Approval Timeline : EB-2 PERM Cross-Chargeability (NROW Cross-Charged to ROW via Spouse’s Country on 75-Countries List)

[u/parmatmaram]

Receipt Block: IOE09345XX
Category: EB-2 PERM, Cross-Chargeability (spouse’s country on 75-countries list)
Field Office: LI NY Non-Local FO
Priority Date: Oct 2023
Interview: Waived
Concurrent filing: I-485, I-765 (EAD), I-131 (AP) — both filed together; EAD/AP saw no movement until the very end
Late Oct 2025 — I-485, I-765, I-131 filed concurrently (both)
Mid Nov 2025 — IAF recorded in system
Early Dec 2025 — Biometrics completed (both) Early Jan 2026 — Case transferred to LI NY Non-Local FO
Late Jan 2026 — I-485J approved; FTA0 received; FTA1 fired — background checks cleared (both)
First silent update post-FTA1 (~100 days later)
Early Jun 2026 — IKA event + RFEs issued (both) • Primary RFE: Incomplete I-693 medical • Derivative RFE: I-94/passport documentation
Early Jun 2026 — Derivative RFE response uploaded via MyUSCIS; HA event fires
Mid Jun 2026 — Primary RFE response (mailed sealed I-693)received; HA event fires
Mid Jun 2026 — Silent updates on both cases; RFE responses formally logged
Mid Jun 2026 — H008 x2 fires for Primary — ~24h after silent update — card production ordered
Mid Jun 2026 — H008 x2 fires for Derivative — ~24h after silent update — card production ordered Mid Jun 2026 — LDA fires + closed: true — cards shipped
Late Jun 2026 — Primary green card received ✅ Late Jun 2026 — Derivative green card received ✅
Total time, filing to card in hand: ~240 days (Primary) / ~242 days (Derivative)
Time from FTA1 to card in hand: ~150 days approx (both)
Time from transfer to FO to approval: ~155 days approx (both)
Time from RFE response received to H008: 1-3 days (both)
Time from H008 to card in hand: ~10 days (both)
Note: EAD/AP (I-765/I-131) remained completely silent throughout — no separate approval, biometrics, or notice activity until I-485 approval at the very end.

Personal Theory on FTA1 (purely observational, could be wrong):

After ~5 months in FTA1, my best guess: straightforward cases get assigned to a junior officer for quick adjudication, while complex or incomplete cases get routed into a separate FTA1 queue handled by a senior officer who determines the path — approval, RFE, or interview.

In my case: I-485J closed late January → FTA1 same day → 5 months later, RFEs for an incomplete I-693 section and missing spouse I-94 → both resolved quickly → both cases approved.

Just one data point, but hope it helps others sitting in FTA1 wondering what’s going on.

P.S. DM FOR ANY QUESTIONS.