERM certification and visa availability stages.

For India, applicants who are currently waiting filed in 2013–2014 and are looking at 10 or more additional years from filing. EB-3 India cases filed in 2018–2020 are still pending in 2026 for applicants with priority dates from 2009–2012.

Added Time from the I-485 Stage

Once your priority date is current, filing Form 1-485 to adjust your status is the last step with USCIS inside the United States. Here are some numbers worth knowing as of mid-2026:

• Nebraska Service Center: Employment-based I-485 processing in roughly eight to 14 months
• Texas Service Center: Around eight to 24 months for similar EB-2 cases
• National Benefits Center: 10.5–17 months

The discrepancy between centers isn't because one works faster than another. Texas receives a disproportionate volume of India and China-based cases subject to retrogression, which pulls its median number up. USCIS assigns cases by category and filing location; applicants don't choose the center.

For applicants outside the U.S., consular processing through the National Visa Center can add three to six months on top of I-140 adjudication, depending on appointment availability at the relevant embassy or consulate. Premium processing isn’t available for Form I-485.

What's Actually in Your Control

Most of the timeline for employment-based immigration is locked in by category, country of birth, and visa bulletin updates, none of which you can control. That said, there are a few things that genuinely can decrease the wait.

Category Upgrade Where Applicable

An applicant in the EB-3 India queue who can credibly show advanced-degree eligibility for an EB-2 visa, or an EB-2 NIW applicant who can build an EB-1A case, may be able to file a new petition and keep their original priority date. This is the single largest lever for applicants based in India or China.

Premium Processing When the Priority Date Is Current

For EB-1 and EB-2 applicants in other countries, premium processing can meaningfully shorten the I-140 stage. However, it won’t help for backlogged India and China-based cases, as the holdup is the visa number, not the I-140 review.

Concurrent I-140 and I-485 Filing

Filing both forms together when the priority date allows it could save you anywhere from two to six months compared to filing sequentially.

Well-Organized, Complete Petitions

An RFE will pause your case and give you 87 days to respond, after which the clock will reset. Focusing on submitting clear, well-formatted documentation up front always beats trying to amend a filing mid-adjudication.

A Note on the 2026 Policy Changes

Beyond category-specific retrogression, two developments are worth keeping an eye on for any EB filing this year.

First, USCIS issued a policy memo on May 22, 2026, treating adjustment of status as an "extraordinary form of relief," which may push more applicants toward consular processing in the months ahead.

Second, the Department of State imposed an indefinite pause on immigrant visa issuance for nationals of approximately 75 countries effective January 21, 2026, which directly affects consular-processing eligibility for affected applicants.

It’s worth pointing out that these are moving pieces, and what's true in June 2026 may change before the fiscal year ends on September 30, 2026.