The Great I-130 Slowdown: Why Family Petitions Have Quietly Stalled for Spouses From 19+ Countries — and What This Means for 2026 Green Cards

The Great I-130 Slowdown 2026: Delays in Family Petitions

Since late 2025, U.S. spouse I-130 petitions from at least 19 “high-risk” or “travel-ban” countries appear to be moving more slowly, going missing in “security review,” or getting bounced between USCIS, the new Atlanta vetting center, and the State Department — even when the couples are “clean” and otherwise approvable.

This slowdown does not appear in a single neat public memo called “I-130 slowdown,” but instead shows up as:

• A new USCIS national-security vetting center pulling cases by nationality. (USCIS)
• A formal nationwide “benefit freeze” memo (PM-602-0192) suspending decisions for nationals of 19 travel-ban countries. (Herman Legal Group LLC)
• DHS and USCIS rules re-emphasizing “screening and vetting” and shortening benefit validity periods to allow more frequent re-checks. (USCIS)
• Growing gaps between official “normal” processing times and what families from certain countries are actually experiencing. (USCIS e-Gov)

For millions of families, this “invisible” I-130 slowdown is likely to shape who actually gets a marriage green card in 2026 — and who is quietly parked in limbo.

The I-130 slowdown 2026 is impacting many families as they navigate the immigration process.

1. What We Mean by “The Great I-130 Slowdown”

This article focuses on family-based I-130 spouse petitions (immediate relative and F2A) where:

• The U.S. petitioner is a citizen or green-card holder.
• The foreign spouse is from one of roughly 19 “high-risk” / travel-ban countries or closely associated countries.
• The case would ordinarily be straightforward, but has now hit unexplained, nationality-linked delays.

For background on how I-130 spouse cases normally work, we cross-reference Herman Legal Group’s core guides:

• I-130 Spouse Processing Time 2026: Complete Timeline
• Form I-130 Processing Time: How Long Does It Take?
• Marriage-Based Green Card: Everything You Need To Know
• Marriage Green Card Timeline 2026: Full Guide & USCIS Backlogs

Historically, I-130 spouse petitions for immediate relatives often tracked national median USCIS processing times fairly closely. Today, the I-130 slowdown 2026 has led to nationwide medians masking a very different story for certain nationalities. (USCIS e-Gov)

2. The 19+ Countries at the Center of the Slowdown

USCIS’s internal memo PM-602-0192—covered in Herman Legal Group’s explainer “Frozen Files: USCIS PM-602-0192 Freeze”—orders officers to hold benefit decisions for nationals of the 19 “high-risk” countries listed in Presidential Proclamation 10949 (the renewed travel-ban list). (Herman Legal Group LLC)

Those countries typically include:

• Afghanistan
• Iran
• Somalia
• Sudan
• Yemen
• Libya
• Chad
• Democratic Republic of Congo
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Haiti
• Burundi
• Cuba
• Venezuela
• Laos
• Sierra Leone
• Togo
• Turkmenistan

Depending on the final implementation, additional countries may be functionally “added” through vetting practices and consular risk profiles.

Herman Legal Group’s blacklist deep dive, “Trapped by the New Travel-Ban Visa & Green Card Blacklist”, explains how these lists intersect with family, employment, and humanitarian cases. (Herman Legal Group LLC)

Key point: PM-602-0192 does not say “I-130 spouse petitions” in the title, but it sweeps them in as “benefit requests” for anyone whose country of birth or citizenship is on the list.

