USCIS Processing Times, November 2026: OPT, H-4 EAD, H-1B, I-140 and I-485 in One Dated Table
On November 1, 2026, USCIS posted 5 months for OPT, 17.5 for a standalone H-4 EAD and 42.5 for an employment I-485 at SCOPS. Here is what each dated number means for your status.
Part of our guide to the H-4 EAD.
USCIS processing times for November 2026, read from the official USCIS tool on November 1, 2026: OPT and STEM OPT (Form I-765, category (c)(3)) 5 months; the H-4 EAD 17.5 months filed alone or 6.5 months filed with the H-4 I-539; an H-1B extension 11.5 months; an EB-2 PERM I-140 3 months; and an employment-based I-485 42.5 months at Service Center Operations or 9.5 months at field offices. Each figure is history, not a promise about your case.
Status as of 2026-11-01
- In effect: current premium processing timeframes (15, 30 or 45 business days), and the final rule (effective 2026-10-14; challenged, with relief for seven plaintiffs only) ending automatic EAD extensions for renewals filed on or after 2025-10-30. The STEM OPT 180-day extension is unchanged.
- Grace period ends 2026-11-09: forms sent to a prior filing address (I-765, I-539, I-485, I-131, I-129 and others) are accepted only if postmarked on or before November 9, per the USCIS filing-locations update. From November 9 USCIS accepts only the 09/09/26 edition of Form I-129.
- Under OIRA review, unpublished: "Amending the Premium Processing Timeframe" (RIN 1615-AD25), received 2026-10-13. No text is public.
- Not yet published: USCIS form data for FY2026 Q4 (July to September).
USCIS processing times November 2026: the short answer
On November 1, 2026, the USCIS tool showed 5 months for OPT, 17.5 or 6.5 months for the H-4 EAD, 10 to 11.5 months for H-1B petitions, 3 to 32.5 months for I-140s and 42.5 or 9.5 months for an employment-based I-485: the time within which 80% of recently decided cases finished. Premium processing, where it exists, swaps that for a fixed window.
The November 2026 table: the forms that touch your status
| Form and category | Who files | 80% of cases completed within | Premium processing |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-765 (c)(3) F-1 student: OPT and STEM OPT | You, after your DSO's SEVIS recommendation | 5 months | Yes: 30 business days, $1,780 |
| I-539 change to F-1 (F/M/J) | You | 8.5 months | Yes: 30 business days once all prerequisites are met, $2,075 |
| I-765 (c)(26) H-4 EAD, filed on its own | H-4 spouse | 17.5 months | No |
| I-765 (c)(26) H-4 EAD, filed with the H-4 I-539 | H-4 spouse | 6.5 months | No |
| I-539 H-4 change or extension; H-4 extension filed with an I-765 | H-4 spouse | 10.5; 5 months | No |
| I-765 (a)(18) L-2 spouse | L-2 spouse (work is authorized incident to status) | 18 months | No |
| I-129 H-1B: consular notification / change of status / extension | Employer | 11 / 10 / 11.5 months | Yes: 15 business days, $2,965 |
| I-129 L / O / TN | Employer | 6.5 / 14.5 / 4.5 months | Yes: 15 business days, $2,965 |
| I-140 EB-1A / EB-2 PERM / EB-2 NIW | Employer, or you for EB-1A and NIW | 32.5 / 3 / 30 months | Yes: 15 / 15 / 45 business days, $2,965 |
| I-140 EB-3 skilled / EB-3 other workers (EW3) | Employer | 4 / 9 months | Yes: 15 business days, $2,965 |
| I-485 employment-based | You | 42.5 (SCOPS) / 9.5 (field offices) months | No |
| I-765 (c)(9) EAD on a pending I-485 | You | 12 (NBC) / 12.5 (SCOPS) months | No |
| I-131 advance parole / reentry permit | You | 26.5 / 16.5 months | No |
As of 2026-11-01, USCIS processing times tool (80% of cases completed within); check the live tool before relying on any row. Premium timeframes from the USCIS premium processing page; fees from Form G-1055, edition 10/26/26.
Most service-center forms now list Service Center Operations (SCOPS) rather than a named center. The (c)(9) EAD and the employment-based I-485 each show two offices with very different times; the office handling your case decides which applies.
What does "80% of cases completed within" mean?
It is a percentile of finished cases. The DHS CIS Ombudsman's case inquiry tip sheet (August 2024) says the figure "shows the time it took to complete 80% of the cases adjudicated in the past six months. It does not indicate how soon USCIS will take action on your case." Two in ten of those cases took longer.
