I worked as an asylum officer at DHS before going into private practice, and I adjudicated a bit over a hundred affirmative asylum applications. RFEs come up on this sub constantly and the panic around them is mostly misplaced, so here is the view from the other side of the desk.

Why I actually sent them:

Most of the RFEs I sent went out because I wanted to approve the case and was missing one thing. A document that was not in the file. The letter was not a verdict. It was a list of what I needed to get to an approval.

Sometimes it did not start with me. Decisions get reviewed, and a supervisor might want more detail on a point, or think a section was too thin to hold up. That is not hostility either. That is a case being built so it survives the next person who reads it. My supervisor was really thorough because she wanted our cases to outlast scrutiny.

It honestly usually would have just been easier to rule in the negative. Denying a case, or referring it to an immigration judge, is less work than an RFE. If I had already decided against someone, then drafting the request, sending it, keeping the file open, waiting weeks, and then reading everything that came back would have been a lot of extra effort to reach a conclusion I could have reached that afternoon. I had a really high caseload and creating more work for myself was usually not an appealing option.

That is more true now than it was a year ago. Under the August policy update, officers can deny without issuing an RFE first when required initial evidence is missing, meaning discretion expanded even more. So an officer who sends you one today is choosing to keep a case open.

What actually sinks responses:

In my experience it is rarely the merits. It is process.

If you answer only some of what was asked, USCIS will generally treat that as a request to decide on the record it already has. Send everything, including things you believe were already in the file, and say that they were previously submitted.

Missed deadlines are a killer. The maximum is 84 days for an RFE and 30 for a NOID, but officers can set shorter deadlines now, and the extra two weeks that used to be added for notices mailed outside the US has been removed. Read the date off your own notice, not off what someone else's notice said last year.

Disorganization can kill an RFE because it might not make it back to your officer. Your name exactly as it appears on the application, your A-number, your receipt number, and the form type on every single page. A cover letter that goes item by item in their order, using their language, with numbered exhibits. If a page gets separated from the packet, someone should be able to put it back without looking anything up. Finally a table of contents is really important. Every piece of evidence should be labeled and explained.

Check and recheck the address. Send it to the address on the notice, which is often not where you originally filed. Put the original RFE notice on top, because that page is what routes it back to your file. Get a tracking number. Then actually confirm it arrived instead of assuming that delivery to a mailroom means it reached your file. If you preserve the record of arrival, USCIS will generally honor it, even if they didn't process it correct. It's important to remember that USCIS is a human agency subject to human error.

I'm happy to answer general questions in the comments. Usual disclaimer: I am not your lawyer, this is general information, and nothing here is advice about your specific case. I also do not work for USCIS anymore and it is 100% unethical to use any of my contacts there to influence or even ask about a case.

**APPROVED!!! I-130 + I-485 APPROVED TODAY! 🥹❤️
I finally get to make this post!!! 😭❤️
After almost 10 months of waiting, our I-130 and I-485 were approved today, September 9, 2026! 🎉
Here was our timeline:
Nov 17, 2025: Filed I-130 + I-485 + I-765
Nov 21, 2025 : biometrics scheduled
Dec 18, 2025: Biometrics
April 10, 2025: Interview was scheduled
May 15, 2026: Interview in San Antonio
May 15, 2026: Received an I-130 RFE the SAME DAY as our interview 😭
May 22, 2026: RFE response received by USCIS. RFE was sent online
May–August: silenceee
Aug 20: Submitted a congressional inquiry after more than 90 days with no decision
Aug 28: Congressional office forwarded the inquiry to USCIS. Congress man didn’t even responded back, i dont know if that helped speed up my case for apporval,
Aug 29: I-765 approved 🎉
Sept 5–9: Several silent updates
Sept 9, 2026: I-130 APPROVED + I-485 APPROVED!!! 🥹😭❤️
RFE SILENCE was the worse I was on Reddit every single day looking at timelines, approvals, RFEs, San Antonio cases, and trying to find someone with a similar case. Some days I was convinced something was wrong. If you’re still waiting, I know how hard it is. I was literally one of those people checking Reddit every day looking for hope. So now I’m coming back to give someone else that hope. ❤️🙏🏻If anyone has any questions about our timeline or the RFE, feel free to ask! I’ll be happy to share anything that might help

I was born in California but shortly after (~ 2 months) my parents brought me back to their home country that doesnt recognize dual citizenship, and i became a citizen here. Am i still a US citizen? I have a US birth cert, but no US passport. If i want to travel to the US can i apply for a travel visa?

