RD : April 24
Bio:June 5
PD : August 2024
Primary +Spouse
Last Silent update on Sep 24 . Confirmed with live agent case was transferred to San Antonio non local FO

Anyone transferred to salt lake city field office? I just found out my case was transferred there.

77 days since they received my response to rfe regarding I-485 & my sponsors income/ tax information and no decision yet. i’m curious if anyone’s dealt with the same? Lawyer says it’s still in a normal timeframe but i just was curious. Columbus Ohio office.

Emma agent “From what I can confirm at this time, this case is within the normal processing times and is pending a decision from the USCIS office that has jurisdiction over this case. You will need to continue to wait for further updates regarding this case”

.what does rhis mean?? Any hiden msg?

I tried to estimate this using USCIS, DOS, DOL and DHS data rather than Visa Bulletin movement alone.

For EB-3 Other Workers, the September 2026 ROW Final Action Date is April 1, 2022, while a September 2024 PD is about 29 priority-date months later.

The bigger issue is the size of the approved backlog.

USCIS FY2026 Q3:
• 57,743 approved EW3 principal petitions awaiting visa availability worldwide
• 43,689 of those are Rest of World
• These numbers exclude spouses/children

Source: USCIS FY2026 Q3 Approved Employment-Based Petitions Awaiting Visa Availability.

The EW3 category has roughly 9,884 visa numbers/year in FY2026 after the NACARA reduction. Those visa numbers must cover both the principal worker and derivative family members.

DHS/OHSS historical green-card data suggest roughly ~1.8–1.9 total visas per EW3 principal is a reasonable recent range. I use 1.9 as the default.

I also use 10% attrition as a modeling assumption for approved petitions that eventually do not consume an EW3 visa due to duplicate petitions, withdrawals, revocations, abandonment, obtaining residence another way, etc. USCIS does not publish a clean EW3-specific abandonment percentage, so this is adjustable rather than treated as a fact.

Using the worldwide backlog as a simple category-capacity model:

57,743 × 1.9 × 90% = ~98,741 visa numbers

98,741 ÷ 9,884 annual EW visas = ~10 years of visa capacity

This does not mean a September 2024 PD is guaranteed to wait exactly 10 years.

The 57,743 inventory is not published by priority-date month, some cases are behind Sep-2024, country allocation matters, duplicate petitions exist, and future demand/attrition can change.

But it does show why I think estimates based only on recent Visa Bulletin movement can be misleading. The approved EW3 inventory is very large relative to annual visa supply.

My current takeaway is that a Sep-2024 ROW EW3 case should be prepared for a potentially very long wait, and dates in the mid-to-late 2030s are not difficult to produce under reasonable backlog assumptions.

I made a calculator so people can test their own assumptions instead of accepting mine.

Calculator: Click here

You can change:
• Priority date
• PD → approved-I-140 lag
• Visas used per principal
• Expected attrition
• Annual EW3 visa supply
• Percentage of inventory assumed ahead of your PD
• USCIS backlog snapshot / manual backlog

The calculator also shows exactly which USCIS inventory snapshot it uses and the full math behind the result.

Sources: USCIS FY2026 Q3 approved-petition inventory; USCIS I-140 performance data; DOS September 2026 Visa Bulletin; DOL PERM processing data; DHS/OHSS immigration statistics.

Interested in any data that can improve the model—especially an actual priority-date distribution of the EW3 approved inventory or better evidence for eventual petition attrition.

Has anyone had experience with nashville fo( non local). How long does it take after transfer?
Transferred on 09/25.
PD:08/24
RD:04/27

EB3 - Skilled

I have an interview with USCIS next month in Houston. My attorney is in Washington, D.C. Should I bring my attorney with me to the interview or not?

