The time it takes for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to process an L1 visa extension depends on whether the petition is filed under regular or premium processing. Both options require Form I-129, which must be submitted by the U.S. employer on behalf of the employee.
Regular processing
According to historic processing data from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the median processing time for Form I-129 petitions, which include L1 visa extensions, was approximately 2.7 months in Fiscal Year 2024. USCIS also reports that 80 percent of these cases were completed within about six months, depending on the service center and overall workload.
Processing times may vary. If USCIS issues a Request for Evidence (RFE), the review process is paused until the requested documents are received and evaluated.
Premium processing
USCIS offers a faster option through Premium Processing, which can be requested using Form I-907. According to USCIS, the agency will take action within 15 business days of receiving the premium request. This action may be an approval, a denial, or a request for additional evidence. If no action is taken within that time, USCIS will refund the premium processing fee.
When to file
Employers may file an L1 extension petition before the employee’s current status expires. If the extension is filed on time, the employee is generally allowed to continue working for up to 240 days while the petition is under review, as permitted under federal regulation.