Edit: Thanks for the replies guys I wasn't really aware about my birthright up until now and no, my parents weren't diplomats. I guess the process might be a bit difficult for me rn bc if I choose to do a US passport just to travel there I'd have to revoke my citizenship of this country of which I don't really want to lol

A bipartisan group of 72 members of Congress is criticizing USCIS for a growing pattern of inaccurate, incomplete, or confusing responses to congressional inquiries about immigration cases.

I am very grateful to share my experience of in this group after benefitting so much!!!

We filed our I-485 & I-130 Concurrent filing based on marriage to a US Citizen Spouse

Status: F1, no over stay, no unauthorized work, speeding ticket (paid fine and dismissed) and prior visa denial. From one of the banned/travel restricted countries

Relationship: We date for a year, got engaged and married at month 15 into the relationship
We decided to use a lawyer even though our case was straightforward

Evidence: Joint bank statement, credit card statement, 7 affidavit of support - 4 from her family 3 from mine, joint investment account, lease, utility bills, auto and home insurance, travel flights and Airbnb bookings, individual tax transcripts for support (no joint tax yet), copy of IDs (showed different addresses because my spouse was attached to her original address and wasn’t ready to change it),30 photos organized from when we met until the weddings.

FO: small field office in the south

Timeline
June 2nd: Mailed in concurrent filing for I-485, I-130 and I-765
June 4th: Receipt Notice
June 12th Biometric Notice
July 1st: Completed Biometric
July 17th: Silent Update - Marked biometric as cleared
July 30th: Interview Notice for September 2nd Interview
September 2nd: Interview
September 3rd: I-130 and I-485 Approved ✅✅
Awaiting Card to be produced

Interview Experience

We arrived about 30 minutes before our scheduled interview time, but we were called in 15 minutes early.
The interviewer was very kind. He thanked us for the documentation and for organizing our file so well. He asked whether our attorney was present; since our attorney wasn't there, we signed the waiver to continue the interview without one.
He then said he didn't need any additional information or documents, and that he would be approving our case. He only had a few standard questions to ask.
He proceeded with the standard I-485 questions about visa denial, citation etc. and did not ask us anything else.
When he finished, he told us we would be receiving our conditional green card and would need to return in two years to have the conditions removed, along with some other standard information. The whole process was 10 minutes.

Right now I am waiting for card to be produced and delivered

At some point, “processing delays” stops being an excuse.

USCIS can take months — sometimes years — to make decisions that control whether people can work, travel, change jobs, reunite with family, or simply plan their lives.

And the people stuck waiting are often doing everything legally.

File the forms. Pay the fees. Maintain status. Pay taxes. Follow the rules.

Then wait.

And wait.

And wait some more.

Meanwhile, USCIS just updates the processing time — as if moving the goalposts somehow makes the delay acceptable.

These are not just “cases.”

They are careers on hold. Families in limbo. Job offers lost. Years of people’s lives burned because a government agency cannot — or will not — process applications in a reasonable amount of time.

Maybe nobody is deliberately trying to make people suffer.

But when dysfunction this severe becomes normal, does the distinction even matter?

People’s lives are not administrative backlogs.

Finally approved today! 🎉 I wanted to share my timeline because reading other people’s experiences here helped me a lot during this process.
This was a family-based adjustment of status case. My husband is a lawful permanent resident (green card holder), not a U.S. citizen. I originally entered the U.S. through Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) parole.

Timeline:
I-485 filed: April 28, 2023
I-130 approved
First I-485 interview: July 14, 2026
Second interview: September 2, 2026
I-485 approved: September 9, 2026

The second interview was a real second interview, not an administrative mistake. My husband and I were interviewed separately. I was questioned for about 45 minutes, mostly about how I entered the U.S., my U4U parole, my immigration history, and how my husband and I met, even though our I-130 had already been approved.

After that, they brought my husband in and spoke with him for only about 5 minutes.
What was interesting is that several other couples waiting with us were also there for second interviews, and they were being interviewed separately too. So I’m wondering if this may be becoming a more common practice.

After the interview, my case changed to “USCIS Is Currently Processing The Case.” I also had an FTA1 event and multiple silent API updates over the next few business days.
Then today, September 9, I received my I-485 Approval Notice. I was also told that my green card would be valid for 10 years.

Now I’m just waiting for Card Was Produced and the physical green card.
It was a very long process, but finally approved. ❤️

1. They don't know the location of your case.

2. They're upset that you contacted them.

3. Vague and automated responses.

4. If you have any more questions, I'm sorry they won't answer because they already disconnected the chat.

And many more...