It changes whenever USCIS updates the tool and belongs to one row; an OPT I-765 and an H-4 I-765 are different numbers. It also ignores outcome: since 2026-08-05, PA-2026-05 (in effect, challenged in AAUP v. Mullin) lets USCIS deny any benefit request, OPT included, without an RFE when required initial evidence is missing. A different date, the case inquiry date, controls when you may ask about a delay; our explainer on the 80% rule and your case inquiry date covers it.
How does premium processing change the math?
Premium processing (Form I-907) replaces the 80% history with a fixed window, within which USCIS says it will "issue an approval notice, denial notice, notice of intent to deny, or a request for evidence," or open a fraud investigation, per its premium processing page. An RFE or NOID makes the period "stop and reset", and a new one begins when USCIS receives your response.
By our arithmetic, that turns OPT's 5 months into a first action within about six weeks (30 business days), an H-1B extension's 11.5 months into about three weeks (15 business days) and an NIW's 30 months into roughly nine weeks (45 business days).
The clock that actually matters: posted time against your own deadline
A processing time only hurts when it collides with another date.
| Your situation | Posted time (2026-11-01) | The clock it collides with | Premium? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial post-completion OPT | 5 months | No work until the EAD is approved and its start date arrives | Yes, 30 business days |
| STEM OPT extension, filed before the OPT EAD expires | 5 months | 180-day automatic extension for timely filers | Yes, 30 business days |
| H-4 EAD renewal filed alone, on or after 2025-10-30 | 17.5 months | No automatic extension; work stops the day after the card's end date | No |
| H-1B extension with the same employer | 11.5 months | Up to 240 days of continued work after the I-94 expires | Yes, 15 business days |
| Cap-subject change of status from F-1 to H-1B | 10 months | Cap-gap to April 1 of the fiscal year requested; none for cap-exempt jobs | Yes, 15 business days |
| Employment-based I-485 | 42.5 / 9.5 months | Your priority date in the Visa Bulletin; the (c)(9) EAD (12 or 12.5 months) and advance parole (26.5 months) | No |
As of 2026-11-01, USCIS processing times tool; rules from the sources linked in the sections below.
How long does OPT take in November 2026?
As of 2026-11-01, 80% of I-765 (c)(3) F-1 student cases, the row that covers both post-completion OPT and STEM OPT, were completed within 5 months. Premium processing is available for $1,780 with a 30-business-day window.
Misconception: "OPT takes 4.5 months right now."
Correction: That aggregator figure is wrong. The USCIS tool showed 5 months on 2026-11-01; check the live tool and note the date you read it.
The filing window is fixed. The USCIS OPT page says you "May apply up to 90 days before you complete your degree, but no later than 60 days after you complete your degree," and you must apply within 30 days after your DSO enters the OPT recommendation in SEVIS.
A worked example (hypothetical). Your program ends Friday 2027-05-14, so the window runs from 2027-02-13 to 2027-07-13. If USCIS receives your I-765 on 2027-03-01 and the 5-month figure held, 80% of similar cases would be done by about 2027-08-01, well after your program ends, with no work in the gap. With premium processing, USCIS would act by about 2027-04-12. This is arithmetic, not a filing plan; timing questions go to your DSO.
For STEM OPT, the USCIS STEM OPT page still says USCIS "will automatically extend your employment authorization for 180 days" for timely filers. The 2026-10-14 EAD rule did not touch it, but a STEM I-765 filed after your OPT EAD expires gets no 180 days.
USCIS's I-765 data for FY2026 Q3 (April to June 2026) show STEM OPT with 56,960 receipts, 17,536 approvals and 65,221 pending, and post-completion OPT with 70,225 pending: volumes, not speeds. Our guide to I-765 processing time by category compares every EAD row. Many universities advise against travel abroad while an initial OPT application is pending; ask your DSO first.
How long is the H-4 EAD processing time now?
As of 2026-11-01, an H-4 EAD (category (c)(26)) filed on its own showed 17.5 months, against 6.5 months filed with the H-4 I-539. It has no premium processing and is filed on paper only.
Under the final rule in effect since 2026-10-14, a (c)(26) renewal filed on or after 2025-10-30 gets no automatic extension: authorization ends the day after the card's end date, and USCIS "does not postdate the renewal EAD." A renewal filed before 2025-10-30 keeps the old automatic extension of up to 540 days. A court order in Jane Doe 1 v. DHS protects seven named plaintiffs only. Separately, no proposed or final rule ends the H-4 EAD; DHS lists a long-term agenda item (RIN 1615-AD14) with no proposal date. Our H-4 EAD processing time guide works through the gap; when and how to file is a question for the immigration attorney handling your spouse's H-1B.
