The direct answer
There is no single end-to-end BIMI activation time. Preparation, issuer validation, DNS caching and receiver processing are separate stages; the slowest unfinished dependency controls your launch.
Which stage am I waiting for?
Identify whether you are waiting for authentication fixes, mark evidence, certificate issuance, record visibility or inbox display. Ask the owner of that stage for its current status. “DNS propagation” is not a useful explanation for an application that has not yet passed validation.
Google says display can take up to 48 hours after publishing the BIMI record. That is provider guidance for that stage, not a universal completion guarantee or an estimate for certificate issuance.
How do I choose a launch date?
Plan the public announcement after the prerequisites are complete and representative tests have succeeded. Save the publishing time, configuration and test results so an unresolved delay can be investigated.
If something fails validation, fix the failure rather than extending a timer indefinitely. If the checks pass, compare results by receiver and allow for provider-specific processing before making another configuration change.
Sources & further reading
Provider guidance checked on . Requirements can change; check the original guidance when implementing. Planning checklists and examples are BIMI World’s editorial suggestions.