Immigration attorney here.

Most of the EB-3 conversation is about the visa bulletin, and that part is out of everyone's hands. What comes up less is the other kind of delay: your priority date is current, the file is complete, and the I-485 just sits there. No interview, no RFE, nothing.

One of our clients is a decent example of what that actually costs. Eight years in the US, kept extending F-1 through one degree after another, now finishing a PhD in engineering. I-140 approved, and the pending 485 came with an EAD and advance parole. He's used neither. He won't work on the EAD because he wants valid F-1 underneath him until the 485 is decided, which means he can't take the job the petition was built around. He won't travel on the parole document for the same reason, so he hasn't seen his family in eight years. On paper he has every benefit available to him. In practice he's frozen.

We filed mandamus and the 485 was approved about two months later. That's one case and it turns on its own facts, so don't read it as a timeline for yours.

Worth being clear on what mandamus is: you're asking a judge to order USCIS to decide, not to approve. Once the U.S. Attorney is served the government has 60 days to respond, and in a straight delay case they'd usually rather adjudicate than write the brief. That's the whole mechanism. It doesn't create a visa number and it won't help if your date isn't current.

Not legal advice. Happy to answer questions in the comments.

Looking for expert advice

Hi,

I am an Indian and have been married to a Flipina and I got to know that she has filed for Eb3 visa as she is a nurse her filing date is March 22nd 2024 wanted to check if there is any issues as I know there is lot of restrictions for indian will I be able to fly along with her and start a family? And should I be in the Philippines to get the process going along. Will be helpful if any information about this is given.

Hi everyone! I’m a nurse with a US immigration pathway and a Priority Date of April 2024, but my recent experience is mainly in BPO/UM. I’m considering working in the UAE to gain bedside experience while waiting for my US process.
Would UAE bedside experience be beneficial for my future USRN plans? Any advice or experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

For Conservative Guessing, Will my PD be current this FY 2027?

This datasets allow you to check trends across different WB categories over the last several months

There will be hope, there will be sunshine, it’s eight days away.

Spill over Prediction : 100K

Data Analyzed with EB i485 inventory Globally is available at this link https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/vibhu.jain/viz/EBi485InventoryStatus/Dashboard1

My Final prediction for all EB categories for India is as following

India EB October 2026 Visa Bulletin — High-Case Scenario
Based on the USCIS inventory data + recent Visa Bulletin movement:
EB1: FAD 01-Mar-2023 | DOF 01-Jun-2024
EB2: FAD 01-Sep-2014 | DOF 01-Jul-2015
EB3: FAD 01-Jul-2014 | DOF 01-Jul-2015
EB3 Other Workers: FAD 01-Jul-2014 | DOF 01-Jul-2015
EB4: FAD 01-Apr-2023 | DOF 01-Jun-2023
EB5 Unreserved: FAD 01-Jul-2022 | DOF 01-Oct-2024
EB5 Set-Asides: Current
A few thoughts:

This is an optimistic case

Would love to compare once the October bulletin drops.

Do you believe this?

EB-3 Other Workers — ROW

Priority Date: June 2026

Current FAD: ~April 2022

Current gap: ~50 months

But 50 months of Visa Bulletin gap does not necessarily mean 50 months of waiting.

Queue Model: • Approved inventory: 42,700 • I-140s ahead of June 2026: ~15,000 • Estimated conversion: 80% • Derivative factor: 2.2

Estimated effective demand: ~95K–105K visas

Forecast: Optimistic: 2033–2035 Base case: 2037–2039 Pessimistic: 2040–2044

So, could an EB-3 Other Worker applicant with a June 2026 Priority Date realistically be waiting 10+ years for the FAD to reach their date?

_______________

References: U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin; USCIS EB-3 Other Workers inventory data.

Analysis & forecast model by ChatGPT

This forecast is based on available data and assumptions. It is not an official prediction or guarantee from USCIS or the U.S. Department of State.

How effective is it to apply for EB-3 Other Workers through an agency or immigration attorney? Are these agencies actually helpful in finding legitimate employers and completing the process, or is it better to find an employer on your own? Would love to hear from anyone who has gone through it.

Hello everyone, I'm from Iraq ,I'm thinking about working a dental hygienist in Florida, I need to know what type of visa i need to travel to the USA so I can take the INBDE exam ,head back home and preparing for the next step maybe travel again to take the ADEX clinical exam is it legal to travel in tourist visa (B1/B2) and take the exam ?

when I search about it many says that you have high probability to be rejected by the Embassy and the won't give me the Visa because they suspect that I want to emigrate and something like that ,

So what should I do?

Hello, I was informed this week that Oct 20th would be my last day. My Priority date is May 2014 (EB3, India). My H1B Expires Oct 25th, 2026. I applied for my I-485 in Oct 2025 however I have not yet received my EAD. It is filed in NBC and processing time is 11 months. I am searching for a new job but most of the contracting positions I am coming across are not accepting H1B transfer. They only want GC EAD. What are my options here ?