H-1B processing times: change of status, extension and the 240-day rule
As of 2026-11-01, the tool showed 11 months for H-1B petitions for consular notification (the worker gets the visa abroad), 10 months for change of status and 11.5 months for extensions. Your employer files the I-129 and decides whether to add premium processing (15 business days, $2,965).
Under 8 CFR 274a.12(b)(20), an H-1B worker with a timely filed extension is "authorized to continue employment with the same employer for a period not to exceed 240 days beginning on the date of the expiration of the authorized period of stay." It ends early if USCIS denies the extension.
A worked example (hypothetical). Your I-94 ends 2027-01-31 and USCIS receives your employer's extension on Monday 2026-11-16 (on the 09/09/26 I-129). By our count, the 240 days run out around 2027-09-28. If the 11.5-month figure held, 80% of similar cases would be done by about 2027-11-01, a month later. With premium processing, USCIS would act by about 2026-12-08 (skipping Thanksgiving). Whether any of this fits your case, for example after a change of employer or duties, is for your employer's attorney. Our guide to H-1B extension processing times covers the filing side.
For a cap-subject change of status from F-1, cap-gap extends your status and OPT work to April 1 of the fiscal year requested (or the petition's start date, if earlier). Cap-exempt petitions get none, and it ends if the petition is denied, withdrawn, revoked or rejected.
The deference NPRM (RIN 1615-AD26) would end USCIS's deference to prior approvals on I-129 extensions (8 CFR 214.1(c)(5)); DHS estimates about 6,044 extra RFEs a year. It is proposed (comments close 2026-11-13), and current deference applies.
How long does an employment-based I-485 take, and what sits in front of it?
As of 2026-11-01, an employment-based I-485 showed 42.5 months at SCOPS and 9.5 months at field offices, with no premium option. For most H-1B workers, that is the last of several clocks.
| Stage | Agency | Posted time or position | Premium? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prevailing wage (PWD) | DOL | Working on June 2026 receipts (as of 2026-09-30) | No |
| PERM labor certification | DOL | Analyst review at January 2026 priority dates; average 303 days (as of 2026-10-21) | No |
| I-140 | USCIS | EB-2 PERM 3 months; EB-3 skilled 4; NIW 30; EB-1A 32.5 | Yes |
| Visa Bulletin, November 2026 (Final Action / Dates for Filing) | State / USCIS | EB-2 India 2013-11-01 / 2015-01-15; EB-3 India 2014-01-22 / 2015-01-15; EB-2 rest of world 2025-04-01 / 2026-03-15 | n/a |
| I-485 | USCIS | 42.5 (SCOPS) / 9.5 (field offices) months | No |
As of 2026-11, from DOL FLAG processing times, the USCIS processing times tool (read 2026-11-01) and the November 2026 Visa Bulletin (values as summarized by Fragomen).
Do not add these up: the I-140 and I-485 stages overlap when the two are filed together, and for India-born applicants the Visa Bulletin dwarfs the rest. For November I-485 filings, USCIS says employment-based applicants "must use the Dates for Filing chart," per its filing charts page; consular cases always use Final Action Dates, and the December bulletin was not out as of 2026-11-01. See our breakdowns of I-140 processing time by category and employment-based I-485 processing time.
How big is the USCIS backlog?
USCIS reported 12,807,907 cases pending across all forms at the end of FY2026 Q3 (April to June 2026). Pending is not backlog, and pending counts cannot be compared across quarters, so this is a size, not a trend.
| Measure | Figure | Period |
|---|---|---|
| All forms pending | 12,807,907 | FY2026 Q3 |
| All forms received in the quarter | 2,176,844 (down 34% year over year) | FY2026 Q3 |
| I-765 pending, all categories | 2,110,712 | FY2026 Q3 |
| I-131 advance parole pending | 425,511 | FY2026 Q3 |
| I-140 pending, all categories | 203,204 | FY2026 Q3 |
| Employment-based I-485 pending (quarterly report) | 268,408 | FY2026 Q3 |
| Employment-based I-485 inventory (published cells only) | 225,196 | As of 2026-10-05 |
As of 2026-11, from USCIS all-forms data and form reports on the USCIS data page. The two I-485 counts use different definitions and should not be compared.
