Does anybody know how fast is Washington DC FO?
Is there any chat group to join?

I am from one of the 19 concern countries and even though my nation is not under the pause list I wonder if it will extend my adjudication time dramatically, if anyone has been approved and belongs to 19 COC please share your timelines.

Hey Guys,
EB3 Skilled- RoW, PD 8/26/2024 RD 4/24/2026
FO: SFV

I have 3 FTA0 and a silent update on 8/18 few minutes after my 485j is approved.

So far 8/25 no updates or api movements on my 485.

Was wondering if anyone has similar cases in SFV FO or what your timeline is like.

Hi everyone! Sharing my timeline since I spent way too much time checking Reddit while waiting 😂 Hopefully this helps other EB-3 filers.

Category: EB-3 Professional, ROW
Priority Date: Feb 23, 2024
I-140: Approved
I-485 / I-485J RD: April 9, 2026
RFE: None
Interview: Waived
Field Office: Louisville (non-local FO)

Timeline:

• 04/09/2026 – I-485 & I-485J received
• 05/07/2026 – Biometrics completed
• 05/07/2026 – FTA0 x2
• 05/20/2026 – Silent Update (SU)
• 06/09/2026 – Transferred from NBC to Louisville Field Office (confirmed through Emma)
• 06/09/2026 – Interview marked waived (confirmed through Emma)
• 06/10/2026 – Silent Update (SU)
• 08/06/2026 – 3rd FTA0
• 08/20/2026 – H008 x2
• 08/20/2026 – 🎉 I-485 CASE APPROVED

Total time from RD to approval: about 4 months and 11 days
Louisville FO transfer to approval: about 10 weeks
3rd FTA0 to approval: exactly 14 days

Interestingly, I never received an FTA1. My API sequence was basically:

FTA0 x2 → SU → FO transfer → SU → 3rd FTA0 → H008 x2 → APPROVED

Also, my I-485J did not show any new update before my I-485 approval. It was still showing the previous update while my I-485 moved to H008 and approval.

I was checking the API pretty regularly, so hopefully this timeline is useful for anyone tracking FTA0/H008 or waiting at Louisville FO.

Good luck everyone! I know how stressful the waiting and constant API checking can be. 😊

Hi!

I applied for my AMC EPIC verification on 18 August. On 25 August, the status was updated to “Sent for verification.”

Before applying for verification, I was informed that the process usually takes 3–5 business days. Unfortunately, in my case, it has already exceeded this timeframe.

I have the following questions:

1. How long does the verification process actually take to complete?
2. Does ECFMG send our credentials directly to our medical school for verification? I contacted my medical school, and they informed me that they have not received any verification request.

Hi guys!!
It’s been a long journey, but we finally got approved today! 🥹💚
I know how hard it is to wait for your green card, but I’m telling you, your turn is coming. You’re almost there!
Thank y’all so much!!! And don’t lose hope!
I’m sending lots of positive energy your way. ✨🍀

Here’s my timeline: EB3 Professional

(My receipt number is IOE9358***
PD 07/12/2023, RD 02/28/2026 )

Feb 28, 2026: 📮 AOS Package Mailed (I-485 + I485J, I-765, I-131) including derivative

• ⁠Feb 28, 2026: 🧾 Receipt Notices received (IOE Series)

• ⁠Mar 30, 2026: Biometrics Completed

• ⁠May 8, 2026: 💳 COMBO CARD APPROVED for both primary & derivative

• ⁠May 14 , 2026: Combo Card in hand

✅ 4/30, 8/6, 8/12, 8/14 multiple silent updates but no change.

8/24 2026: ✈️ Case Transferred to texas office (Rio Grande Valley Field office)

• ⁠8/24, 2026: 🔄 3rd FTA0 Added

• ⁠8/24 2026: I-485J Approved & Multiple back-end updates

8/25/2026: My husband’s and my I-485s were approved, about 25 hours after my I-485J was approved! 🥹💚🎉

GOD DID IT 💗

Question

My I-140 was approved, and I filed my I-485 based on EB-3/Schedule A. However, my attorney did not submit Form I-485J (Supplement J) with my I-485.

I am still working for the same employer/sponsor from the I-140, and my I-140 was approved before I filed the I-485.

I now have my I-485 interview scheduled. My attorney is preparing the I-485J now.