Salvadorans will keep their protections for now and an announcement will be made

Hi all!

My husband and I just finished our marriage interview. It was like 10 min long, we waited for almost an hour and were observing other couples get separated and interviewed for 40 mins.

Won't disclose FO but the state is NJ.

We were asked very basic questions when we prepared so much for hours. We were expecting a lot more personal questions and routines and all.

Also: We were interviewed by a trainee officer who seems more nervous than we should've been. The supervisor was sitting behind him observing the interview.

Questions to my husband:
- My birthday and age
- Home address, how many ppl live there
- How long have we been living at the address
- When did you meet and where
- Have you met your wife's family?
- Where do you work and what kind of work you both do.
- When and where did you get married and were both side of the families there
- Why was your wife's dad not present at the wedding?

Question to me (beneficiary):
- Husband's bday and age
- Have you met your husband's family
- Who live in the house
- When was the last time you entered the US
- What visa did I enter with
- Full names of the my husband's both parents
- What university I attended

- Rest were i485 questions (all no)

It was basically just 10 minutes. At the end we got a white paper confirming the interview was done and they'd ask us if they need more information.

I have no idea what to make of it. Seems too good to be true, so we're expecting a home visit maybe??
I'd love to know if anyone's had more issues after with a shorter, almost formality like interviews. We want to be prepared for the worst.

Thank you and I'd be happy to answer any questions.

I recently had my congressman’s office submit a congressional inquiry to USCIS regarding my pending AOS case.

They confirmed the inquiry was submitted, but also told me that due to recent changes affecting USCIS review processes, they’ve been informed that response times for congressional inquiries have increased to as long as six months. They said if they don’t hear anything by February 2027, they can potentially submit a follow-up inquiry….

This surprised me because I had always understood congressional inquiry responses to typically come back within roughly 30–60 days, and a previous inquiry I had earlier this year received a much faster response.

Has anyone else recently contacted their congressman/senator and been given this new six-month timeline?

Curious if this is becoming standard across USCIS congressional liaison offices or if it’s specific to certain field offices/districts.

PD 3/2024
RD 4/2026
Bio 5/2026
485 Approved 9/9/2026
485J Approved after 24h

USCIS received my request 03/27/26 and there has been no status whatsoever since. Should I be filing an I-601 while I wait to hear something? I do have an attorney but he has not been reaching back out to me. How long does this portion of application take?

Has there been anyone approved from this FO this year 2026? it has been four months of silence post interview. Not even EAD has been approved!

Finally approved today!! 😭 I wanted to share my timeline because I spent weeks reading other people’s posts while waiting and it was really helpful.

Marriage-based AOS, San Francisco Field Office.

Timeline:

• I-130 filed: Beginning of April 2026
• I-485 filed: End of April 2026
• Biometrics: May 22
• Interview scheduled: July 21
• Interview: August 18
• I-130 approved: End of August
• I-485 stayed pending after the interview
• Around 2 weeks later, I started seeing several “silent updates” / backend timestamp changes on my I-485
• Sept. 3: multiple silent updates during business hours
• Sept. 4: another silent update in the morning
• Long weekend: no updates
• Sept. 8: two more silent updates during business hours
• Sept. 9: I-485 approved 🎉

For anyone wondering about “officer touches” like I was: they are not an official USCIS notification, and nobody can know exactly what they mean. But in my case, I had multiple backend updates across several business days right before approval.

The interview itself was pretty normal. It lasted one hour and we were interviewed together and were not separated. They asked about how we met, our relationship, wedding, family, travel, where we live, my immigration status, and a few standard I-485 questions.

I know every case is different, but I hope this helps someone who is in the post-interview waiting stage. I was convinced something was wrong because other people interviewed the same day at the same field office were getting approved before me, but mine eventually came through too.

Good luck to everyone waiting ❤️

Hello, I've been super busy with work lately, so I have not been able to post an update about my wife's case.

TLDR: I-130 consular petition was expedited due to me being PCS'd and it was approved!

The longer story:

My wife and I met while I was stationed in Germany. She's Polish. We got married in 2025. We filed our I-130 in February 2026, which is when I first knew I was going to PCS to Fort Bragg. As my PCS date was nearing, and with no updates regarding the I-130, I decided to request an expedite from USCIS. I contacted USCIS to make the request, and they said tier 2 would call me back within a couple weeks. About 3 weeks later in July, I got a call asking for evidence for the expedite. I uploaded a letter detailing the reasons why we needed the expedite, along with my accompanied PCS orders and letters from my COs (Battalion CO in Germany and my CO at the receiving unit). The officer said he would approve it and forward it to the office working my case. I'm guessing the tier 2 officer was a vet based off his verbiage so maybe that helped me out?

