California Service Center

The following is the USCIS California Service Center Processing Time Report as of October 2023.

Form	Purpose	Sub-Type	Now Processing Cases with Estimated time range of:
I-102	Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival/Departure Record	Initial issuance or replacement of a Form I-94	34 Months
I-129	Petition for A Nonimmigrant Worker	Blanket L	1 Month
I-129	Petition for A Nonimmigrant Worker	E – Treaty traders and investors	2 Months
I-129	Petition for A Nonimmigrant Worker	H-1B – Specialty occupation – Visa to be issued abroad	2 Months
I-129	Petition for A Nonimmigrant Worker	H-1B – Specialty occupation – Change of status in the U.S.	2 Months
I-129	Petition for A Nonimmigrant Worker	H-1B – Specialty occupation – Extension of stay in the U.S.	2 Months
I-129	Petition for A Nonimmigrant Worker	Temporary Agricultural Workers	15 Days
I-129	Petition for A Nonimmigrant Worker	Temporary Non-Agricultural Workers	3 Weeks
I-129	Petition for A Nonimmigrant Worker	H-3 – Temporary trainees	2 Months
I-129	Petition for A Nonimmigrant Worker	L – Intracompany transfers	1 Month
I-129	Petition for A Nonimmigrant Worker	O – Extraordinary ability	2 Months
I-129	Petition for A Nonimmigrant Worker	P – Athletes, artists, and entertainers	2 Months
I-129	Petition for A Nonimmigrant Worker	Q – Cultural exchange visitors and exchange visitors participating in the Irish Peace process	2 Months
I-129	Petition for A Nonimmigrant Worker	R – Religious occupation	2 Months
I-129CW	Petition for a CNMI-Only Nonimmigrant Transitional work	CW-1 – CNMI-Only Nonimmigrant Transitional work	1 Month
I-129F	Petition for Alien Fiance(e)	K-1/K-2 – Not yet married – fiance and/or dependent child	16 Months
I-129F	Petition for Alien Fiance(e)	K-3/K-4 – Already married – spouse and/or dependent child	16 Months
I-130	Petition for Alien Relative	U.S. citizen filing for an unmarried son or daughter over 21	78 Months
I-130	Petition for Alien Relative	U.S. citizen filing for a married son or daughter over 21	87.5 Months
I-130	Petition for Alien Relative	U.S. citizen filing for a brother or sister	46 Months
I-130	Petition for Alien Relative	U.S. citizen filing for a spouse, parent, or child under 21	14.5 Months
I-130	Petition for Alien Relative	Permanent resident filling for a spouse or child under 21	36.5 Months
I-130	Petition for Alien Relative	Permanent resident filling for an unmarried son or daughter over 21	70 Months
I-131	Application for Travel Document	All other applicants for advance parole	15 Months
I-360	Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant	All other special immigrants	7.5 Months
I-485	Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status	Employment-based adjustment applications	25 Months
I-539	Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status	Change of status to H4 dependents	4 Months
I-539	Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status	Change of status to L dependents	6.5 Months
I-539	Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status	Extension of stay for H4 dependents with I-765	2.5 Months
I-539	Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status	Change status to the F or M academic or vocational student categories	7.5 Months
I-539	Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status	Change Status to the J exchange visitor category	7.5 Months
I-539	Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status	All other change of status applications	9.5 Months
I-539	Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status	Extension of stay for H4 dependents	4 Months
I-539	Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status	Extension of Stay for F or M academic or vocational students	7 Months
I-539	Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status	Extension of Stay for J exchange visitors	7 Months
I-539	Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status	Extension of stay for L dependents	9 Months
I-539	Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status	All other extension of stay applications	9 Months
I-539	Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status	Change of status for B nonimmigrant	9.5 Months
I-539	Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status	Change of status for H4 dependents with I-765	4 Months
I-539	Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status	Reinstatement to student status	14 Months
I-751	Petition to Remove the Conditions on Residence	Removal of lawful permanent resident conditions (spouses of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents	20.5 Months
I-765	Application for Employment Authorization	Based on a pending I-485 adjustment application [(c)(9)]	5.5 Months
I-765	Application for Employment Authorization	All other applications for employment authorization	15.5 Months
I-765	Application for Employment Authorization	Haiti extension [(c)(19), (a)(12)]	14 Months
I-765	Application for Employment Authorization	Based on being an H-4 spouse of an H-1B nonimmigrant (filed with I-539 H4) [(c)(26)]	3.5 Months
I-765	Application for Employment Authorization	Based on being an L-2 spouse of an L-1 nonimmigrant [(a)(18)]	10.5 Months
I-765	Application for Employment Authorization	Based on being an H-4 spouse of an H-1B nonimmigrant (Standalone; not filed with I-539 H4) [(c)(26)]	4.5 Months
I-765	Application for Employment Authorization	Based on an approved, concurrently filed, I-821D [(c)(33)]
I-821	Application for Temporary Protected Status	Haiti Initial or Late Filing	15 Months
I-821	Application for Temporary Protected Status	Burma Initial	5 Months
I-821D	Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals	Request for Deferred Action
I-824	Application for Action on an Approved Application Or Petition	To request further action on an Approved Application Or Petition	3.5 Months

These Processing Times issued by USCIS gives you an estimate of how long it will take the California Service Center to process a class of petitions or applications. USCIS generally processes cases as they are received (“first in, first out”). USCIS has also developed internal goals for most types of petitions and applications. For example, the stated goal for Form I-129’s (H-1B petitions) is 2 months.

How to use the Processing Time Report:

1. Check your receipt notice (I-797C, Notice of Action) and make sure that the receipt number begins with “WAC”.
2. Look for the Form number or Purpose for your petition or application.
3. Look for the specific Sub-type for your petition or application, if applicable.
4. Check the column titled “Now Processing Cases with Receipt Notice Date of”. If you see a date, the Service Center is currently processing cases filed on or before that date. If you see “X” months, it means that the Service Center is processing cases within their internally-developed goal time frames.

If you find that your case is outside “normal” processing times, you can contact USCIS Customer Service.

NOTE: If you received a notice from USCIS informing you that the case has been transferred from the California Service Center to another Service Center or Local Field Office, check the processing times for the destination Service Center or Local Field Offices.

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