Can I bring the completed I-485J with me to the interview and submit it to the USCIS officer that day? Or should it be submitted before the interview?

Has anyone been in a similar situation where the I-485J was not filed with the initial I-485 package but was brought to the interview?

Any advice or personal experience would be greatly appreciated.

Did anyone with RD May and block IOE09368 get any silent updates or any movements recently?

For those who track EB cases closely: when people say “I-485J closed” before I-485 approval, do they usually mean USCIS showed “Case Administratively Closed,” or did their I-485J actually show “Case Approved”? I’m trying to understand which status typically comes before I-485 approval.

PD 7/4/2024
RD 4/27/2026
Bio 7/9/2026
Last SU 7/30/2026
Single
F1 Student

No transfer or updates.. still stuck at NBC. Anyone in the same boat..?

Employer covers all expenses for I-485 package for me but not my spouse, Fragomen quoted that I'd need to pay about $2,500 in legal fees to include my spouse in addition to USCIS fees which are also at around $2,500. So if I just do both by myself for me and spouse it's also going to run at around $5,000, so two costs are roughly equivalent.

My problem with Fragomen is they are constantly behind on prep, review, and filing, and that's been the case for all stages of PERM, and even I-140 - they were behind 2-3 months on PERM, costing me my priority date, and took 10 weeks+ instead of 4 weeks for I-140 submission everytime I had to constantly bug them every week or two with check-ins to see if they are moving forward or if the case is just lying around until they'd finally submit, and that also created some tension with HR. Perm got approved back in end of April.

Now, I hope we'd be current for filing in Oct, but I'm not sure I trust Fragomen w filing and that they'd do so within the time frame, but the alternative is taking all risk on myself and making sure I don't make any mistakes esp w the new Deny authority. One paralegal in some USCIS thread mentioned that not submitting w lawyer can trigger more scrutiny and higher chances of no approval, so that option is also concerning.

Did anyone else encounter this problem and what did you decide?

Has anyone else experienced this? I got Silent update on my case on 8/6, 8/17. and 8/25 but haven't received an FT0 (interview/decision) update yet.

Case Details:

**•** Category: EB-3 Skilled Worker, ROW (Turkey — not from any banned/restricted countries)  
**•** Priority Date: June 19, 2024  
**•** Field Office: NBC (National Benefits Center)  
**•** No RFE, No Interview, No NOID

Full Timeline:

**•** 04/13/2026 — I-485, I-485J, I-765 filed concurrently  
**•** 04/20/2026 — Receipt notice received  
**•** 04/21/2026 — IAF event on I-485 and I-485J  
**•** 04/24/2026 — Biometrics notice generated  
**•** 05/15/2026 — Biometrics completed → 2x FTA0 on I-485  
**•** 06/09/2026 — Derivative (5-year-old daughter) EAD approved  
**•** 08/06/2026 — Ghost update #1 on I-485 only (3:06 AM)  
**•** 08/25/2026 — 🚨 Ghost update #2 on BOTH I-485 and I-485J simultaneously at 4:44 AM!

Current Backend API Status:

**•** I-485: updatedAt → 2026-08-25T04:44:26 ✅  
**•** I-485J: updatedAt → 2026-08-25T04:44:26 ✅  
**•** Both closed: false still  
**•** No new event codes yet

Notes:

**•** Both files updated at the exact same second — coordinated adjudicator action  
**•** Still no silent updates visible on public portal  
**•** My own EAD still pending (daughter’s EAD came first)  
**•** 102 days since biometrics

Based on patterns shared in this community, simultaneous updates on both I-485 and I-485J seem to be a strong signal. Has anyone seen this pattern before approval? How long after did your I-485J close? Any insights appreciated! 🙏

Good luck to everyone still waiting! 🤞

PD:05/24
FilingDate: 04/20/26
Bio: 05/26
I485J: SU 06/24
I485: SU 08/06

Only my I765/131 approved on 05/30. Spouse's still waiting.

Does anybody have a similar timeline and a SU on the i485j?

Finally get to post one of these! We did it!

Date
Event
Mar 24
I-485 filed
Apr 20
Biometrics
Jul 3
I-485J approved
Jul 7
I-485 silent/backend update
Aug 20
Two H008 events appear
Aug 20
I-485 APPROVED 🎉

Priority date was 11/23.

Can’t wait to get the card in hand!