The narrower "net backlog" exceeded 7.7 million in Q3, according to the Niskanen Center; USCIS posts its own net backlog report on the same data page. The quarterly figures predate PA-2026-05 (2026-08-05).
How to read the USCIS tool for your own case
- Find the received date on your Form I-797C receipt notice.
- Open the USCIS Check Case Processing Times page.
- Select your form, your category (for OPT or STEM OPT, the F-1 student category under I-765) and the office handling your case, often Service Center Operations, then select "Get processing time".
- Record the 80% figure and the date you read it, as a screenshot.
- Enter your receipt date under "When can I ask about my case?" and select "Get Inquiry Date". Per the Ombudsman's tip sheet, the result is the earliest date you can ask USCIS about your case, and it can change.
- Submit an "outside normal processing time" request through USCIS e-Request once the tool says you may. The USCIS Policy Manual says: "In general, the goal for resolution of service requests is 15 business days from the date of creation."
- Ask your DSO about OPT or STEM OPT timing, or your employer's immigration attorney about H-1B, I-140 or I-485 timing, premium processing and expedite requests.
Common mistakes
- Treating the posted time as your deadline. It describes finished cases; 20% took longer.
- Quoting a figure without its date. An undated "4.5 months for OPT" did not match the tool on 2026-11-01.
- Reading the wrong H-4 row. Standalone (17.5 months) and bundled with the I-539 (6.5 months) are different queues.
- Assuming premium means approval. It buys an action, an RFE resets the window, and the H-4 EAD and I-485 have no premium option.
- Counting on an automatic EAD extension. Renewals filed on or after 2025-10-30, including H-4 and (c)(9), get none. The STEM OPT 180-day extension is separate and unchanged.
- Mailing to an old address after November 9. USCIS says it may reject a misdirected filing "as improperly filed and return it to you to re-file at the proper location," and by our reading your wait starts only once a corrected filing is accepted. (The I-140 address did not change.)
Frequently asked questions
How long does OPT take in November 2026?
On November 1, 2026, the USCIS tool showed that 80% of I-765 (c)(3) F-1 student cases, the category for OPT and STEM OPT, were completed within 5 months. The 4.5-month figure on some aggregator sites does not match the tool. Premium processing ($1,780) gets a USCIS action within 30 business days, and that action can be a request for evidence rather than an approval.
How long is the H-4 EAD processing time now?
On November 1, 2026, the USCIS tool showed 17.5 months for an H-4 EAD filed on its own and 6.5 months for one filed with the H-4 I-539. There is no premium processing. Under the final rule in effect since 2026-10-14 (challenged, with court relief for seven plaintiffs only), a renewal filed on or after 2025-10-30 gets no automatic extension.
How long does an employment-based I-485 take?
On November 1, 2026, the USCIS tool showed 42.5 months at Service Center Operations and 9.5 months at field offices, with no premium option. If your priority date is not current, the Visa Bulletin wait comes on top. For November 2026, USCIS requires employment-based I-485 filers to use the Dates for Filing chart.
What does 80% of cases completed within mean?
It is the time within which USCIS finished 80% of the cases of that form, category and office that it decided in the past six months, as the DHS CIS Ombudsman describes it, so 20% took longer. It describes past cases, not yours, and it changes when USCIS updates the tool. To learn when you may ask about a delay, use the case inquiry date the tool calculates from your receipt date.
How big is the USCIS backlog?
USCIS reported 12,807,907 cases pending across all forms at the end of FY2026 Q3 (April to June 2026), with Q3 receipts of 2,176,844, down 34% year over year. Pending is not the same as backlog, USCIS pending counts cannot be compared across quarters, and FY2026 Q4 data were not out as of 2026-11-01.
