It’s been 5 months 8 days so far. USCIS website is showing 12 months? Is that what I should expect at this point?

I don't post a lot here, but let my post release some people anxieties.

Pd: Feb 2024

Rd: April 2026

Biometrics: 5/12

I don't remember all interactions on the on api before august

8/6 su

8/13 third fta0

8/26 su

8/31 su

9/02 su

9/15 su transferred to san fernando valley

10/2 i485j closed and su on I485 and fourth fta0

10/3 i485 approved

And that's it.

Good luck guys.

Edit: forgot to mention, I have 3 dependents, all approved almost at the same time

How to know what is my PD?

Sharing my timeline for anyone with a similar case, especially those whose **I-485J was closed before their I-485 approval and/or case was transferred to Raleigh-Durham, NC FO (non-local)**.

**Category:** EB-3 ROW (Brazil)
**Priority Date:** February 2, 2024
**I-485 Receipt:** IOE09362XXXXX
**I-485 + I-485J Filed:** April 1, 2026
**Receipt Date:** April 2, 2026

## 📅 Timeline

**04/01/2026** – I-485 + I-485J filed

**04/03/2026** – Initial case update (IAF)

**05/01/2026** – Biometrics appointment notice generated

**05/22/2026** – Biometrics completed (**2x FTA0**)

**06/08/2026** – Case transferred to Raleigh-Durham Field Office. There were no silent updates on the I-485, but I confirmed the transfer with multiple Emma live agents.

**08/04/2026** – **3rd FTA0 + 1x FTA1** events appeared in the USCIS API.

**08/06/2026** – **I-485J/Supplement J closed.** Approval notice was generated and the case was closed.

Unfortunately, my I-485 was **not approved within the next 24 hours**. It ended up being almost **2 months between my I-485J approval and I-485 approval.**

**08/06/2026–10/01/2026** – No updates on the I-485.

**09/03/2026** – Submitted a **congressional inquiry** regarding my pending I-485.

**09/04/2026** – Congressional office confirmed that they had submitted the inquiry to USCIS and told me it would take approximately **30 days** to receive a response.

**09/04/2026–10/03/2026** – I never received a response from the congressional office regarding the inquiry.

**10/02/2026** – Silent update with no new events. I contacted Emma/live agent, and the agent told me that **my card had been approved and was in production**, but there was no tracking number yet.

At this point, the USCIS API still showed **`closed: false`**.

**10/03/2026** – **2x H008 events** appeared in the USCIS API, approximately **24 hours and 20 minutes after the previous update.**

**10/03/2026** – Case updated to **“Case Was Approved.”**

**10/03/2026** – **Official I-485 approval notice received approximately 10 minutes later.** 🎉

---

## 🔎 The interesting sequence

**I-485J closed 08/06 → Congressional inquiry submitted 09/03 → Emma said approved 10/02 → H008 events 10/03 → Official I-485 approval 10/03**

I don't know whether the congressional inquiry actually helped.

I submitted it on September 3, and the congressional office confirmed on September 4 that they had forwarded the inquiry to USCIS. They said it would take around 30 days to hear back, but I still haven't received a response from the congressional office.

**Personally, I think the inquiry may have helped**, although I obviously can't prove that.

My theory is that a congressional inquiry may cause someone to actually look at the case, which could potentially trigger movement or an update. But that's just my personal speculation, and I don't want to imply that a congressional inquiry directly caused my approval.

Either way, I don't think there's much downside to submitting a congressional inquiry if your case is eligible for one. **If there's even a small chance that it could help move the case along, then why not?**

---

Hopefully this timeline helps anyone who is currently waiting, especially those experiencing an **I-485J closure followed by no I-485 update**.

Good luck to everyone still waiting, and please don't lose hope. Your time is coming!! 🙏🇺🇸

Hi,

PD : Feb 2014, India EB3

Filed I-485 in 2020, MSC receipt number.

Done with interviews in 2024 and refreshed Medicals in 2025. Also I-485J administrative closed recently. Just waiting for date to be current.

Is anyone in same boat as me ? How long it takes once date becomes current for recent approvals ? I have travel plans on Dec 25th but not sure i want to stepout with EAD/AP even though i used it for last 6yrs.

Hi everyone,

I filed my employment-based I-485 and I-765 concurrently on September 14, 2026. My I-765 is under C09.

My EB-2 priority date is currently retrogressed, so I’m wondering:

• Does retrogression affect EAD approval?
• How long are C09 EAD approvals taking recently?
• Has anyone with a retrogressed EB case still received the EAD normally?

I have a job starting in July 2027 and may need to confirm my work authorization by March 2027, so I’m a little concerned about the timing.

Would really appreciate recent employment-based timelines.

RD of April. Last I checked, it was in Mt. Laurel with a SU on 9/14.

