USCIS · FORM I-526(L)
I-526(L) processing time
Immigrant Petition by Alien Investor (Legacy). Below is every processing time USCIS publishes for this form, then USCIS's own quarterly counts.
All other areas - For use by an investor who wishes to immigrate to the United States
USCIS publishes 89.5–105 months for this category, handled at Immigrant Investor Program Office.
USCIS note for this category: “Months of Inventory (MOI) will be 37 months. *** 'Legacy' refers to all Form I-526 editions that predate the 6/01/22 edition. ***ALERT: In general, USCIS will first process Form I-526 petitions for investors for whom a visa is available or will soon be available. Processing times for Form I-526 are typically based on an analysis of the completed cases for the prior months.”
| Office | Processing time | Receipt date for a case inquiry | Data period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Immigrant Investor Program Office | 89.5–105 months | January 30, 2018 | March 2026 to August 2026 |
China - mainland born - For use by an investor who wishes to immigrate to the United States
USCIS publishes 116.5–127 months for this category, handled at Immigrant Investor Program Office.
USCIS note for this category: “Months of Inventory (MOI) will be 37 months. *** 'Legacy' refers to all Form I-526 editions that predate the 6/01/22 edition. ***ALERT: In general, USCIS will first process Form I-526 petitions for investors for whom a visa is available or will soon be available. Processing times for Form I-526 are typically based on an analysis of the completed cases for the prior months.”
| Office | Processing time | Receipt date for a case inquiry | Data period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Immigrant Investor Program Office | 116.5–127 months | April 03, 2016 | March 2026 to August 2026 |
How USCIS describes these numbers: “We generally process cases in the order we receive them. This processing time is based on how long it took us to complete 80% of adjudicated cases over the past six months. Each case is unique, and some cases may take longer than others. Processing times should be used as a reference point, not an absolute measure of how long your case will take to be completed.”
Source: USCIS, Check Case Processing Times, published September 17, 2026; recorded by greencardline October 17, 2026. USCIS shows a range for most forms; what the range means and how the inquiry date is used are explained, with quotes from USCIS, in How USCIS processing times work.