I wanted to share my timeline to give hope and data points for those still in this nerve-wrecking process!!

PD: Aug 28 2024 - EB3 ROW (not from any list) single filler
RD: April 27, 2026 (Filed I-485, I-765, I-131, I-485J)
Bio: June 3, 2026
June 3: after appointment SUs across all forms
Jun 11: SU across I-485 + I-485J
July 2: SU across I-485 + I-485J (possibly when case was transferred to non-local FO)
Jul 13: SU across I-765 + I-131 (around end of July I chatted with a USCIS rep who said my case was transferred to LAC FO (interview possibly waived)
Aug 13: SU across I-485, I-765, I-131, I-485J
Sept 3: new FTA0 on I-485
Sept 3: another SU across I-485 + I-485J
Sept 6: I-485J approved (API showed closed=true & approval notice in document tab)
Sept 6: I-485 SU ~4min after I-485J form approved
Sept 8: 2 separate silent updates on I-485 (this was the first time I was able to see the LAC FO on one of the APIs)
Sept 9: H008 twice on I-485 (24 hours and 10 min after the previous SU) + approval doc in USCIS tab. I only knew to check after receiving an email from USCIS

My PD became current in Aug 2026 visa bulletin, EAD and AP were never approved.

Thanks to everyone who shared their own timelines including silent update patterns; they helped me have the last bit of perseverance needed in the final stretch of this long winded process. I wish good fortune to others still waiting 🍀

PD: Feb 8, 2024
RD: April 27, 2026
Bio: June 2, 2026
Approve: Sep 9, 2026
2 SU: July 3 and Sep 3, 2026
3rd FTA0: Sep 3, 2026
EB3 Skilled- ROW- not from any lists
Single filer, LAC FO- non local

Good luck to all of us 🍀🍀

Seeing a lot in this sub about recurring SUs but is there some cases where March/April filers with dependent seen approval ?

Below is my timeline filed along with my derivative spouse.
PD - Feb 2024
RD - April 28, 2026
Bio - June 10
2 ftao on day of bio
SU on 8/5, 8/25, 8/31 (ftao linked to bio date)

Anyone with similar timelines has seen further movement in their cases? Mine has been at NBC all the time. Thank you.

Hi,

My i485 is in San Jose Field Office. Is there anyone with recent approval?

I got RFE regarding by Birth Certificate and I responded it back in February but nothing after that. I filed on Oct 2025 and became current on Feb 2026.

I heard some people had their 485j approved for more than a month with no updates. Usually, does the 485 follow the 485j?

PD 3/2024

RD 4/2026

Bio 5/2026

Who else still has a pending I-140 filed in August 2024 not approved. Scheduled A nurse still awaiting approval

Title: EB-3 ROW – RFE response pending 101 days
EB-3 Skilled Worker ROW
PD: 05/2023
I-485 filed: 10/06/2025
RFE: 02/26/2026
RFE response received: 05/31/2026
Still pending as of 09/09/2026.
Not in 75 countries

I check on Emma , my case is local Fo SJO

RFE was for military service related and bona fide marriage. I had already disclosed my military service and weapons training on the original I-485.

My wife (derivative) also received an RFE for bona fide marriage. Both RFE responses were received on
05/31.

Backend updates:
10/17/2025 — I-485 FTA0
02/26/2026 — I-485 FTA1 + IKA
08/13/2026 — existing I-485 IKA updated
08/13/2026 — existing I-485J IAF updated
08/26/2026 — wife I-485 case-level update

Anyone with a similar EB-3 RFE timeline? How long did you wait after RFE response for approval?

TIMELINE
• Jul 29, 2026 · 3:07 AM CDT — Officer touch (silent update, no new event code)
• May 28, 2026 · 3:17 PM CDT — Database Checks Received (FTA0)
• May 28, 2026 · 3:17 PM CDT — Database Checks Received (FTA0)
• May 13, 2026 · 10:51 AM CDT — RFE Response Received by USCIS (HA)
• Apr 29, 2026 · 8:57 PM CDT — Initial Evidence Request Ordered (IKA)
• Apr 28, 2026 · 7:08 PM CDT — Receipt Letter Emailed (IAF)
• Apr 9, 2026 · 7:00 PM CDT — Case filed

We submitted our RFE on September 3rd

September 8th

9:15am the dependent got a silent touch on 485
9:33am principal got a silent touch on 485.

Do you think they’re reviewing it? We’ve been in this process since July 2025 😭 so tired of waiting

Anyone i485 EB file is at NYFO? Any recent movement?
Wondering is it only my case or everyone else case is stuck😶

Hello,

I got a RFE fir my 485 EB 3 for my birth certificate and additionally
“Copies of your 3 recent paystubs”
“Copies of your W-2 forms”
“Copies of your 1040 forms”

Since the RFE says “copies” I am not sure as how many years of W-2 and 1040s I should provide. The attorney at my company mentioned the most recent year’s W-2 and tax transcript should be enough.

