I-140 Extraordinary Ability (EB-1A) Processing Time

USCIS currently processes 80% of I-140 petitions in the Extraordinary Ability category (E11) within 32.5 months at Service Center Operations.

⚠ This figure may be out of date — check USCIS's official tool for the current number.

Current Processing Time

According to USCIS's official processing times tool, 80% of I-140 petitions filed under the Extraordinary Ability category (EB-1A, code E11) are completed within 32.5 months when processed at Service Center Operations. This is the most recent figure published by USCIS and reflects actual case completion data.

That's nearly three years—longer than many petitioners expect given that EB-1A is often described as the most prestigious employment-based green card category. In practice, it now takes longer than several other I-140 categories processed at the same service centers: the National Interest Waiver track finishes in 30 months, multinational manager petitions in 27.5 months, and Schedule A nurse petitions in 25.5 months.

Who This Category Is For

The Extraordinary Ability category is reserved for individuals with sustained national or international acclaim in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics. You must provide evidence meeting at least 3 of the 10 regulatory criteria USCIS specifies—things like major awards, published material about your work in professional media, authorship of scholarly articles, judging the work of others in your field, or original contributions of major significance.

Alternatively, you can qualify with a single one-time major internationally recognized award, such as a Nobel Prize or an Olympic medal. Because this is a self-petition category, you do not need a job offer or employer sponsorship, and no labor certification is required. You file on your own behalf.

What to Expect

The 32.5-month figure means USCIS aims to adjudicate 80% of these petitions within that window; some will be faster, others slower. Your case may receive a Request for Evidence (RFE) if the officer believes your initial submission does not clearly demonstrate extraordinary ability under the regulatory standard, which would add time.

Premium processing is available for Form I-140 and guarantees a decision (approval, denial, or intent to deny) within 15 business days for an additional fee. Many EB-1A petitioners use this option to get certainty quickly, especially if they are approaching visa bulletin cutoff dates or need to plan next steps. Even if your I-140 is approved quickly, remember that approval does not by itself grant you a green card—you will still need to wait for your priority date to become current and then complete adjustment of status (Form I-485) or consular processing, which have their own timelines.

Standard expedite requests outside of premium processing are rarely granted for I-140 petitions unless there are urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit, and USCIS evaluates these on a case-by-case basis. For most applicants, the realistic choices are to wait out the standard timeline or pay for premium processing.