It depends on the type of visa or immigration program you apply for. Some take a few months, others can take several years such as family-based visas usually take longer, often 1–2 years or more, depending on your relationship and the country.

If you are applying for asylum or refugee status, it may take a few months to several years, depending on your case and country policies.

Green card or permanent residence applications often take 1 to 2 years, but delays are common, and Citizenship applications can take from 6 months to over a year after you apply.

Some countries have faster processing if you are highly skilled, an investor, or applying under special programs in that situation processing times can change due to application backlogs, security checks, or missing documents.