Advanced degree or exceptional ability (E21) (I-140) Processing Time

USCIS reports 80% of Advanced degree or exceptional ability (E21) cases (Service Center Operations (SCOPS)) are completed within 3 months, per USCIS's own processing-times data.

USCIS data as of November 5, 2026not legal advice

USCIS reports 80% of cases in this category are completed within 3 months.

Processing office: Service Center Operations (SCOPS). Figure from USCIS's official processing times tool — check your own case's current estimate directly at egov.uscis.gov/processing-times, since USCIS updates these monthly and your specific receipt date affects where you fall in the range.

EB-2 (standard, employer-sponsored): for workers with an advanced degree (or bachelor's plus 5 years progressive experience) or exceptional ability, requiring a job offer and, in most cases, PERM labor certification.

Other offices, same form

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This page is general information, not legal advice. AskDM is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation. The processing-time figure and the category description above are pulled directly from USCIS's own published data, current as of November 5, 2026. Processing times change — always confirm the current figure on USCIS's own site before making decisions based on it.