3. How USCIS and DHS Have Quietly Re-Engineered Vetting

Near the top of this story is a fundamental shift toward continuous, nationality-driven vetting. That shift is visible in:

• New USCIS vetting center (Atlanta):
  DHS announced a centralized vetting center to “strengthen immigration screening” by pulling from the full spectrum of classified and unclassified data. (USCIS)
  • HLG’s explainer: “Inside USCIS’s New Vetting Center: How Atlanta’s AI Hub Will Decide Your Case in 2026”.
  • Follow-up: “USCIS Vetting Center, High-Risk Countries & Social Media Screening”.
• Continuous Immigration Vetting (CIV):
  DHS’s own privacy assessment describes continuous event-based vetting of immigrants using automated tools that flag “derogatory” information in government databases for USCIS action. (Department of Homeland Security)
• National-security freeze memo PM-602-0192:
  As summarized in HLG’s “Frozen Files” guide, USCIS officers are told to hold decisions on:
  • All asylum cases (all nationalities); and
  • All USCIS benefits for nationals of the 19 high-risk countries (including I-130, I-485, I-765, I-131, N-400, I-751, etc.). (Herman Legal Group LLC)
• EAD and security rules:
  Recent DHS and USCIS rules shorten work-permit validity and emphasize screening and vetting before extending benefits, potentially increasing opportunities to stall cases while vetting is “updated.” (USCIS)

In other words, spouses from these countries are now caught in a system designed for permanent suspicion and repeated re-screening, not one-time adjudication.

4. Data Snapshot: What the Numbers Say (and Don’t Say)

4.1 Official USCIS numbers

USCIS publishes:

• Current case processing times on its Check Case Processing Times tool. (USCIS e-Gov)
• Historic national median processing times for forms like I-130. (USCIS e-Gov)
• Statistical tables for “Immigration and Citizenship Data”, including I-130 filings by category. (USCIS)

Those data sets show:

• I-130 medians went up sharply during the pandemic, then improved slightly for some categories.
• Normal “all-office” medians in 2024–2025 could look reasonable (for example, in the 10–14 month range for some immediate-relative categories), masking outliers and nationality-based holds.

4.2 What’s missing

What USCIS does not publish:

• Median I-130 processing times by nationality.
• A public list of cases flagged under PM-602-0192.
• The number of spouse petitions diverted to the Atlanta vetting center or CIV queue.

That gap is why reporters, data journalists, and policy analysts are now triangulating:

• USCIS published medians;
• Crowd-sourced timelines from Reddit and immigrant communities;
• Case-status patterns (months/years of “Case Was Received” or “Actively Reviewed” with no RFE or interview);
• New anecdotal patterns from immigration lawyers.

HLG’s own I-130 resources tracking these trends include:

• I-130 Spouse Processing Time 2026: Complete Timeline
• I-130 Petition for Family Members (Practice-Area Overview)
• Form I-130 Processing Time: How Long Does It Take?

5. How PM-602-0192 and the Vetting Center Translate Into I-130 Delays

Drawing on HLG’s “Frozen Files” and “Vetting Center High-Risk Countries” guides, here is how the slowdown typically plays out for spouse petitions:

5.1 Common patterns for nationals of the 19 countries

For a U.S. citizen or LPR sponsoring a spouse from a listed country, the I-130 may:

• Sit for months or years in “Case Was Received” or “Actively Reviewed” status with no RFE, interview, or transfer. (Herman Legal Group LLC)
• Generate vague notices like “held for review” or “extended security checks,” even when the couple has clean records.
• Be silently routed to the Atlanta vetting center for “enhanced vetting,” often without any public explanation. (USCIS)

In more advanced cases:

• Already-approved I-130s may be re-opened for “quality review” or possible revocation, especially where the beneficiary has prior travel to countries of concern or old security flags. (Herman Legal Group LLC)
• Consular processing can stall at the NVC or embassy under broad “administrative processing,” with no printed mention of PM-602-0192.

5.2 Spillover to “non-listed” countries

Even spouses from non-listed countries feel the backlash:

• USCIS resources are reallocated to high-risk vetting, causing longer queues for everyone. (Herman Legal Group LLC)
• Embassies handling large flows from listed countries (e.g., in the Middle East, Africa, Caribbean) experience broader backlogs, affecting all nationalities in that post’s queue.