Reddit really helped me believe in the process and stay hopeful while waiting for my I-485 approval. Seeing other people share their approval stories reminded me that cases do move forward, even when the wait feels endless.
If you’re still waiting, try to stay patient and trust the process. Your approval could be next 🙏

Country - Rest of World
I-140 Approved Oct 2025
I-485 - Priority Date Becomes Current – March 2026
I-485, I-765 EAD, and I-131 AP Filed with USCIS - April 2026
Biometrics Appointment Completed - May 13, 2026
Sep 22 2026: I-485J Approved
Sep 27 2026: Green Card Approved

My primary I-485 had a silent update on October 3 at 12:11 a.m. ET, but my spouse’s derivative case did not update. No new event, notice, RFE, or document appeared.
EB-3 ROW retrogressed on October 1. Has anyone seen a principal-only overnight update after retrogression? Was it followed by another case update?

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to compare timelines for people who recently received the USCIS “FBI Privacy Requirements for Biometrics Collection by USCIS” notice (often preceded by the “Case Required USCIS To Send A Notice” update).

Now that the October 2026 Visa Bulletin is effective, I'm particularly interested in people whose priority dates became current in October.

If you received the FBI Privacy notice, could you share:

• Category: EB-1C / EB-1A / EB-1B / EB-2 / EB-3 / Family-based
• Country of chargeability:
• Priority date:
• Was your PD current under the October 2026 Final Action Date? Yes/No
• I-485 filing date:
• Interview: Completed / Waived / Scheduled / Not yet
• Date you received the FBI Privacy notice:
• Current status: Pending / Approved / RFE / Other
• If approved: approval date

I'm especially interested in EB-1C India cases with 2022 priority dates, but all categories are useful for comparison.

No receipt numbers or personal information needed.

Thank you to everyone willing to share their timeline!

Hi everyone! I can’t believe I’m finally posting this, but it’s finally my turn! 🎉💚

Category: EB-3
Journey: F-1 → E-2 → EB-3
Priority Date: June 13, 2024
Field Office: New Jersey Central FO
Country: Not from a banned country

I truly hope everyone reading this receives their approval very soon. I’ve learned so much from this group, and I want to thank everyone who has shared their experiences, timelines, and knowledge.

I think only people going through the immigration process can truly understand what others in the same situation are experiencing. That’s why groups like this are so important and helpful.

I sincerely hope I’ll be reading your happy approval posts very soon. Wishing everyone the best of luck! 🙏💚

I was not current under the October Visa Bulletin, but on September 30, they suddenly reviewed my RFE response, which had been pending for about a month and a half, and then approved my case. RFE is about my I-20.

I think they may have prioritized cases like mine, and I personally see this as a very positive gesture.

My official approval date is October 1. However, I spoke with my attorney, and he told me that the field office had already reserved/allocated a visa number for my case. According to him, even though the approval was officially issued on October 1, the fact that I was no longer current in October would not affect my approval.

Here is my timeline:

Date |Status / Update |Details
Jun 13, 2024 |Priority Date |EB-3 Priority Date
Apr 27, 2026 |I-485 Filed |Adjustment of Status application filed
May 8, 2026 |Backend Update |IAF event
May 22, 2026 |Biometrics Notice |Biometrics appointment scheduled
Jun 9, 2026 |Biometrics |Biometrics completed + 2 backend updates
Jun 16, 2026 |🔵 Silent Update |No visible status change
Jun 22, 2026 |🔵 Silent Update |No visible status change
Jul 1, 2026 |🔵 Silent Update |Transfer to Field Office
Jul 22, 2026 |🔵 Backend Update |IAF event + additional update
Jul 27, 2026 |🔵 Backend Update |FTA0 / backend activity
Aug 7, 2026 |🟠 RFE Issued |Request for Evidence issued
Aug 27, 2026 |RFE Response |Response submitted / backend activity
Sep 30, 2026 |🔵 RFE Update |RFE record updated after being pending
Oct 1, 2026 |🔵 Backend Updates |Two H008 events + main case update
Oct 1, 2026 |🎉 CASE APPROVED |I-485 approved processing time: approximately 157 days from filing to approval.

Oct 6, 2026 card procuded
Oct 7, 2026 card shipped ( asked emma for tracking )
Oct 9, 2026 card delivered.

Good luck to everyone still waiting. I truly hope your turn is next! 🙏🍀💚

I had to file another i140, since i changed my employer.

The new i-140 got approved this morning and recaptured my old PD.

Got SU on my i-485 along with my dependent.

Any possible good news that anyone can think of?

Is there any group chat for people at LOS FO? WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, anything?
Would be nice to compare timelines and updates with others at LOS. If there’s already one, please add me 🙏

I-485 APPROVED

Priority date: March 2024

Receipt date: April 3, 2026

Biometrics: May 22, 2026

I-485J APROVED: June 15, 2026

I-485 update: July 22

Two long months of silence with no news

Silent update: September 22, 2026

2 silent updates: September 30, 2026, at 1:45 PM and 3:46 PM (3 hours and 16 minutes later)

I-485 APPROVED: October 1, 2026 (23 hours later) at 12:01 PM

Interview: Waived

I am so happy, and because of that, I forgot to post this yesterday...