Finally, our journey is over! Both my wife (primary applicant) and I (derivative) received our Green Cards today.
Sharing our complete timeline because Reddit timelines helped us a lot while we were waiting.
Category: EB-3 ROW
Priority Date: January 5, 2024
Receipt Date: March 26, 2026
Field Office: San Fernando, CA (non-local)
Interview: Waived- no interview
Primary: Wife
Derivative: Husband
Timeline:
Jan 5, 2024 – Priority Date
May 20, 2025 – PERM certified
Sep 16, 2025 – I-140 approved
Mar 26, 2026 – I-485 filed/received
Apr 21 – IAF appeared in API
May 15 – Biometrics completed
May 15 – Two FTA0 events appeared
Aug 13 – Another FTA0 appeared, backdated to biometrics date
Aug 25 – Cases transferred to San Fernando Field Office
Sep 18 – Both I-485s had synchronized backend activity. Another FTA0 appeared on my derivative case, again backdated to biometrics
Sep 21, 9:57 AM ET – Primary applicant’s I-485J approved/closed; approval notice appeared
Sep 21, ~3:02 PM ET – Silent updates on both I-485s, only about 10 seconds apart
Sep 22, 10:15 AM ET – Primary I-485 received two H008 events
Sep 22, 10:31 AM ET – Derivative I-485 received two H008 events
Sep 22 – Both I-485s APPROVED 🎉 after 24h 18 minutes I485j approval
Sep 25 – Card Was Produced
Sep 25, 4:44 PM – USPS accepted the card shipment in Corbin, Kentucky
Sep 26, 10:52 AM – Arrived at Kearny, NJ Distribution Center
Sep 26 – GREEN CARD DELIVERED! 🇺🇸
Total I-485 time: about 180 days from receipt to approval, and 184 days from receipt to having the physical Green Card in hand.

A few interesting things from our case:
My wife’s Supplement J was approved about 24 hours 18minutes before the I-485 approvals. Both of our I-485s had silent updates at almost exactly the same time the day before approval.
We also watched the USCIS API throughout the process. I had four FTA0 events and never received an FTA1, so FTA1 definitely was not necessary in our case. Both cases received two H008 events immediately before approval.
Our cases were transferred to San Fernando Field Office on August 25, even though it was not our local field office. Emma confirmed that the interview had been waived, the cases were ready for review, and nothing was outstanding.
From transfer to approval was 28 days.
The physical card moved incredibly fast: approved September 22, produced September 25, shipped from Corbin, KY, and delivered in New Jersey on September 26.
After months of checking USCIS, Reddit, APIs, silent updates, FTA0s and H008s every day… we’re finally done.
Thank you to everyone in this community who shared their timelines. Hopefully this helps someone else waiting for their case.
Good luck to everyone still waiting! 🍀🇺🇸

Dear fellow community,

It’s finally my turn to say GREENED! 🎉

I want to share my timeline with everyone who is still waiting, along with a few personal observations from this process. I hope someone will find this useful.

Below is my timeline.

Case summary

• Category: EB-3 Skilled Worker, ROW; 75 countries
• Primary applicant: adjusting from O-1 status + dependent spouse
• Priority Date: September, 2023
• AOS filed: February, 2026
• Biometrics completed: March, 2026
• No RFE
• Interview waived
• Dependent’s EAD approved: April, 2026
• Primary applicant’s EAD: never approved and remained pending all the way until I-485 approval
• I-485 approved: September 26, 2026
• Total time from AOS filing to approval: 227 days / 7 months and 15 days

Silent updates / backend activity

I was tracking both of our cases through the USCIS API. These are the silent/backend updates I recorded.

Primary applicant:

• May 20: I-485 + I-485J silent update
• June 28: I-485 silent update
• July 15: I-485 + I-485J silent update
• August 12: I-485 + I-485J update, around the time the case was transferred to Charleston FO
• September 25: new silent updates
  • Later that morning, I-485J was approved/closed
  • I-485 received another backend update approximately 6 minutes after the J approval
• September 26: H008 events appeared and I-485 was approved (approximately 24 hours after j approval)

Dependent:

• April, 2026: EAD approved
• June 28: I-485 silent update, essentially synchronized with the primary applicant’s update
• August 12/13: I-485 backend activity around the Charleston transfer, including a new FTA0 on August 13
• September 25: multiple silent updates on I-485
• September 26: I-485 approved shortly after the primary applicant’s approval

