At Hope Immigration, we believe in keeping our community informed, especially when it comes to complicated immigration processes like the U visa. If you or a loved one is waiting on a U visa, you’re probably already familiar with the long delays. But lately, things have gotten even slower. Here’s what you need to know about current U visa processing times, what’s causing the delays, and what resources are available to help you track your case.
What is the U Visa?
The U visa (or U nonimmigrant status) is for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical harm and have helped law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of that crime. It provides protection from deportation, a work permit, and eventually, the possibility to apply for a green card.
As a reminder, there are three major stages of the U status process: from filing to the Bona Fide Determination (BFD) and work permit, from BFD to the full U approval, and then from U approval to lawful permanent residence.
What is a Bona Fide Determination?
The Bona Fide Determination is an important checkpoint in the U visa process. If USCIS decides your application is complete and appears eligible, they may grant you a BFD. Once that happens, you can receive deferred action (protection from deportation) and an employment authorization document (work permit, also known as an EAD).
While you’re still waiting for final approval, the BFD at least gives you a path to stability while your case is pending.
What are the Current Wait Times?
Right now, the entire U visa process is experiencing extreme delays, including the time for receiving the BFD.
For the BFD and EAD, it’s currently taking about five years. If someone takes USCIS to court through litigation, the timeline can sometimes be shortened to 6–12 months, but this isn’t available to everyone and comes with legal costs.
For the full U approval, the waitlist is growing exponentially. For applications filed now, final approval could take 18 years or more. Yes — you read that right. Nearly two decades. With the program capped at 10,000 visas per year for principal applicants (not including derivative family members) and an ever-growing waitlist, we will only see this timeline lengthen even more. With a lack of resources for USCIS to keep up, and more and more people applying each year, we do not see this changing anytime soon either.
As a reference, our most recent U approval had the following processing times:
- Filed the I-918 in February 2017
- Received the I-918 Receipt in February 2017
- Received the EAD and BFD in February 2022
- Received the full U approval in June 2025
- Eligible for Adjustment of Status in June 2028
- Eligible for citizenship circa 2033
How Can I Track My Case?
Unfortunately, humanitarian cases do not allow applicants to track their I-918 application through the USCIS portal due to safety and privacy concerns. There is a slight loophole with this, as you can track the I-765 application, but there is no way to know what stage the I-918 is at.
USCIS also does not publish regular, public processing times for U visa cases. The estimates we have for the nearly two-decade-long wait are based on what we see in real-time with our own clients, and coming together with other attorneys to get an accurate estimate.
To help with this, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) has created a U Visa Tracker that helps estimate where USCIS is in the queue. This tool is based on real-world data submitted by immigration attorneys, and while not official, it gives us a better sense of the timeline. Please note that this tracker is not accessible to the public, but you are welcome to reach out to your legal team for more information.
What Can I Do While I Wait?
While the wait for a full U approval certainly feels like an eternity, there are things to keep an eye on while you wait.
It is crucial that USCIS always has the correct mailing and physical address on file. Not only is it a legal requirement to update your address with USCIS whenever you move, but this ensures that you also don’t miss any important notices.
Similarly, keep your legal team updated regularly as well. If you move, change emails or phone numbers, or even get married or have children, it is important that your legal team is aware of these changes. Not only to ensure that they know how to reach you when there is an update, but also to see if any other legal pathways open up over the years.
If you’ve been waiting six months to five years for your BFD, reach out to your legal team to determine your options. Technically, USCIS is supposed to issue the BFD and EAD within six months of filing, and litigation is an option to secure those benefits in a more timely manner.
And most importantly: Don’t lose hope. We know the wait is long and painful. But the U visa remains a powerful protection and a path forward for many immigrant survivors of crime. At Hope Immigration, we are with you every step of the way.
If you have questions about your U visa application or need help exploring your options, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help.