I-140 Approved PP without RFE!!
Hi everyone!
I’d like to share some exciting news — my I-140 was finally approved! Since I’ve received so much help from this community throughout the process, I hope sharing my experience can help others who are still waiting. Happy July 4th!
Timeline
Priority Date (PD): June 27, 2025
Premium Processing (PP): May 13, 2026
Approval: July 3, 2026 (35 business days)
Service Center: NSC
Country: ROW (not from one of the 75 or 39 banned countries)
Profile
Education: PhD at an R1 university (4th-year PhD student with a master’s degree at the time of filing)
Proposed endeavor: Using real-world evidence to improve diabetes care in the United States
Publications: 3 first-author papers and 3 co-author papers at the time of filing (more now)
Citations: 50+ at the time of filing (100+ now)
Current job: Working in the pharmaceutical industry
Supporting evidence: 2 dependent recommendation letters and 3 independent testimonial letters
Law firm: Chen
Overall, I had a very positive experience with Chen Immigration. I can’t comment on their RFE services since I was fortunate enough to receive a direct approval without one. I also think they’ve worked with many applicants who have backgrounds similar to mine, so the draft petition they prepared already fit my profile very well, and I only needed to make a few minor revisions. That said, I still recommend carefully reviewing everything they write before filing to make sure it accurately reflects your background and achievements.
The past two months were honestly very stressful. I have a friend who received an approval in just seven business days, and I kept hearing people say that the longer you wait, the more likely you are to receive an RFE. In my case, that clearly wasn’t true. With the high volume of filings USCIS is handling, processing times can vary a lot, even under premium processing.
If you’re still waiting, don’t lose hope. Try to be patient and trust the process. I know that’s easier said than done, but your timeline doesn’t necessarily predict your outcome.
Wishing everyone who’s still waiting a smooth approval soon!