As of October 21, 2026, there is no single EB-1A processing time. The time from filing to green card is the sum of three stages: the Form I-140 petition, any wait for a visa number, and either the Form I-485 adjustment application or consular processing abroad. In the most recent quarter USCIS has published, April 1 to June 30, 2026, the median Form I-140 took 3.9 months and the median employment-based Form I-485 took 6 months (USCIS, Number of Service-wide Forms, April 1 to June 30, 2026). With premium processing, USCIS takes action on an EB-1A petition within 15 business days (USCIS, How Do I Request Premium Processing?).
The stage that varies most is the visa wait. For most countries, EB-1 is current in October 2026, while for India and mainland China the filing date is July 1, 2024 (USCIS, When to File: October 2026). This guide walks through each stage using USCIS's own published data.
- USCIS reported a median Form I-140 processing time of 3.9 months for April 1 to June 30, 2026, across all I-140 categories.
- The median employment-based Form I-485 took 6 months in the same quarter, up from 4.9 months in January to March 2026.
- Premium processing for an EB-1A (E11) I-140 means USCIS takes action within 15 business days, and the clock restarts after an RFE response.
- USCIS had 28,874 EB-1A (E11) petitions pending on June 30, 2026, up from 24,785 at the end of December 2025.
- In the October 2026 Dates for Filing chart, EB-1 is current for most countries and July 1, 2024 for India and mainland China.
- An EB-1A priority date is the date the complete, signed I-140 with the correct fee is properly filed with USCIS.
What is the EB-1A processing time in 2026, stage by stage?
| Stage | What happens | What the official data shows |
|---|---|---|
| 1. I-140 filed | Your priority date is set | Filing date of a complete, signed petition with the correct fee (8 CFR 204.5(d)) |
| 2. I-140 decided (regular) | Approval, denial or RFE | Median 3.9 months, all I-140 categories, April to June 2026 (USCIS) |
| 2. I-140 decided (premium) | Action within the guaranteed period | 15 business days (USCIS) |
| RFE, if issued | You respond with evidence | Up to 12 weeks to respond (8 CFR 103.2(b)(8)(iv)) |
| 3. Visa availability | Priority date must be current | None for most countries; July 1, 2024 filing date for India and China in October 2026 (USCIS) |
| 4. I-485 decided | Biometrics, possible interview, approval | Median 6 months, employment-based, April to June 2026 (USCIS) |
Stages 2 and 4 can overlap. If a visa number is available when you file, the I-485 can be filed together with the I-140 or at any time afterwards (8 CFR 245.2(a)(2)(i)(B)).
All of these are medians, not promises. USCIS defines the figure in its quarterly report this way:
"Processing times are defined as the number of months it took for an application, petition, or request to be processed from receipt to completion in a given time period. The number of months presented is the median which is the time it took to complete 50% of all the cases processed in the quarter." USCIS, Number of Service-wide Forms (April 1, 2026 to June 30, 2026), reference 6
Half of the cases completed that quarter took longer than the median. USCIS also runs an online case processing times tool, which is worth checking on the day you file.
How long does the EB-1A I-140 take without premium processing?
USCIS's quarterly report does not give a separate median for regular-processing EB-1A petitions. The 3.9-month figure for April to June 2026 covers every I-140 category combined (USCIS). It also includes premium cases: in the same quarter, USCIS received 34,563 premium processing requests for I-140 petitions (USCIS, Form I-907 by Underlying Form, April 1 to June 30, 2026), against 62,932 I-140 receipts (USCIS). Those requests cover all I-140 categories and include upgrades of older petitions, so the two numbers are not a precise premium share. They do show that fast premium cases make up a large part of what the median measures.
The median has moved quarter to quarter. It was 6.4 months in July to September 2025 (USCIS, Number of Service-wide Forms, July 1 to September 30, 2025), 3.4 months in January to March 2026 (USCIS, Number of Service-wide Forms, January 1 to March 31, 2026) and 3.9 months in April to June 2026 (USCIS).