HLG’s marriage-based resources describing these ripple effects:

• Marriage Green Card Timeline 2026
• Ohio Marriage-Based Green Card: Costs, Timelines & Interviews
• How Long Does It Take to Get a Green Card After Marriage?

6. “Security Review,” Social Media, and the New Digital Scrutiny

The I-130 slowdown is inseparable from the broader shift toward digital and social-media vetting.

6.1 Social media and “continuous vetting”

• DHS and CBP have systematically expanded social-media collection for visa applicants and visitors. (USAGov)
• DHS’s Continuous Immigration Vetting (CIV) program specifically automates alerts based on new derogatory information in government databases. (Department of Homeland Security)

HLG’s related deep dives:

• Can Border Patrol Go Through My Cell Phone?
• Visitor Rights Entering U.S. Through Airport (Know Your Rights in 2025)
• U.S. Airports Detaining & Deporting Visitors: Immigration Enforcement Zones (Herman Legal Group LLC)

6.2 Travel-ban expansion & family cases

Recent reporting shows plans to widen the travel ban to 30+ countries, explicitly building on an earlier 19-country list and citing concerns about identity and terrorism. (The Guardian)

HLG’s own analysis ties this directly into family cases:

• Trapped by the New Travel-Ban Visa & Green Card Blacklist
• Why Are Visa and Green Card Holders Being Detained and Deported?
• Trump Targeting Legal Immigrants and Tourists for Deportation (Herman Legal Group LLC)

Spouses from listed countries are thus screened not only as would-be immigrants, but as potential security risks within an ever-expanding surveillance net.

7. What This Means for 2026 Green Cards (Visa Bulletin + NVC)

7.1 Immediate relatives vs. preference categories

For U.S. citizens sponsoring spouses, there is no numerical cap. In theory, once the I-130 is approved and background checks clear, the path to the green card is governed mainly by USCIS and NVC processing speed.

For green-card holders (F2A), spouses must watch both:

• The I-130 adjudication; and
• The Visa Bulletin for F2A category movement. See:
  • The Visa Bulletin (State Department official page) (Travel.gov)
  • HLG’s marriage-visa explainer: “Marriage Visa Attorney – Timelines & Consular Processing”.

The I-130 slowdown introduces a third variable: whether a spouse’s nationality quietly drives the case into a security hold.

7.2 NVC and consular bottlenecks

After I-130 approval, many couples encounter:

• “Documentarily complete” status stuck for months in the NVC queue.
• Embassies in key regions (Middle East, North Africa, Caribbean, parts of Asia) with longer F2A/CR-1/IR-1 interview backlogs, especially for nationals of the 19 countries.

To track that layer, State now offers:

• IV Scheduling Status Tool for embassy interview backlogs. (Travel.gov)

HLG practice-area and guide links that help put this in context:

• CR-1 and IR-1 Spouse Visas: Must-Know Facts
• Bringing Your Foreign Partner to the U.S. Permanently: Processing Times

8. Practical Checklist: If Your I-130 Spouse Case Is Stuck

For spouses (especially from the 19 countries) who suspect they’ve been pulled into the slowdown, Herman Legal Group typically focuses on:

1. Confirming whether your delay is “normal” or extraordinary
   • Compare your timeline to:
     • USCIS Check Case Processing Times tool.
     • HLG’s I-130 Spouse Processing Time 2026 benchmarks.
2. Auditing the strength of your petition package
   • Use HLG’s checklists to ensure there are no simple, fixable issues:
     • I-130 Checklist: How to Submit Form I-130
     • What Supporting Documents You Have to Submit With I-130
3. Preparing for—and using—RFEs strategically
   • Request for Evidence in Marriage Green Card Cases
   • Marriage Green Card RFE Response Guide
   • How to Win a Spousal I-130 or I-751 After RFE or NOID
4. Checking for travel-ban or national-security flags
   • Did you or your spouse:
     • Travel to high-risk countries?
     • Experience prior CBP secondary inspection or “voluntary return”?
     • Have a prior visa denial hinting at “possible security issues”?
   • See:
     • USCIS Vetting Center & High-Risk Countries
     • Trapped by the New Travel-Ban Visa & Green Card Blacklist
5. Documenting hardship and delay for future escalation
   • Keep a detailed log of:
     • Every status change and inquiry response;
     • Lost job offers, medical issues, pregnancy, or child hardship;
     • Missed milestones (births, funerals, graduations) caused by separation.