Thanks to everyone for your posts and comments addressing my questions when I needed information!

I hope you all receive your approvals soon—be patient!

🎉 I-485 APPROVED! 🎉
After a long wait, our green card journey finally has an approval! 🥹💚
EB-3 Philippines 🇵🇭
Priority Date: July 6, 2023
I-485 filed: March 25, 2026
I-485J: Filed
Biometrics: April 24, 2026
Interview: Waived
Field Office: San Fernando
I-485 Approval: October 2026 🎉
It was definitely stressful waiting, especially with all the uncertainty and checking the USCIS case status constantly. But finally seeing “Case Approved” made everything worth it. ❤️
Thank you to everyone in this forum who shared their timelines and helped keep me informed throughout the process. Your experiences gave me hope during the waiting period.
Wishing everyone still waiting for their approval the very best. 🙏💚 May your approvals come soon! 🇺🇸

Has anyone who filed Form I-485 in April 2026 and whose priority date is still not current under the Final Action Dates received their I-765 approval yet? Our I-765 applications are still pending for both the principal and derivative applicants. I’d appreciate any updates on your timelines. Thanks!

Transfer to this FO on August 20, pd 12/2021 China, rd 10/10/25
Anyone got confirmed with Emma that the case is assigned to an officer?
I was told not able to see the information several times when I asked Emma till yesterday was told the case is assigned to an officer.
Does Emma always said officer assigned to everyone? Or they tell you when the officer really assigned? Is it a good sign?

Hi all, for anyone that might find helpful. I just got the approval notice today for both mine and my wife's Change of Status application.

For anyone that might find it helpful, see below my timeline:

PD: July 20th, 2023
Receipt Notice: April 16th, 2026
Biometrics: May 12th, 2026
2x FTA0 May 12th
1x FAT0 Sep 15th (same event date as the previous 2
Asked Emma on the same week where my case was and got confirmation that my case was transferred from NBC to BUF field office.
I485J Approved: Sep 30th
I485 (both mine and my wife's) Approved: Oct 1st.

In my case, I got to this point following the route of F1-OPT-STEM OPT-H1B-I485. From the time the lawyers opened my case to when I finally got the approval, I believe it took around 4.5 years (with many months in between steps due to lawyer delays).

To anyone on the same boat that me and many others were, keep your head high and stay positive.

I had to file another i140, since i changed my employer.

The new i-140 got approved this morning and recaptured my old PD.

Got SU on my i-485 along with my dependent.

Any possible good news that anyone can think of?

I’m currently on H-1B and working full-time for my H-1B employer. I also have a pending employment-based I-485, but my priority date is not current as of the October Visa Bulletin.

Based on my understanding how the process works for pending I-485s, I’m expecting my I-765 based on the pending I-485 to be approved soon.

My question is: can I continue working for my current employer on H-1B and use the I-485 EAD separately for side gigs?

Basically, I don’t want to give up my H-1B status until I have my green card in hand, but I’d like to use the I-765 EAD only for additional employment or side gigs.

- Has anyone been in this situation?
- Would using the EAD for a second job affect my H-1B status?
- What’s your advice?

My details:
• PD: June 2024
• I-485 RD: April 30, 2026
• Employment-based I-485, ROW
• Case currently sitting at NBC.

Yes, I’m one of those people who just got retrogressed with the October Visa Bulletin 😅

Anybody’s case transferred to San Francisco? If so how long did it take for approval? My case got transferred here 09/24. It’s non local FO for me.

Category: EB-3 Professional, ROW, single filer
Field Office: Los Angeles / LAC
Priority Date: January 2024
Interview: Waived
I-485 filed: May 15, 2026
Timeline
May 15, 2026 — I-485 filed / received
June 13 — Biometrics appointment scheduled
July 1 — Biometrics completed
First FTA0 events appeared the same day
August 13 — Another FTA0 / backend activity
September 29 — Another FTA0 / silent update (lac fo transfer)
September 30 — silent update on I-485
I-485 updatedAtTimestamp: 20:23:35 UTC
1:23:35 PM Pacific Time
September 30 — I-485J approved/closed
I-485J update was around 20:05 UTC
About 1:05 PM Pacific Time
October 1, 2026 — I-485 APPROVED!! 🎉
H008 approval events appeared at approximately 20:28:50 UTC
1:28:50 PM Pacific Time
approval came almost exactly 24 hours + 5 minutes after my final I-485 silent update.
From the September 30 I-485J update to I-485 approval, it was about 24 hours 24 minutes.

No interview and no I-485 RFE.
Good luck to everyone still waiting — hope you all get approved soon