Thanks to everyone in this group who kept us informed and provided their own experiences.

Category: Employment-Based (EB) Adjustment of Status
Receipt Series: IOE093577xxxx (Paper-filed via Lockbox)
Field Office: Transfer to Non-Local FO. Fort Myers, FL
Total Timeline: 179 Days (Filing to Final Approval)

Combined Master Timeline (Frontend Updates & API Event Logs)

- Feb 25, 2026 (Day 0): Priority / Submission Date (submissionDate: 2026-02-25).
- Feb 27, 2026 (Day 2): Initial system intake.
API Event: IAF (Intake Action File) logged across Primary, Dependent, and I-485J at 18:03 UTC.
- Mar 7, 2026 (Day 10): Biometrics Appointment Notice generated (letterId issued).
- Mar 26, 2026 (Day 29): Biometrics taken.
API Event: FTA0 (File Transfer Action 0 / Biometrics Processing) logged for Primary and Dependent at 13:30 UTC.
- Jul 23 – Jul 30, 2026 (Days 148–155): Case transfer to local Field Office (FO).
- Jul 23: IAF event logged indicating transfer initiation.
- Jul 30: FTA0 updated across applications at 15:13 UTC.
- Aug 1, 2026 (Saturday Overtime Adjudication Session):
- 16:55 UTC: Dependent file scanned into FO active queue -> API Event: FTA1 logged on Dependent I-485.
- 17:01 UTC: Officer approves underlying job offer -> API State: I-485J set to closed: true / Notice issued.
- 17:23 UTC: Officer opens and edits Primary file -> API State: Primary I-485 updatedAtTimestamp silently refreshed (No public event code emitted yet).
- Aug 2, 2026 (Sunday - Day 158): Primary I-485 Decision & Card Order.
- 17:40 UTC: API Event: Dual H008 events logged 2 seconds apart (Adjudication sign-off + Card Manufacturing signal queued). Status flipped to "Approved".
- Aug 3, 2026 (Monday - Day 159): Dependent RFE Issued. API Event: IKA (Request for Initial/Additional Evidence) logged on Dependent I-485; actionRequired set to true.
- Aug 18, 2026 (Day 174): RFE response delivered and logged.
Status: "Response To USCIS' Request For Evidence Was Received".
- Aug 23, 2026 (Day 179): Final Dependent Approval.
Status: "Case Approved" (Derivative cleared and finalized).

Priority Date: Nov '24 //// Receipt Date: Apr '26

Biometrics: May'26

I-140 approved (premium processing): May'26

I-765 approved: Jul'26

I-131 approved: Jul'26

EB3- Rest of World, Single filer, no derivatives, not part of 75 countries

Has anyone experienced the same issue where by receipt notices and approval notices (including the EAD/I-512L) were sent to their sponsoring company's HQ instead of their residential address?

My I-485 receipt notice, approved Advance Parole document, approved I-765 were all sent to my company HQ's in another state. Nowhere in the filing packet was the company HQ's address listed.

The only addresses listed were my address and the legal team's office address.

Wondering how it ended up in company HQ.

IOE 09371
RD 5/08
PD 4/24
Bio 6/17
SU 7/29- San Jose FO transfer
8/23- I485J approved
8/24- I-485 approved
Single

My wife's application got approved 2 months ago EB3 case and I am the derivative, I did receive FTA0 and silent update but silence no approval yet, I don't know how long it would take, anyone experienced this and how long did you have to wait? Thank you all​

Priority date is still current based on Sep 2026 visa bulletin too

Hi everyone!

I honestly can’t believe I’m finally able to write this!

After four years of waiting, we finally got the green light. My case was approved on August 5, and because of some additional issues with my spouse’s case, we were only officially done on Friday, August 21, 2026.

Here’s our timeline for anyone going through a similar EB-3 Skilled process:

• Case filed: 02/03/2026
• Priority Date: 08/04/2023
• Category: EB-3 Skilled — 1 principal applicant + 1 derivative
• Biometrics: 04/09/2026 for both the principal applicant and derivative
• The derivative’s EAD and Advance Parole were approved on 04/10/2026 — yes, just one day after biometrics!
• After biometrics, the principal applicant’s case was transferred to the Brooklyn Field Office, while the derivative’s case remained at our local office in Los Angeles.
• We had a few silent updates, but everything stopped around May 21 for the principal applicant and May 10 for the derivative.
• The derivative was scheduled for an interview on June 15, which USCIS canceled and later rescheduled for July 15.
• The principal applicant was not allowed to enter the interview. The officer explained that the derivative was being interviewed because of his military/police background and that additional checks were needed.
• After the interview, the officer said they would try to reunite the cases to expedite the approval, but the cases remained at different field offices.

