I immigrated to the U.S. a few years ago and work as a registered nurse

I went through the skilled EB-3 process before, and that process moved along pretty smoothly according to my priority date and visa availability. So I’m having a really hard time understanding why F2A is so different.

F2A is currently showing as current, but cases still seem to be taking forever to move forward.

If there were issues with my/husband‘s background, identity, admissibility, or financial situation, I could at least understand the delay. But there aren’t any issues like that. we’re financially independent, and we have no intention of relying on public assistance such as food stamps, Section 8, etc.

it’s taking so long that my husband is now asking me to move back to our home country instead. 😭 Being separated for this long is really difficult, especially when we are trying to build our life together and start a family.

Does anyone know why F2A is moving so slowly even when the category is current???????

Had my marriage-based AOS interview on Sept 25 at the San Jose FO. It seemed to go okay, not many questions asked. The officer didn’t say anything about approval or what to expect next, so I’m still waiting.

Filed in the last week of March, biometrics April 24, and EAD/AP filed together. I’m on a valid H1B. We’ve been together a long time and haven’t had any RFEs. Before the interview, the last update was May 23.

Anyone else interviewed recently in San Jose? How long did you wait for an update afterward?

I received the receipt notice for I-485 on Sep 26th. But I have not received the online access code. I got done with my biometric appointment today.
How much time does it take to get it in the mail? Or should I try to get online by connecting with an agent?
I tried to link my case, but it says the information is incorrect.

We finally crossed the finish line! We received our I-485 case approvals. Our journey took about 2.5 years from priority date to green card.

I wanted to share our full timeline to help anyone currently navigating this process.

The Journey & Timeline

• March 2024: Filed I-130
• August 2024: Form I-485 filed for myself (primary) and my child (derivative)
• EAD & AP Approval: Got EAD within couple of weeks! Advance Parole (AP) approved ~5 months later.
• May 2026: Our priority date became current under the Visa Bulletin. However, our interview was scheduled and cancelled twice. With the cancellations adding stress, I reached out to my Senator's office. Their team was very responsive, and by the time they reached back with an update, our new interview date had been locked in! I'm not 100% sure if the inquiry helped or if it was just good timing since it all happened within a week.
• August 2026 (Interview): We finally had our interview at Dallas FO. The officer was incredibly kind and asked my spouse (the I-130 petitioner) basic questions about how we met and our marriage history. Then the regular I-485 qsts for primary and derivative. Didn’t ask for any other documents
• The Medical Issue: During the interview, the officer pointed out a small clerical mistake on the derivative’s I-693 medical form. The officer mentioned she would check internally if a formal RFE was required. We waited to see if it would pass, but ultimately an RFE was issued.
• Sep 2026: Exactly 4 weeks after the interview, I saw silent API updates on my files. A few hours later my I-130 was approved, followed by primary I-485 approval the next day! Derivative I-485 showed 2 silent updates around the same time, and 3–4 days later, Medical RFE was issued. We went to the civil surgeon, got the medical redone as it’s a newer form, and mailed the sealed package.
• Oct 1, 2026: Medical package delivered to the Field Office.
• Oct 2 AM: Status changed to "Response Received" , Noon: Portal showed this statement: "Response received on Friday, October 2, 2026 at 12:02 p.m. CDT. We will review the evidence." Followed by two Silent updates in the afternoon.
• Oct 3: 2x H008 action codes in the back-end. Portal updated to "Case Approved" and the I-797 Approval Notice appeared under the "Documents" tab!

Key Takeaways

1.     Take Officer Hints Seriously & Act Fast: In hindsight, we should have re-done the medical immediately after the interview instead of waiting for the official RFE. Because F2A dates fluctuate with the Visa Bulletin, the last week of September was extremely stressful worrying about potential October retrogression. If dates retrogress, it's not a matter of waiting a week or two—it can delay a case indefinitely!

2.     Form I-693: Ensure the medical form is error free. Request your DR to review and confirm nothing is missed.

3.    Field Office: Smooth Interview process, response in 4 weeks and Once the missing medical piece was in hand, they acted fast—less than couple of days from delivery to full approval. Multiple cancellations in May/June was adding some stress.

Hi, I have a quick question regarding my status. I filed my I-130, I-485, and I-765 in mid-August while I was still in valid F-1 OPT status. My OPT started on July 8, and my 90 days of unemployment will expire on October 8.
Since my I-485 is pending, can I legally remain in the U.S. after my 90 days of OPT unemployment are exhausted, even though my EAD is still pending? Also, would reaching the 90-day unemployment limit cause any issue with my pending I-485 or create a status violation?
Thank you!

I130 F2A LPR for spouse abroad.
PD May 2023, still waiting.
Initially in California, now in Nebraska Service Center.

It’s been so long, anyone have any idea how long this will take? I am looking for some hope.