I-129 — Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker
Premium Processing AvailableemploymentFiling fee: $780 (plus additional fees vary by classification)
Median wait (p50)
9.5 months
Range: 9.5–9.5 months
Fastest subtype
9.5 months
General
Slowest subtype
9.5 months
General
Year-over-year
6.8 mo+6.8 mo
vs. Jun 26 last year
What is I-129?
Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, is used by U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States for temporary work. It covers a wide range of visa classifications including H-1B (specialty occupation), H-2A (agricultural), H-2B (temporary non-agricultural), L-1 (intracompany transferee), O-1 (extraordinary ability), P (athletes/entertainers), and TN (USMCA professionals).
Who files this form?
- U.S. employers hiring H-1B specialty occupation workers
- Agricultural employers hiring H-2A temporary workers
- Companies transferring L-1 intracompany employees
- Employers petitioning for O-1 individuals with extraordinary ability
- Organizations bringing P visa athletes, artists, or entertainers
Typical processing time today
Standard processing averages about 3–5 months. H-1B cap-subject petitions are filed during the annual registration period (March) with an October 1 start date. Premium processing (15 business days) is available for most I-129 categories.
I-129 Historical Processing Trend
Quarterly median processing time over the available data period
Median Processing Time Trend
9 quarterly data points
| Month | I-129 Median |
|---|---|
| December 2023 | 2.7 months |
| June 2024 | 2.4 months |
| September 2024 | 2.3 months |
| December 2024 | 3.5 months |
| March 2025 | 4.4 months |
| June 2025 | 2.7 months |
| September 2025 | 3.6 months |
| March 2026 | 7.1 months |
| June 2026 | 9.5 months |
Year-over-Year Comparison
Overlay processing times by calendar year to reveal seasonal patterns
I-129 Processing Times by Year
Each line represents one calendar year
| Month | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | — | — | — | — |
| Feb | — | — | — | — |
| Mar | — | — | 4.4 months | 7.1 months |
| Apr | — | — | — | — |
| May | — | — | — | — |
| Jun | — | 2.4 months | 2.7 months | 9.5 months |
| Jul | — | — | — | — |
| Aug | — | — | — | — |
| Sep | — | 2.3 months | 3.6 months | — |
| Oct | — | — | — | — |
| Nov | — | — | — | — |
| Dec | 2.7 months | 3.5 months | — | — |
I-129 Volume & Approval Rate
Quarterly case volumes and disposition breakdown
Quarterly Volume Trend
Receipts, approvals, denials, and pending cases
| Month | Receipts | Approvals | Denials | Pending |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2023 | 113,939 | 109,583 | 23,735 | 69,866 |
| June 2024 | 205,338 | 140,346 | 19,697 | 117,448 |
| September 2024 | 142,999 | 156,384 | 23,320 | 99,966 |
| December 2024 | 122,514 | 128,612 | 19,811 | 89,852 |
| March 2025 | 131,375 | 152,510 | 18,550 | 63,452 |
| June 2025 | 242,593 | 147,141 | 25,631 | 154,684 |
| September 2025 | 140,984 | 140,496 | 29,128 | 150,876 |
| March 2026 | 130,202 | 134,218 | 15,512 | 120,477 |
| June 2026 | 220,566 | 143,748 | 39,560 | 192,712 |
Latest Quarter
FY2026 Q3
| Slice | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Approved | 143,748 | 38.2% |
| Denied | 39,560 | 10.5% |
| Pending | 192,712 | 51.3% |
Receipts (latest qtr)
220,566
Approval rate
78.4%
Currently pending
192,712
Quarter-over-Quarter Movement
How the median processing time has changed each quarter
Median Changes
Green = faster, Red = slower
| Series | Delta |
|---|---|
| Mar 26 | +3.5 mo |
| Jun 26 | +2.4 mo |
| Jun 25 | -1.7 mo |
| Dec 24 | +1.2 mo |
| Mar 25 | +0.9 mo |
| Sep 25 | +0.9 mo |
| Jun 24 | -0.3 mo |
| Sep 24 | -0.1 mo |
Processing Time Distribution for I-129
How processing times for I-129 are distributed, based on national p50 and p93 data
| Metric | Months |
|---|---|
| Typical (p50) | 9.5 months |
| Slow (p93) | 13.3 months |
| Your case | — |
Estimate Your I-129 Timeline
Pre-filled with this form — just pick a subtype and enter your receipt date