United States of America
United States visa processing times
How long does each United States visa take? Below are the typical decision windows for all 14 routes we track, each sourced directly from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Click any route to see the full breakdown, including what drives the timeline and whether a priority service is available.
Quick facts: The fastest route is the TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico) at 1 days – 4 weeks. The slowest is the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program at 18 months – 4.9 years.
| Route | Typical wait | Sponsor needed? | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico) Non-immigrant work visa under USMCA for Canadian and Mexican citizens in listed professions. | 1 days – 4 weeks | Yes | 2026-06-01 |
| E-2 Treaty Investor Non-immigrant treaty investor visa for nationals of countries with a qualifying treaty of commerce and navigation with the US. | 2 weeks – 4 months | No | 2026-06-01 |
| F-1 Student Visa (with OPT and STEM OPT) Non-immigrant student visa for academic study at a SEVP-certified institution, with post-study OPT employment authorisation. | 2 weeks – 4 months | No | 2026-06-01 |
| J-1 Exchange Visitor Exchange visitor visa covering academic scholars, students, trainees, interns, researchers, au pairs, and other exchange programs. | 2 weeks – 3 months | Yes | 2026-06-01 |
| H-1B Specialty Occupation Employer-sponsored non-immigrant visa for specialty occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher. | 2 months – 8 months | Yes | 2026-06-01 |
| L-1A Intracompany Transferee (Executive or Manager) Intracompany transfer for executives or managers moving to a US office of a related multinational employer. | 2 months – 8 months | Yes | 2026-06-01 |
| L-1B Intracompany Transferee (Specialised Knowledge) Intracompany transfer for employees with specialised knowledge of the employer’s products, services, or processes. | 2 months – 9 months | Yes | 2026-06-01 |
| O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement Visa for individuals with extraordinary ability in sciences, education, business, athletics (O-1A) or the arts/film/television (O-1B). | 2 months – 6 months | Yes | 2026-06-01 |
| EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (Immigrant) Employment-based first-preference green card for individuals with extraordinary ability — self-petitionable. | 6 months – 18 months | No | 2026-06-01 |
| EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) Second-preference green card with a waiver of the job offer and PERM labor certification, where the beneficiary’s work is in the US national interest. | 6 months – 2.5 years | No | 2026-06-01 |
| K-1 Fiancé(e) of US Citizen Non-immigrant visa allowing the fiancé(e) of a US citizen to enter the US to marry within 90 days and then apply for a green card. | 6 months – 18 months | Yes | 2026-06-01 |
| Spouse of US Citizen or Green Card Holder (IR1/CR1 & F2A) Permanent residence for the spouse of a US citizen (IR1/CR1) or lawful permanent resident (F2A preference). | 7 months – 2.5 years | Yes | 2026-06-01 |
| EB-3 Skilled, Professional, and Other Workers Third-preference employment-based green card requiring employer sponsorship and PERM labor certification. | 12 months – 3.3 years | Yes | 2026-06-01 |
| EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Permanent residence through investment in a new US commercial enterprise that creates at least 10 full-time jobs. | 18 months – 4.9 years | No | 2026-06-01 |
Source authority: USCIS — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Processing times are indicative and change without notice — always confirm before applying.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest United States visa to get?+
Among the 14 routes we track, the TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico) has the shortest published decision window at 1 days – 4 weeks. Processing times are indicative and depend on case complexity, so always confirm the current figure on U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Which United States visa takes the longest to process?+
Of the routes we track, the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program carries the longest published window at 18 months – 4.9 years. Permanent-residence and family routes typically sit at the slower end, while short-term and points-tested routes tend to be quicker.
Are these United States processing times official?+
Yes. Every window on this page is the figure published by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, shown with the date it was last checked. The figures are indicative rather than guarantees, and the linked source is authoritative on the day you apply.