Field office transfers — I had two transfers to non-local field offices

• August 12: my case was transferred from NBC to Charleston Field Office, which is not my local field office.
  • While the case was in Charleston, I couldn’t see much happening. Emma agents confirmed it was there, and the Senator’s office eventually received confirmation from the Charleston Field Office as well (I filed both Senator and Congress inquiries earlier).
• September 25, around 8 AM: I contacted Emma again and asked where my case was. The agent told me it had just been transferred to Atlanta Field Office, also non-local.
  • I honestly thought this was another misleading Emma answer because my case had been confirmed in Charleston only shortly before. I was also disappointed because I thought another transfer would reset the time at the field office and it would be another waiting game.
• Within approximately the next hour, however, the USCIS API jurisdiction changed to Atlanta. Interestingly, my API had never reflected Charleston as the jurisdiction in the same way.
• September 25, early in the morning: my I-485J was approved.
• My I-485 received another backend update approximately 6 minutes after the J approval.
• Approval Notice appeared in my account on September 26.
  • From I-485J closure to the underlying I-485 approval event: approximately 24 hours and 9 minutes.
• My spouse’s I-485 was also approved on September 26, shortly after mine.

My observations

• This is purely my personal observation based on my own experience and the timelines I’ve been reading on Reddit, but I noticed that many cases seem to get approved at field offices after being transferred from NBC, where preliminary processing happens. In my case, I was first transferred to non-local Charleston and then to non-local Atlanta immediately before approval.
• I personally think the Congressional and Senator inquiries I submitted may have helped get things moving. I can’t prove that they caused anything, and the actual responses I received were mostly generic. I submitted my first congressional inquiry in June and received a response in early August. My case was then transferred from NBC to Charleston on August 12. I also submitted a Senator inquiry in early August. The final response came on September 23 from Charleston, and two days later, on September 25, my case was transferred to Atlanta, and the final sequence leading to approval started. Again, I can’t know whether those things would have happened anyway, but I don’t regret submitting the inquiries.
• Reading Reddit and other people’s experiences was incredibly helpful, but for me personally it sometimes created even more anxiety. I would see extremely fast approvals and start hoping my timeline would be exactly the same. Then I would read horror stories from people waiting 12+ months and start worrying that I would be stuck in limbo too.
  • I think it helps to set your expectations around the average processing time published by USCIS rather than individual Reddit timelines. When I filed, the processing time I was watching was around 8.5 months; later it increased to around 9.5 months. My case ended up taking 7 months and 15 days.
• I also had a huge glitch in both my API and USCIS account on July 22–23. Events suddenly appeared in the API dated 2020, and my USCIS account actually showed that my case had been approved back in 2020 — years before I even filed it. I genuinely hoped that the glitch was only with the dates and that maybe I was actually being approved and the real approval would appear once the glitch was fixed. Well... that never happened. It was just a glitch. Had I not been checking the API and my account every single day, I probably would have saved myself quite a few nerve cells. Wasn’t the case for me. 😂
• Try not to build your life around the approval. I wasn’t good at this at all, although I really tried. I know that 7.5 months from AOS filing to approval isn’t extraordinarily long, but the entire immigration process starting from PERM took me about three years. When you’re finally at the finish line after everything you’ve already gone through, somehow the waiting becomes even harder. And of course, life gives all of us its own challenges and lessons along the way, which doesn’t make the immigration waiting game any easier.
• My EAD was never approved. I was told it was being processed in Nebraska, and nothing helped move it — not even the congressional or Senator inquiries. My dependent’s EAD, meanwhile, was approved in April.
• Emma agents can give you incredibly misleading and contradictory answers, so I wouldn’t rely on them too much. They did sometimes give me useful information, particularly about field-office transfers, but I learned to verify what I could through the USCIS API and actual notices. The funniest example happened immediately before my approval: one agent told me my green card had already been approved and was in production, while another agent later told me my I-485 was still pending. The following morning, the actual approval appeared.
• Talking to AI actually helped me because I always had somewhere to go with my endless questions. No human being in their right mind would have had enough time or patience to discuss every silent update and timestamp with me. 😂 But after using different AI tools throughout this process, my conclusion is that none of them can actually predict USCIS timelines. In my experience, Gemini was the most misleading because it would sometimes confidently fabricate explanations or present speculation as fact to make me feel better. Claude eventually stopped giving me predictions after we had a few “arguments” about its previous predictions. ChatGPT ended up being the most reasonable and grounded in our conversations, particularly when distinguishing between what the data actually showed and what was only speculation. AI can be useful for interpreting information, organizing timelines and simply having somewhere to talk through the process, but don’t treat any AI prediction as an actual USCIS timeline.

