O - Extraordinary ability (I-129) Processing Time

USCIS reports 80% of O - Extraordinary ability cases (Service Center Operations (SCOPS)) are completed within 14.5 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 14.5 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.

O-1 nonimmigrant visa (Form I-129, O classification): temporary status for individuals with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics (O-1A) or extraordinary achievement in motion picture/TV (O-1B). Requires a U.S. petitioner (employer or agent) and is not a path to a green card by itself, though many O-1 holders later self-petition EB-1A or EB-2 NIW.

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.