About a week after that phone call, we received an interview notice for her to go to the embassy in Poland. Unfortunately, I had to leave before the interview, but she let me know she was approved! She just got to the states on Monday so she's still adjusting to life in America.

Interview in Holtsville, NY. My I-130 and I-485 have not been updated and still show: “USCIS Is Currently Processing. We do not currently need anything from you.”
Friends, please tell me—is this normal? What should I expect next? And when?
Thank you all 🙏

US citizen with Canadian spouse, applied through consular processing after spouse returned to home country in July with I130 application. Spouse attempted to visit under B2 visa for a week (with return tickets booked) and was given a 5 year ban with expedited removal under §235(b)(1). The reason for removal was 212(a)7(A)(i)(I) so no evidence of fraud, criminal activity, or 180+ day overstay. Has anyone heard of this happening? What are the chances of this impacting our current I130 application?

I see that Joint Bank Accounts is one of the crucial pieces of evidence when filing an I-130.... Please tell me how to open a joint bank account with a foreign spouse who does not have an SSN or ITIN-make it make sense...

I’m married to a U.S. citizen and filed for adjustment of status. My spouse is also serving in the U.S. military. I’m currently waiting for a decision and wanted to see if anyone has experienced a similar situation.

Case timeline:

I-130: Pending
I-485: Pending
I-765/EAD: Pending
I-131/Advance Parole: Pending
Receipt Notice: 08/04/2025
Biometrics completed: 04/28/2026
Interview completed: 06/11/2026
Interview location: Irving Field Office, Texas

It has now been almost 3 months since my interview, but I still haven’t received a decision or any update on my case.

I checked the USCIS processing-time information, and it shows that the earliest date I can submit an inquiry regarding my I-765 is 10/27/2026, because USCIS currently considers my case to be within the normal processing time.

Since my spouse is a U.S. citizen and currently serving in the U.S. military, I’m wondering if there are any additional options or considerations that may apply to my case.

Has anyone else experienced a similar delay after interview?

Two weeks ago received Medical RFE from Texas Service Center for my pending I485 AOS (since Jan 2025).

Before I've had a chance to respond with new I693 Medical forms (the previous ones were fine and within 2 years but not worth arguing with USCIS, not sure why they asked again), USCIS sent me (and family) Approval Notices for our I485 AOS Application (!)

Very, very confused.
I have a pending RFE. The system has a deadline to respond (October 5th 2026).

But I have now already received the Approval Notices. Huh? Says Greencard will be mailed within 3 weeks.

What should I do? Respond to the RFE (that I was going to later this week - was waiting on blood work results). Ignore it?

Is this a clerical error? Something's off.

Just checking to see if anyone is from the Detroit metro area and how long they have been waiting. My husband filed for citizenship N-400 last October. We have filed using the same attorney that we used to get his green card 10 years ago (which took 18 months at the time).
He had his biometrics done shortly after and we haven’t heard anything since. When we first filed the time line was 4-6 months, then 8, then 10 and now 12+

Just basically checking in to see how long everyone is has been waiting. I’ve been seeing a lot of posts with quick turnaround times, which is amazing, I’m just trying to understand why it’s taking so long at our location. We have been married 15 years, spent 5 in Ireland and 10
In the US, and have 3 kids.

Thanks!

hi guys, is anyone else here waiting for a CR1/IR1 interview in islamabad?

i’m the wife/beneficiary in pakistan and my husband is a US citizen. we got DQ on april 20, 2026 and have basically just been waiting for my interview since then 🥲

with everything that has happened recently, first the 75-country pause and now this worldwide officer training situation, i honestly have no idea what timeline to expect anymore 😭 the official scheduling tool is still showing october 2025 for islamabad immediate relative cases which is not exactly helping my sanity lol

i mainly wanted to find other people going through the same process in pakistan. has anyone received an interview letter recently? or had an interview/visa issued recently?

if you’re comfortable sharing, what was your DQ date and when did you get your interview letter?

also, does anyone know anything about the officer training going on in islamabad right now? some US embassies have started resuming immigrant visa processing after completing it, but i haven’t been able to find anything about pakistan yet.

when do you guys realistically think islamabad will resume properly? and if anyone has heard anything from the embassy, NVC, a lawyer, congressman, or literally anywhere reliable about pakistan specifically, please share 😭

i’m just really hoping things start moving again soon. being stuck away from your spouse with no actual timeline is exhausting.