This documentation becomes crucial if you eventually move to federal court (writ of mandamus).

9. Writs of Mandamus: The Nuclear Option for Stalled Spouse Petitions

9.1 What a writ of mandamus is — and is not

A writ of mandamus is a federal lawsuit asking a judge to order a government agency (USCIS, State, or both) to do its job — in this context, to make a decision on your long-delayed case.

Key points:

• Mandamus cannot force approval; it can force action (approve, deny, or otherwise resolve).
• It is usually considered when delay is far beyond normal processing times, often 12–24+ months outside published medians, especially with repeated non-answers about “security checks.” (Herman Legal Group LLC)

HLG’s related discussions of mandamus in other contexts:

• How Long Does It Take to Get a Green Card After Marriage?
• IR-1 and CR-1 Spouse Visas: Must-Know Facts
• Trump Halts Green Card Applications: Refugees, Asylees & Vetting
• I-601 Waiver for Prior Fraud or Misrepresentation
• N-400 Approved — Oath Ceremony Cancelled? (Herman Legal Group LLC)

9.2 When mandamus may make sense for I-130 spouses

For spouse petitions from the 19+ high-risk countries, mandamus may be realistic when:

• The case is clearly clean and approvable on paper;
• The file has spent many months or years beyond published USCIS medians;
• Multiple service requests, congressional inquiries, and ombudsman requests have gone nowhere;
• USCIS and/or the consulate repeatedly invoke vague national-security or “administrative processing” language without end.

Mandamus in this context is often about forcing transparency:

• Is the case truly being vetted for legitimate reasons?
• Or is it simply stuck in a never-ending “security check” with no one accountable?

9.3 Risks and downsides

Mandamus is powerful, but not free of risk:

• The government can fight back: DOJ may defend the delay or accuse the case of being “complicated” due to undisclosed factors.
• You may get a fast denial instead of an approval: For weak cases, mandamus may simply speed up a negative outcome.
• Costs: Federal litigation requires legal fees and court costs; it is not a DIY form like an e-request.

Because of this, HLG generally reserves mandamus for:

• Strong, well-documented marriage cases;
• Extreme or nationality-linked delays;
• Situations where separation is causing severe hardship (health, child development, safety abroad, etc.).

10. Story Angles and Data Ideas for Journalists & Researchers

If you are a reporter, policy analyst, or researcher, the “Great I-130 Slowdown” opens up multiple under-reported angles:

1. Nationality-Specific Delays
   • Compare I-130 timelines for spouses from the 19 countries vs. spouses from non-listed countries.
   • Leverage anonymized attorney case data, Reddit timelines, and community-based surveys.
2. Impact on U.S. Citizens and Children
   • Document how U.S. citizen spouses and U.S.-citizen children are effectively punished by nationality-based vetting of their foreign parent.
3. Visa Bulletin vs. Reality
   • Overlay published Visa Bulletin movement with real I-130 + NVC timelines for F2A and IR-1/CR-1.
4. Mandamus Litigation as a Pressure Valve
   • Track federal mandamus filings tagged to I-130 / I-485 / consular delays for nationals of the 19 countries.
   • Ask whether federal courts are becoming the de facto oversight of secret vetting lists.
5. Chilling Effect of Continuous Vetting
   • Use DHS’s Continuous Immigration Vetting PIA and Brennan Center reporting on “continuous vetting” to explore how 24/7 surveillance affects free speech and digital self-censorship among immigrants. (Department of Homeland Security)