The EB-1A line is getting longer. Pending EB-1A (E11) petitions stood at 21,157 on September 30, 2025 (USCIS, Form I-140 by Fiscal Year, Quarter, and Case Status, FY 2025), and USCIS's Form I-140 report shows them rising in each of the first three quarters of fiscal year 2026, the latest it has published (USCIS, Form I-140 by Fiscal Year, Quarter, and Case Status, FY 2026):
| Quarter ending | EB-1A received | Approved | Denied | Pending at quarter end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2025 | 7,814 | 2,164 | 2,394 | 24,785 |
| March 31, 2026 | 6,646 | 1,720 | 2,394 | 27,126 |
| June 30, 2026 | 6,036 | 1,348 | 2,832 | 28,874 |
In the April to June 2026 quarter, USCIS completed 4,180 EB-1A petitions (approvals plus denials) while receiving 6,036 (USCIS). By our arithmetic, the June 30 pending count equals almost seven quarters of completions at that pace. That is a rough indicator rather than a forecast, since premium cases are decided first and the pace can change.
How fast is EB-1A premium processing, and what does it guarantee?
For EB-1A (classification E11), premium processing means USCIS takes adjudicative action within 15 business days, or refunds the premium fee (USCIS, How Do I Request Premium Processing?). Among I-140 petitions, the longer 45-business-day period applies only to the E13 multinational executive and manager and E21 national interest waiver classifications (USCIS).
"Action" does not mean approval. Within the period, USCIS may issue an approval, a denial, a notice of intent to deny, or a request for evidence, or open a fraud investigation (USCIS). If USCIS asks for more evidence, the 15-day period stops and a new one starts when your response arrives (USCIS).
These periods could change. A proposed rule titled "Amending the Premium Processing Timeframe" (RIN 1615-AD25) has been pending review at the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs since October 13, 2026, and its text has not been published (Reginfo.gov, RIN 1615-AD25). Until a final rule takes effect, the periods on the USCIS page apply.
Self-petitioners can request it themselves. On whether a beneficiary can seek premium processing, USCIS states:
"No, except in cases where the petitioner is eligible to file a self-petition (that is, the petitioner and the beneficiary are the same)." USCIS, How Do I Request Premium Processing? (last updated 03/23/2026)
You can file Form I-907 with the I-140 or later, while the I-140 is pending, by sending it to the service center where the petition is pending with a copy of the receipt notice (USCIS). Our guide to premium processing for the I-140 covers what the guarantee does and does not cover.
What happens to the timeline if USCIS sends an RFE?
An RFE adds your response time plus a new review. The regulation caps the response period at twelve weeks for a request for evidence and thirty days for a notice of intent to deny, and states that additional time may not be granted (8 CFR 103.2(b)(8)(iv)).
A fast decision is not necessarily a favorable one. In the April to June 2026 quarter, USCIS denied 2,832 EB-1A petitions and approved 1,348; across the first three quarters of fiscal year 2026 it denied 7,620 and approved 5,232 (USCIS). For timeline planning, the evidence in the petition matters more than the speed of the queue.
When can you file the I-485 for an EB-1A case?
You can file the I-485 once a visa is immediately available for your category and country. For EB-1, the regulation allows the I-485 to be filed concurrently with or after the I-140 if approval would make a visa immediately available (8 CFR 245.2(a)(2)(i)(B)). Your priority date for this purpose is the date the completed, signed I-140, with all initial evidence and the correct fee, is properly filed with USCIS (8 CFR 204.5(d)).
For October 2026, USCIS says employment-based applicants must use the Dates for Filing chart (USCIS, Adjustment of Status Filing Charts). That chart shows EB-1 as current for all chargeability areas not listed separately, and for Mexico and the Philippines, with a date of July 1, 2024 for mainland China and India (USCIS, When to File: October 2026). As of October 21, 2026, USCIS lists next month's charts as "coming soon" (USCIS).
Have the medical exam done before you file. Since December 2, 2024, Form I-693 must be submitted with the I-485, or USCIS may reject the application (USCIS, Form I-693).
How long does the EB-1A I-485 take after filing?
USCIS does not split its I-485 medians by EB-1A, but it does report employment-based adjustment as a group. The median was 7.5 months in July to September 2025 (USCIS), 4.9 months in January to March 2026 (USCIS) and 6 months in April to June 2026, with 268,408 employment-based I-485s pending on June 30, 2026 (USCIS).