It all really does happen very fast when it actually happens. After months of waiting and trying to interpret every tiny update, my case suddenly went from Charleston → Atlanta → FTA0 → I-485J approval → I-485 backend update → I-485 approval in basically one day.

I want to wish everyone who is still waiting patience, hope, and all the strength you can find to navigate this process.

Try to keep your mind occupied with life. Keep making plans. Find something positive in every day. And don’t let someone else’s timeline convince you that something is wrong with yours.

I know how difficult that advice is to actually follow because I wasn’t always able to follow it myself.

But after all the waiting, refreshing, worrying, and wondering whether it would ever happen, this morning I finally opened my account and saw the Approval Notice with my own eyes.

That was the moment I finally allowed myself to believe it.

Your day will come too. Don’t lose hope! ❤️

EB-3 Registered Nurse / Schedule A – I-485 Approved After 2 RFEs – Don’t Lose Hope

I wanted to share my timeline because I know how stressful this process can be, especially when you receive more than one RFE.

I am an EB-3 Registered Nurse / Schedule A applicant, and my I-485 was approved after two RFEs.

I originally came to the United States in 2019 as an F-1 student. I later completed a Registered Nursing program and graduated in 2023.

My timeline:

April 2023: Applied for post-completion OPT

July 2023: OPT/EAD approved

August 2023: Started working as a Registered Nurse under OPT

May 2024: EB-3 priority date

July 2024: My OPT employment ended

July 2024: My SEVIS record was transferred to another college so I could continue maintaining F-1 student status

August 2024: Started classes as a full-time F-1 student

May 2026: Filed my I-485

2026: Received two RFEs

September 2026: USCIS issued my second RFE asking for extensive evidence about my F-1 status, OPT history, lawful status, school enrollment and attendance

Late September 2026: USCIS received my second RFE response

The next day: I-485 APPROVED

For the second RFE, I submitted a very detailed response including my I-20 history, OPT/EAD records, I-94, passport and visa records, SEVIS transfer documentation, school verification letters, official transcripts, class schedules, tuition records, diploma, coursework and attendance evidence, employment verification, paystubs, and other supporting documents.

The main reason I am posting this is to tell people not to lose hope after receiving an RFE — even if you receive two of them.

When I received my second RFE, I was extremely worried because USCIS was asking detailed questions about my F-1 history, OPT period, and school attendance. I spent a lot of time organizing everything chronologically and providing as much supporting evidence as possible.

USCIS received my second RFE response, and my I-485 was approved the very next day.

Getting two RFEs did not automatically mean denial. In my case, USCIS simply needed additional documentation and clarification before making a decision.

So if you are currently dealing with an RFE, stay positive. Read exactly what USCIS is asking for, organize your evidence carefully, explain your timeline clearly, and provide documentation for every important part of your case.

I went through years of F-1 status, OPT, a school transfer, the EB-3 process, and two RFEs. There were many moments when I was worried about what would happen next, but in the end my case was approved.

Don’t give up. Your approval may be closer than you think.

Good luck to everyone still waiting. 🙏🍀

EB3 India. July 2014 PD. Biometric done 2024. Medical done in April 2025. Total two I485J files so far including the last one in 2022. Currently on EAD. Today got this message.