HLG’s broader policy-oriented pieces you can cross-reference:

• Inside USCIS’s New Vetting Center: How Atlanta’s AI Hub Will Decide Your Case in 2026
• The “No-Criminal-Record” Crackdown: 75,000 Non-Criminal ICE Arrests
• We Will Not Back Down: HLG Responds to Trump’s Attack on Immigration Lawyers

11. FAQ: Common Questions About the I-130 Slowdown

Q1: Is there an official memo that says “we are slowing I-130s for these countries”?
No. The slowdown is the combined effect of PM-602-0192, the new vetting center, continuous vetting, and travel-ban expansions that happen to disproportionately hit nationals of these countries.

Q2: Does this affect spouses inside the U.S. (adjustment of status) and outside (consular)?
Yes. For spouses in the U.S., the I-130/I-485 package can be held or re-opened. For spouses abroad, NVC and consular processing may stall under “administrative processing” with no clear end date.

For AoS guidance, see:

• I-485 Marriage Adjustment Steps 2026 Guide
• Marriage Green Card: Adjustment of Status Document List

Q3: If my spouse is from a non-listed country, should I still worry?
Yes, but for different reasons. Even if your spouse isn’t from a listed country, you may face longer queues and more detailed vetting because USCIS and DHS are spending more time on national-security screening overall.

Q4: Will a writ of mandamus guarantee approval?
No. It can compel action, not approval. That is why mandamus should be weighed carefully with an experienced immigration litigator familiar with travel-ban and vetting issues.

Q5: Is it safe to travel while my I-130/I-485 is pending and I’m from a listed country?
Travel is risky, especially with pending I-485s, advance parole, or fragile temporary status. See:

• Why Are Visa and Green Card Holders Being Detained and Deported?
• Can Border Patrol Go Through My Cell Phone?

12. How Herman Legal Group Can Help Families Caught in the Slowdown

Herman Legal Group has:

• 30+ years representing marriage-based couples, including from high-risk and travel-ban countries;
• Hands-on experience with security-flagged I-130/I-485 cases, NVC delays, and consular “administrative processing”;
• A growing track record in mandamus and federal-court strategies when USCIS or consulates simply stop moving.

Key marriage-based resources:

• Marriage-Based Green Card: Step-by-Step Guide
• How Long Does It Take to Get a Marriage Green Card?
• What Happens If Your Marriage Green Card Is Denied After USCIS Interview?
• Marriage Green Card Interview: Red Flags & How to Prepare
• How To Prepare for a Marriage Green Card Interview

If your spouse’s I-130 has quietly stalled, especially from one of the 19+ countries, consider scheduling a confidential strategy session:

• Book a Consultation with Herman Legal Group

Resource Directory

Government & Official U.S. Sources

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

• USCIS Case Processing Times
• USCIS Case Status Online
• USCIS Historic Processing Times (I-130 and other forms)
• USCIS Immigration and Citizenship Data
• USCIS Reports and Studies
• USCIS Understanding Our Data
• USCIS Home Page

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

• DHS/USCIS PIA-076 – Continuous Immigration Vetting (CIV)
• Continuous Immigration Vetting – PDF PIA
• USCIS Privacy Documents (PIAs and SORNs)
• DHS Press/Newsroom Page (Screening & Vetting Updates)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

• CBP Border Search of Electronic Devices at Ports of Entry
• CBP Directive 3340-049A – Border Search of Electronic Devices
• CBP Search Authority Overview
• CBP Border Search of Electronic Devices – Tear Sheet
• CBP FY 2024 Border Search of Electronics Statistics

U.S. Department of State (DOS)

• Visa Bulletin (Current and Archive)
• Example: Visa Bulletin for December 2025
• Immigrant Visa (IV) Scheduling Status Tool
• U.S. Visas – Main Portal
• Visa Statistics – Report of the Visa Office
• Visa Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country