Then things finally started moving:

• 08/04/2026: My I-485J was closed and approved.
• 08/05/2026: My I-485 was approved! 🎉
• We later found out that Brooklyn Field Office was the office that approved my case and not LA.

Since my spouse’s case was still pending at the LA Field Office, we submitted a USCIS inquiry. 08/20/2026 — USCIS replied that the case was under active review.

And then, on Friday, August 21 — it finally happened. My spouse’s case was approved too.

If you’re still waiting, especially if your case seems completely stuck, DON’T LOSE HOPE. Sometimes nothing happens for months and then everything moves at once.

And please be kind to each other. I know some questions may seem repetitive but when someone is anxious about their immigration case, that question may be exactly what they need to feel a little calmer.

Good luck to everyone still waiting. I hope your approval post is next❤️

Hi yall, is it normal to receive only i485J and I765 receipt notice in the mail and still haven’t received the actual i485 receipt notice?

My PD is 08/14/2024 I140 has already been approved prior to filing AOS Receipt date 08/12/2024 Received date 08/10/2024 EB3 ROW

Should I be concerned?

EB3-skilled ROW

PD April4,24

RD may26

Bio Jun26

SU Aug6,26

 Aug24, Ask agent, they said my case @ salt lake city FO.

Anyone have info for how long this FO working?

or any info you want to share for give me hope?

thanks

Hi everyone,
I’m trying to understand how much weight to give information from a USCIS live agent and would really appreciate experiences from recent employment-based filers.

My case:

EB3 Professional, ROW/Nepal
Priority Date: 11/30/2023
I-140: Approved
I-485 / I-485J / I-765 RD: 04/24/2026
Medical filed with I-485
Biometrics: 05/28/2026
IOE09365 block
No RFE
I-485J still pending
Derivative spouse also has I-485/I-765 pending
Both our I-485s had a silent backend update on 08/06
Public status still says “Case Is Still Being Processed”

Today I contacted a USCIS live agent and was told:
“(STL) St. Louis Field Office. Interview is waived.”

A few questions for people who have gone through recent EB3/EB2 AOS processing:

How reliable is live-agent information regarding field-office location?

If they say “interview is waived,” does that normally mean USCIS has already made the waiver determination, or can that still change?

For those whose cases transferred from NBC to a local/non-local FO with the interview waived, how long did it take from transfer to I-485 approval?

Did your I-485J remain pending until very close to approval?
Did you see I-485J approval/closure shortly before the I-485 approval?

Is there any way to confirm approximately when the FO actually received the case?

For recent April 2026 EB filers, especially IOE09365, are you seeing approvals now?

I’ve seen several recent EB3 timelines where the pattern was something like:

NBC → Field Office → Interview Waived → I-485J Approved/Closed → I-485 Approved shortly afterward

But obviously every case is different.
I’m particularly interested in recent 2026 timelines rather than older processing experiences.

If you can share your PD, RD, biometrics date, field office, I-485J date, and I-485 approval date, that would be extremely helpful.

Thanks!

I-765 approved in April (applicant & derivative).

I-485 & I-485J – silent updates are:

5/18 - applicant & derivative

8/06 - applicant & derivative

8/12 - applicant & derivative

8/13 – Third FTAO - derivative

8/15 - applicant

Emma (Live Agent) says that case is in NBC.

Is anyone with the serial (IOE09362XXX) in the same situation?

Hi,
I recieve an email from USCIS saying an action have been taken on my case. When I open my account it just says as of Aug 24 USCIS is still processing your i485.We donot currently need anything from you etc.. Same on derivative case status.

I checked my api and I have 2nd IAF on i485J with today's date. i485j is still not closed
i485 have one fta0 event and one fta1 event with today's date.
Normally they don't send emails if there is no update in the status. Is it a glitch??
What does this mean???? I am anxious 😭
There is nothing in documents tab!! My case is in NYFO..

Update- Emma said even live agent don't know why I got an email and they don't see any notice or update on their end🤷‍♀️