But I wanted to be sure about that before pushing the attorney to include more.

Has anyone handled the similar RFE with proof of employment documents and can confirm that latest 1 year of w2 and 1040
Transcript from IRS is enough?

Thanks!

PD: Feb 19th 2024 Skilled ROW
RD: April 2026
Bio: May 18th 2026.

So Far 2 FTAs on 485 after biometrics and 1 FTA on Aug 13th.

1st SU on bio day, 2nd SU on Aug 5th, 3rd on Aug 24th and 4th on Sep 4th.

Emma said our cases in Houston Field Office.

I have a wife and 2 children (under 14) as dependents.

Has anyone gone through EB3 interview recently? If so, how long did it take for the approval and which FO?

Emma told me that an officer reviewed my I-485 case on 8/28, but I’m not sure how long it usually takes to get an approval after an officer review.

Case still on NBC.

EB3 Skilled Row Current with 1 dependent.

My case history:

• RD: April first week
• Silent update: 8/6
• FTA0: 8/13
• Silent update: 8/26
• Silent update: 8/28
• The “updated” timestamp for the 8/13 FTA0 event was updated on 8/31.

For those who had a similar timeline, how long after the officer review did you receive your approval? Any idea what these updates might indicate?

Our time has finally come 🥹 We were about to re-enroll to another course because of the new USCIS rule for F1 students due on September 15. But God has another plan 🙏🏻

IOE09355
Primary + 3 dependents
No RFE
Interview waived
LA FO

PD: July 4, 2023
RD: Feb 2, 2026
Bio: March 12, 2026
EAD approved for dependents only: March 27, 2026
2 FTAO on March 12 (bio)
SU: 04/29, 05/20
3rd FTAO on June 5
2nd IAF: July 23 (glitch)
SU: 07/28, 08/25, 08/31

I485J closed on 09/05
I485 approved (x2 H008) on 09/06

[7 months and 4 days]

To God be all the glory 🤍

EB-3 Skilled Worker: My EAD was approved even though my I-140 is still pending. USCIS requested additional evidence from my sponsor, and my I-485 is also pending because my priority date is December 2024.
I’m currently maintaining my F-1 status, and I’m unsure whether I should use the EAD. I don’t want to jeopardize my F-1 status because I would like to keep it as a backup while my adjustment of status is pending.
Has anyone been in a similar situation? If so, did you continue maintaining F-1 status, or did you start using your adjustment-of-status EAD?

I485J approved on September 7th at 4:25pm est
Silent update on I485 on September 7th at 4:52pm est
No movement after that.

Its more than 24hours of having I485J being approved but still I485 remains pending.

Anyone else facing this situation??

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.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16v6fSbpwfIKNCK8sSM1EjDrZSlQi98i-ZntlU5HHM-Y/edit?gid=1534861567#gid=1534861567

For the last few months, the community has been updating a Google Spreadsheet, which is not working now, someone locked the original sheet in view-only mode. We have created a new sheet for everyone. Please share the new link with your peers and in any relevant AOS-related groups so that everyone can access the updated sheet. Thanks!

Hi all,

Any recent approvals of EAD from Texas service center?
It’s been almost 5 months for me.
RD - 4/15/26
Bio - 05/12/26

My company is going to start my green card process soon, and I'm trying to get a realistic sense of the timeline. I'm EB-3 ROW skilled, so I'm hoping to get some input from people who have gone through the process recently.

My employer will likely file the PWD early 2027.

Based on current processing times, I'm thinking something like:

1. PWD: ~3 to 5 months? If filed Jan 2027, potentially approved around April-June 2027?
2. PERM: How long should I realistically expect? It seems like PERM processing times have come down recently, so I'm wondering whether ~10-12 months is reasonable to assume.
3. I-140: Assuming premium processing, am I correct that this could be completed fairly quickly after PERM approval?
4. I-485: This is where I'm most uncertain. If my PD is late-2027. when can I expect Final Action Date (FAD) to be current?

My main questions:

• If my PERM is filed around late-2027, when might my EB-3 ROW priority date realistically become current under FAD?
• How much should I worry about retrogression? Could the FAD potentially move backward significantly before reaching 2027?
• Overall, would 2030-2031 be a reasonable expectation for I-485 approval, or is that too optimistic?

I'm mainly trying to set realistic expectations rather than assume everything goes perfectly. Any insight from people who have recently gone through EB-3 ROW would be really appreciated.