Media & Investigative Reporting

• Reuters – Immigration and Security Coverage
• AP News – Immigration
• Politico Immigration & Border Coverage
• The Washington Post – Immigration
• The New York Times – Immigration and the U.S.
• Los Angeles Times – Immigration
• BBC – U.S. Immigration Coverage
• Global News (Canada) – U.S. Travel and Border
• CBC – Cross-Border & U.S. Immigration

Advocacy, Rights & Policy Organizations

• American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
• American Immigration Council
• Migration Policy Institute
• Cato Institute – Immigration Research
• Pew Research Center – Immigration & Migration
• Human Rights First – U.S. Immigration
• Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) – Border & Digital Privacy
• Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT)

Scholarly & Technical Background on Vetting / Automation

• Brennan Center for Justice – Surveillance & Immigration
• DHS PIA-084 ATLAS – Automated Screening System
• DHS National Vetting Center PIA

Herman Legal Group – Deep-Dive Guides on Vetting, Travel Bans & Delays

USCIS Vetting & High-Risk Countries

• Inside USCIS’s New Vetting Center: How Atlanta’s AI Hub Will Decide Your Case in 2026
• USCIS Vetting Center, High-Risk Countries & Social Media Screening
• Frozen Files: USCIS PM-602-0192 Freeze
• Trapped by the New Travel-Ban Visa & Green Card Blacklist

Border Scrutiny, Secondary Inspection & Digital Privacy

• Can Border Patrol Go Through My Cell Phone?
• Visitor Rights Entering U.S. Through Airport (Know Your Rights in 2025)
• Essential Travel Warnings to U.S.: How to Prepare for the “Great Un-Welcoming” at the Border
• Travel Warning for Visa and Green Card Holders: Why Leaving the U.S. Now Could Be Risky
• Why Are Visa and Green Card Holders Being Detained and Deported?

Herman Legal Group – Marriage Green Cards, I-130 & Family Backlogs

• Marriage-Based Green Card: Everything You Need To Know
• Marriage Green Card 2026 Mega-Guide (Ohio-Focused)
• I-130 Spouse Processing Time 2026: Complete Timeline Guide & Updates
• Form I-130 Processing Time: How Long Does It Take?
• I-130 Petition for Family Members (Practice-Area Overview)
• I-130 Checklist: How to Submit Form I-130
• Ohio Marriage-Based Green Card: Costs, Timelines & Interviews
• Who Can File, or Receive, a Marriage-Based Green Card in 2026?

HLG – RFEs, Interviews, Red Flags & Post-Interview Trouble

• Request for Evidence in Marriage Green Card Cases
• How to Prepare for a Marriage Green Card Interview
• Marriage-Based Green Card Interview: Red Flags & How to Avoid Them
• Green Card Marriage Interview Questions: What to Expect
• What Documents Should I Bring to the Marriage Green Card Interview?
• What Happens If Marriage Green Card Is Denied After USCIS Interview?
• Marriage Interview Arrests in 2025–26: Quiet War on Marriage-Based Green Cards

HLG – Oath Cancellations, Secondary Vetting & “Low-Risk” Immigrants

• Yanked Out of Line: USCIS Oath Ceremony Cancelled – 7 Jaw-Dropping Insights
• N-400 Approved — Oath Ceremony Cancelled?
• USCIS Interview Arrest Leaked Memo – 5 Shocking Facts
• The “No-Criminal-Record” Crackdown: 75,000 Non-Criminal ICE Arrests

HLG – Policy, Crackdowns & Broader Context

• Immigration Lawyer for Media Comment on Trump’s Immigration Policies
• Facing an Immigration Crackdown in Your City? What Non-Citizens Must Know
• Not Selected in DV-2027? Smart Alternatives Lead to Real Green Card Options

Community & Crowd-Sourced Timeline Signals

• r/immigration
• r/USCIS
• r/immigrationlaw
• r/greencard