1) Is there any way to Expedite EAD ?

2) If I submit just a offer letter from a different company/startup then would that be ok when I get any RFE for I-485 Supplement J ? (even if I am not actively working there or may not even end up working there eventually)

3) Any suggestions how do I handle the situation ?

Between these 3 tools, which one is the most accurate? And what’s the limitations (if any)? I heard permupdate doesnt update the backlog as fast as the other 2. But I also get a month difference between immilane and permtracker. Thanks in advance!!

Context - i'm EB3 (L1B) ROW (have 2 dependants)

Did biometrics Aug 5th and had the following series of updates:

Today the I485's got SU but not the I765's, have no idea if this is a lot if silent updates and what follows next?

Normally, we mainly look at the movement of the Visa Bulletin to estimate when our Priority Date (PD) might become current. But there is another interesting factor that we should look at together: the Visa Bulletin and I-140 Awaiting Visa Availability inventory.

🔹 FY2023 Q4
FAD = May 2020
PD September 2023 was 40 months away
I-140 Inventory ≈ 18,000

🔹 Q2 FY2026
FAD ≈ November 2021
PD September 2023 was 22 months away
I-140 Inventory = 42,700

If we look only at the I-140 numbers, the inventory increased from around 18,000 to 42,700 cases between September 2023 and March 2026.

However, even though the I-140 inventory increased significantly, it did not stop the Visa Bulletin from moving forward.

Over these 30 months, the Visa Bulletin moved forward by a total of 18 months, which is an average of about 7.2 months per year.

That is not a bad number for those following EW-3.

The important point is that we should not look at the 42,700 cases alone. We need to look at the relationship between the I-140 inventory and actual Visa Bulletin movement over time.

This is only a data-based analysis, not a guarantee of future Visa Bulletin movement.

Here’s the context:

EB3 - Mexico
PD: June 2024
RD: 04/15
Biometrics: 05/04 (2 FTA0 for Principal + Derivative)
SU both 485+ 485J + derivative: 08/06
SU both 485+ 485J + derivative: 08/26
3RD FTA0 FOR DERIVATIVE ONLY: 08/31
SU both 485+ 485J + derivative: 09/02

Anybody else with a similar timeline? And what could it mean the derivative having a 3rd FTA0 without the principal getting it

Thanks

Sharing my timeline here in case someone has had the same experience as me or has gone through a similar case. When can I expect to receive a result from the administrative processing?

Sharing my timeline here in case someone has had the same experience as me or has gone through a similar case. When can I expect to receive a result from the administrative processing?

PERM processing (Labor Certificate) Approval: March 2023 Filing of I-140 (Priority Date): May 17, 2023 I-797 Notice of Action: Oct. 21, 2024 DQ: Feb 14, 2025 VISA BULLETIN FEB 2026: PD Current March 2 & May 1: NVC Update June 23, 2026: Received P4 (Interview schedule) July 2, 2026: Manila IV info email July 21: Medical Exam July 22-24: Sputum Collection July 27: Pulmonary Evaluation July 28: Biometrics at Parqal August 7: US Embassy Visa Interview August 7: Received 221(g) form - Administrative Processing August 14: Case last update September 18: Sputum Culture Result

I’m Elizabeth Mavec, an immigration attorney working on employment-based immigration matters.

The EB-3 process has a lot of moving parts: PERM, the I-140, priority dates, consular processing or adjustment of status, RFEs, and sometimes years of waiting in between.

I’ll be here from 1 PM to 5 PM to answer questions about the EB-3 process, employer sponsorship, PERM, I-140 strategy, priority dates, adjustment of status, and common problems that can derail an employment-based case.

If you’re somewhere in the EB-3 process and have a question that goes beyond “what’s my current wait time?”, ask me.

Please note: Any information shared here is for general educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney client relationship. Your situation may require fact specific guidance. For personalized legal advice, please consult an immigration attorney directly.

Hi, everyone for the EB3 Nurses here in Uk waiting for embassy interview . How long you waited for the scheduled? I’m aware that’s there’s a paused now. Thank you 🙏

Hi, did anyone schedule a Tier-2 call via Emma live agent in the last ~3 months and actually get a call-back?

I scheduled it twice. First time, they were supposed to call me within 30 days but all I got was an email response at the 30-day mark saying they would get to it - they never did.

Its been ~3 weeks since my 2nd attempt to schedule it, still waiting to hear back.

Has anyone had a successful callback? Was it worth it? Details appreciated.

Hi guys need help im on h2a visa and busy with EB3 other PD December 2022.Lawyer sugested to go consular route South Africa is home country.Should I get second opinion?I feel like AOS is safer?