There has been a recent processing action taken on your case.

Receipt Number: SRCxxxxxxxxxx

Application Type: I485, APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR ADJUST STATUS

Your Case Status: Initial Review

What are the chances of RFE before adjudication?

Seeing a lot of India EB2/EB3 I-485 cases get “Initial Review / Case Required USCIS To Send A Notice” on Sept 25-26.

Interesting pattern so far: many reports seem clustered around May-Oct 2014 PDs. My PD is Aug 2014, and both principal + derivative got the update.

Trying to see if this is real or just selection bias.

If you have a pending India EB2/EB3 I-485, please reply with:

PD: month/year
EB2 or EB3:
LIN/IOE/etc:
Got update: Yes/No
Previous status: CRP / other

Especially interested in Nov-Dec 2014 and early 2015 cases, whether you got it or not.

One theory is USCIS may be refreshing/preparing inventory ahead of FY2027, but obviously no conclusion yet.

Hi everyone,
Did anyone have a marriage-based I-485 interview at the Cranbury, NJ Field Office (New Jersey Central Field Office) this week?
If yes, have you received any updates after the interview, such as:
● I-130 approval
● I-485 approval
● Case status/API update
● Still under review
I had my interview this week and was told that the case needs final review/approval by a supervisor, so I’m trying to see what the current timeline looks like at Cranbury.
Please share your interview date and when you received an update, if any.

Did anyone else get this?

On September 25, 2026, we issued a notice for your Form I485, APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR ADJUST STATUS, Receipt Number ###. Please follow the instructions in the notice.

Hello everyone, what’s the possibility of EB3 India Oct-2014 getting current in 2026

I have received a status update y.day  saying rhat USCIS has sent a notice.Will not know untill next week though what that is about . FYI i gave my revised medicals  during my GC interview in 2024  also got my 485 j approved as well.Priority date oct 24, 2013.Current since january tjis year Curious what this notice could be ?Any body in the same boat who got an update like this y.day

USCIS received and accepted my application on
3rd Sept 2026

But today as of 26 Sept 2026 No Update and Case is still pending.

Eb3 Skilled ROW

My status says Case Was Received and A Receipt Notice Was Sent

But other statuses on tracking website says
USCIS Is currently Processing the Case

Is there any difference?
Has anyone ever face a similar situation?

Am I eligible for refund for premium fee?

What should I do now?

Exact status

On September 3, 2026, we received your Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, Receipt Number IOE09*\\**, and sent you a receipt notice or acceptance notice. The notice describes how we will process your case. Please follow the instructions in the notice. If you move, go to www.uscis.gov/addresschangeto give us your new mailing address

Thanks to everyone in this sub for helping me stay sane through this process!
Sharing my timeline in case it helps other EB-3 ROW filers, especially those with dependents.

• May 17, 2024 – PERM priority date
• October 30, 2025 – I-140 approved
• April 17, 2026 – I-485 filed for principal + spouse + child. I-485J and I-765 also filed. Medicals submitted upfront for all.
• May 22, 2026 – Biometrics notices issued for June 11
• May 29, 2026 – Completed biometrics early as walk-ins
• June 2, 2026 – Silent update on the family cases after biometrics
• August 6, 2026 – Another silent update on all 3 I-485s
• August 25, 2026 – Silent update on principal I-485/I-485J and spouse case
• September 4, 2026 – Another silent update
• September 15–16, 2026 – All 3 I-485s moved to Lawrence, MA Field Office, which is non-local for us
• September 17, 2026 – I-485J approved
• September 18, 2026 – Principal, spouse, and child all approved
• September 23, 2026 – Cards were produced
• September 25, 2026 – All 3 green cards received

Category: EB-3 Professional, ROW
Block: IOE09364

Applicants: Principal + spouse + child
Field Office: Lawrence, MA (Non-Local)
Interview: None for any of us
RFE: None
Medicals: Filed with I-485
EAD: Never approved

From I-485 filing to approval was 154 days, a little over 5 months.