Sources
- USCIS, Check Case Processing Times (read 2026-11-01): https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/
- DHS CIS Ombudsman, Case Inquiry Date Tip Sheet (August 2024): https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2024-11/24_0823_cisomb_case-inquiry-date-tip-sheet.pdf
- USCIS, How Do I Request Premium Processing: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/all-forms/how-do-i-request-premium-processing
- USCIS, Form G-1055 fee schedule (edition 10/26/26): https://www.uscis.gov/g-1055
- USCIS, Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students: https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/students-and-exchange-visitors/optional-practical-training-opt-for-f-1-students
- USCIS, OPT Extension for STEM Students: https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/students-and-exchange-visitors/optional-practical-training-extension-for-stem-students-stem-opt
- USCIS, cap-gap extension of OPT and F-1 status: https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-1b-specialty-occupations/extension-of-post-completion-optional-practical-training-opt-and-f-1-status-for-eligible-students
- USCIS, Form I-129 page (edition notice): https://www.uscis.gov/i-129
- USCIS, Adjustment of Status Filing Charts from the Visa Bulletin: https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/visa-availability-priority-dates/adjustment-of-status-filing-charts-from-the-visa-bulletin
- Fragomen, November 2026 Visa Bulletin summary: https://www.fragomen.com/insights/united-states-november-2026-visa-bulletin-employment-based-final-action-dates-advance-and-dates-for-filing-hold-steady-for-most-countries-uscis-to-honor-dates-for-filing.html
- USCIS, Policy Manual Volume 1, Part A, Chapter 4 (current as of 2026-10-27): https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-1-part-a-chapter-4
- USCIS, filing locations and online filing options update: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/us-citizenship-and-immigration-services-filing-locations-and-online-filing-options-updates
- USCIS, all-forms quarterly data, FY2026 Q3: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/data/quarterly_all_forms_fy2026_q3_v1.xlsx
- USCIS, I-765 data, FY2026 Q3: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/data/i765_application_for_employment_fy2026_q3_v1.xlsx
- USCIS, Immigration and Citizenship Data: https://www.uscis.gov/tools/reports-and-studies/immigration-and-citizenship-data
- eCFR, 8 CFR 274a.12 (as of 2026-10-14): https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-10-14/title-8.xml?part=274a§ion=274a.12
- Federal Register, Removal of Automatic Extensions for Certain EADs (91 FR 65306, 2026-10-14): https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/14/2026-20955/removal-of-automatic-extensions-for-certain-employment-authorization-documents
- Federal Register, Removing Deference to Prior USCIS Determinations of Eligibility (91 FR 65119, 2026-10-14): https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/14/2026-20941/removing-deference-to-prior-uscis-determinations-of-eligibility
- OIRA, Amending the Premium Processing Timeframe (RIN 1615-AD25): https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eoDetails?rrid=1563462
- DOL, FLAG processing times: https://flag.dol.gov/processingtimes
How we checked this: figures come from the USCIS processing times tool read on 2026-11-01, USCIS FY2026 Q3 data files, Form G-1055 (edition 10/26/26), the USCIS premium processing, OPT, STEM OPT, cap-gap, I-129, filing-chart and Policy Manual pages, the CIS Ombudsman's tip sheet, eCFR, the Federal Register and DOL FLAG, checked 2026-11-01 and rechecked 2026-11-02.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice; your own I-797, I-94 and I-20, and your DSO or immigration attorney, govern your case.
If a processing time is colliding with a job offer or a start date, F1Jobs runs job searches for international students and professionals aimed at employers that sponsor, and we are happy to talk through yours while the paperwork runs.
Frequently asked questions
How long does OPT take in November 2026?
On November 1, 2026, the USCIS tool showed that 80% of I-765 (c)(3) F-1 student cases, the category for OPT and STEM OPT, were completed within 5 months. The 4.5-month figure on some aggregator sites does not match the tool. Premium processing ($1,780) gets a USCIS action within 30 business days, and that action can be a request for evidence rather than an approval.
How long is the H-4 EAD processing time now?
On November 1, 2026, the USCIS tool showed 17.5 months for an H-4 EAD filed on its own and 6.5 months for one filed with the H-4 I-539. There is no premium processing. Under the final rule in effect since 2026-10-14 (challenged, with court relief for seven plaintiffs only), a renewal filed on or after 2025-10-30 gets no automatic extension.
How long does an employment-based I-485 take?
On November 1, 2026, the USCIS tool showed 42.5 months at Service Center Operations and 9.5 months at field offices, with no premium option. If your priority date is not current, the Visa Bulletin wait comes on top. For November 2026, USCIS requires employment-based I-485 filers to use the Dates for Filing chart.
What does 80% of cases completed within mean?
It is the time within which USCIS finished 80% of the cases of that form, category and office that it decided in the past six months, as the DHS CIS Ombudsman describes it, so 20% took longer. It describes past cases, not yours, and it changes when USCIS updates the tool. To learn when you may ask about a delay, use the case inquiry date the tool calculates from your receipt date.
How big is the USCIS backlog?
USCIS reported 12,807,907 cases pending across all forms at the end of FY2026 Q3 (April to June 2026), with Q3 receipts of 2,176,844, down 34% year over year. Pending is not the same as backlog, USCIS pending counts cannot be compared across quarters, and FY2026 Q4 data were not out as of 2026-11-01.