Along the way, there are a few steps that take their own time:
- Work and travel documents. In April to June 2026, the median I-765 based on a pending adjustment took 6.4 months, and the median advance parole application from inside the United States took 5.8 months (USCIS).
- Interview. The regulation says each adjustment applicant "shall be interviewed by an immigration officer," though USCIS can waive the interview when it determines one is unnecessary (8 CFR 245.6).
- Biometrics. USCIS may require any applicant to appear for an interview or biometric collection (8 CFR 103.2(b)(9)).
Our guide to the I-485 in practice walks through each of these steps.
What is the EB-1A timeline for applicants from India and China?
For India-born and China-born applicants, the visa wait usually takes longer than any USCIS processing step. As of June 2026, USCIS counted 17,861 approved EB-1 petitions for India-born principals and 14,101 for China-born principals still waiting for a visa, and none for the rest of the world (USCIS, Approved EB Petitions Awaiting Visa Availability, as of June 2026). Those counts include principal applicants only, not their dependents (USCIS).
In practice, the sequence for an India-born EB-1A applicant looks like this. With premium processing, USCIS acts on the I-140 within 15 business days (USCIS), but the I-485 can only be filed once the I-140 filing date is earlier than the date on the chart USCIS designates that month, which in October 2026 was July 1, 2024 (USCIS). Final approval then depends on the Final Action Dates chart, which USCIS describes as the dates when visas may finally be issued (USCIS). For the current dates and how far they have moved, see EB-1A and EB-2 NIW wait times for Indians and our October 2026 Visa Bulletin breakdown.
How long does consular processing take instead?
If you are outside the United States, USCIS sends the approved I-140 to the Department of State's National Visa Center, where it stays until a visa number is available (USCIS, Consular Processing). The National Visa Center collects fees and documents, and the consulate schedules an interview once your priority date is current (USCIS). After you enter on the immigrant visa, the green card arrives by mail; USCIS asks you to contact it if the card has not arrived within 90 days of arrival, provided you paid the USCIS Immigrant Fee (USCIS). Interview waits vary by consulate, and we have not found a single official figure for them.
What this means for you
Your total EB-1A processing time depends mostly on two things you can see in advance: your country of chargeability, and whether you use premium processing. For an applicant from a country where EB-1 is current, filing the I-140 and I-485 together means the two USCIS stages run side by side (8 CFR 245.2(a)(2)(i)(B)). For India-born and China-born applicants, filing early locks in an earlier priority date, which is what moves you up the queue (8 CFR 204.5(d)). Once the I-140 is approved, our guide to what happens after I-140 approval covers the next steps.
- Assemble the full evidence package first. An RFE response can take up to twelve weeks of your own time, with no extensions (8 CFR 103.2(b)(8)(iv)).
- Decide on premium processing at filing or later; as a self-petitioner you can request it yourself (USCIS).
- Check the USCIS filing chart for the month you plan to file (USCIS).
- Book the civil surgeon early if you will file an I-485, since Form I-693 goes in with it (USCIS).
- Keep your I-140 receipt notice; a later premium request needs a copy (USCIS).
- Ask your attorney how an RFE, travel or a job change would affect your particular timeline.
Where to start
If you are not yet sure your record is ready for an EB-1A filing, start with the free evaluation, which compares your evidence with the criteria. Frank, our AI assistant, can find real opportunities for the criteria you are missing. When you are ready, petitions are reviewed and filed by our partner law firm, Lai & Turner.
Sources
All checked October 21, 2026.
- USCIS, Number of Service-wide Forms by Quarter, Form Status, and Processing Time, April 1 to June 30, 2026 (queried 7/2026). Median I-140, employment-based I-485, I-765 and advance parole times; I-140 receipts; pending I-485 count; definition of processing time.
- USCIS, Number of Service-wide Forms, January 1 to March 31, 2026 (queried 4/2026). Earlier I-140 and employment-based I-485 medians.
- USCIS, Number of Service-wide Forms, July 1 to September 30, 2025 (queried 10/2025). Earlier I-140 and employment-based I-485 medians.