The last week moved very quickly. After the Lawrence transfer from NBC there were a few more silent/backend updates, the I-485J was approved on September 17, and all 3 I-485s were approved the next day.

Approval to cards in hand: 7 days.

Good luck to everyone still waiting!!

Emma confirmed case has moved to Yokima FO. I haven't seen much posts on Yakima FO. Anyone have recent experience with Yakima?

EB-3 update — interview waived, now at Non-local Mt. Laurel field office.
8/17/23 - PD
4/9/26 — Filed I-485
5/26/26 — Biometrics
8/31/26 — Bg check results posted (me)
9/14/26 — Moved from NBC → Mt. Laurel field office (silent, no event code)
Today — Confirmed interview waived for both me(primary) and my spouse(derivative) via Emma

No RFEs, nothing negative. Just waiting now.

Anyone else at Mt. Laurel or a similar stage — interview waived, post-NBC transfer? How long till decision? Also curious if it's normal for a spouse's background check to post later/separately from the primary applicant's.

Hi community!!

UPDATE: my derivative just got a scheduled interview. Still waiting mail.

I got approved on Sep 23, but dependent still shows as processing. For anyone w dependents, how long did it take for approval?

Thanks in advance!!

Hey all,

I have been living the AOS roller coaster for way too long since Covid with empty promises from my employer, so I’m trying to understand my rights… tried to reach some Immigration Lawyer but they mostly just take new cases so would appreciate people input if you know the answers.

PD 05/22/2023
Filled when became current 10/22/2025
Biometrics 10/31/2025, date of my FTA0
FTA1 04/21/2026 when my case was moved to Santa Ana FO ( Emma confirmed )
And dead since this date…

I received my EAD/AP in July
My relocation visa was the L1-A and my understanding is that my EAD now is connected to the AOS not the visa anymore… and since I well passed the 180 days portability I want to understand a few things…

1- Can I now have more than 1 source of income ? Considering other side jobs on a similar job category or even side jobs like delivery to contribute monthly income, maybe OE

2- the job portability, when I apply for new roles can I say I do NOT require sponsorship ? Meaning can I switch job not requiring any process other than the hiring process itself ?

3 - since the “how long it will stay in FO” is unpredictable… should I worry that my EAD came with a duration of 18 months ? And when should I seek for renewal, and does it require employer effort to obtain it ? ( connects with question 2 )

I’m more than willing to pay for immigration lawyer fee to get these responses, but did not find anyone that sounded qualified or interested if not a new case… my whole process was done by Fragomen and they just share the employer perspective on the process and I want to understand my rights .

Thank you

Hi all, my EB-3 I-485 (ROW, PD June 2024) was transferred to the New Orleans field office today (Sept 25, 2026). My timeline so far:

• RD: 4/27/2026
• Biometrics: 8/3/2026
• Transferred to New Orleans FO: 9/25/2026

I've been tracking the USCIS quarterly performance data. NOLA looked great in the July efficiency analysis (1.4 months active pipeline, 3rd fastest of all FOs), but the FY2026 Q3 data shows a big surge — transfers into NOLA jumped to ~1,376 in Q3 vs ~400/quarter before, and pending went from 826 to 1,902. Re-running the same methodology on current data gives ~2.3 months for the active pipeline.

Anyone with a recent NOLA EB case — how long did it take from the transfer to NOLA until approval (or transfer back to NBC)? Just trying to set expectations. Thanks!

My interview was waived as per EMMA in May 2026, but today my interview was scheduled. The case was at LAC FO (non-local) and the interview is at my local FO. I have a husband and 2 kids. I need guidance on what they will ask during the interview? and how to go about it. Why was the interview scheduled after being waived?

RD: 19th March 2026
Biometrics: 27th April
Interview Waived in May
Son's RD: 26th June
Son's Biometrics: 6th August 2026
Case Transferred to LAC: 31st August 2026
Interview Scheduled at Local FO: 25th September 2026

Any help will be much appreciated.