- USCIS, Form I-140 by Fiscal Year, Quarter, and Case Status, FY 2026 (queried 07/2026). EB-1A (E11) receipts, approvals, denials and pending counts by quarter.
- USCIS, Form I-140 by Fiscal Year, Quarter, and Case Status, FY 2025 (queried 10/2025). EB-1A (E11) pending count on September 30, 2025.
- USCIS, Number of Form I-907 Requests by Underlying Form, April 1 to June 30, 2026 (queried 07/2026). Premium processing requests for I-140 petitions.
- USCIS, Approved EB Petitions Awaiting Visa Availability, as of June 2026 (queried 07/2026). Approved EB-1 petitions waiting by country; principals only.
- USCIS, How Do I Request Premium Processing? (last updated 03/23/2026). 15 and 45 business-day periods, actions USCIS may take, clock reset, self-petitioner eligibility, upgrade filing.
- USCIS, When to File Your Adjustment of Status Application: October 2026 (last updated 09/29/2026). October 2026 EB-1 Dates for Filing.
- USCIS, Adjustment of Status Filing Charts from the Visa Bulletin. Chart designated for October 2026; next month's charts not yet posted.
- USCIS, Form I-693 (last updated 07/24/2026). Medical exam must be filed with the I-485 since December 2, 2024.
- USCIS, Consular Processing (last updated 07/20/2023). National Visa Center steps and green card delivery after arrival.
- Reginfo.gov, EO 12866 review: RIN 1615-AD25, Amending the Premium Processing Timeframe (received October 13, 2026). Proposed rule pending OIRA review.
- 8 CFR 204.5, Petitions for employment-based immigrants (govinfo, 2025 edition). Priority date for petitions without labor certification.
- 8 CFR 245.2, Application (govinfo, 2025 edition). Concurrent filing of the I-140 and I-485.
- 8 CFR 245.6, Interview (govinfo, 2025 edition). Adjustment interview requirement and waiver.
- 8 CFR 103.2, Submission and adjudication of benefit requests (govinfo, 2025 edition). RFE and NOID response limits; interview and biometrics.
Frequently asked questions
How long does EB-1A take from filing to green card in 2026?
For an applicant born outside India and China who files the I-140 and I-485 together, the two main USCIS stages had medians of 3.9 months and 6 months in April to June 2026, and they can run at the same time. The I-140 figure covers all I-140 categories, including premium cases. India-born and China-born applicants add a wait for their priority date to become current, which can be years. An RFE, an interview or a biometrics appointment can lengthen any case.
How long does an EB-1A I-140 take without premium processing?
USCIS does not publish a separate median for regular-processing EB-1A petitions in its quarterly reports. The median for all Form I-140 categories combined was 3.9 months in April to June 2026, and that figure includes premium cases, which are decided much faster. The number of pending EB-1A petitions grew in each of the first three quarters of fiscal year 2026, so a regular-processing EB-1A case can take longer than the overall median.
Can I file my own premium processing request for an EB-1A self-petition?
Yes. USCIS says a beneficiary generally cannot request premium processing, except where the petitioner and the beneficiary are the same person, which is the case in an EB-1A self-petition. You can file Form I-907 with the I-140 or later, while the I-140 is pending. USCIS then takes action within 15 business days, which can be an approval, a denial, an RFE or a notice of intent to deny.
Does premium processing make the whole EB-1A green card faster?
Only the I-140 stage. Premium processing applies to the immigrant petition, not to the Form I-485 or to consular processing, and it does not change your place in the Visa Bulletin queue. For applicants from countries where EB-1 is current, a faster I-140 can still shorten the overall timeline. For India-born and China-born applicants, the wait for a current priority date usually dominates.
When can an EB-1A applicant from India file the I-485?
When the priority date, which is the I-140 filing date, is earlier than the date in the chart USCIS designates that month. For October 2026, USCIS designated the Dates for Filing chart, which lists July 1, 2024 for EB-1 India. If your priority date is earlier than that, you may file the I-485 if otherwise eligible. Charts change monthly, so check the USCIS page each month.
Green Card Guide AI is not a law firm and this article is not legal advice. It describes evidence-building strategy in general terms; your attorney determines what belongs in your petition and how it's argued.
