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EB-2 NIW (ROW) – I-485 Approved today!

Timeline:

Category: EB-2 NIW (ROW)

Previous status: H1b visa

PD: Nov 2024

I-485 filed RD: Mar 20 2026

Biometrics: April 24 2026

EAD Approved and recieved: June 2026

Location: El Paso non-local FO

Interview: Waived

Approved: October 11 2026

Dependent also Approved on same day

Card produced: TBD

Card Delivered: TBD

It has been 14 years for me from f1 visa to H1b to multiple PERM EB2 / 3 starts, to finally taking control of things myself through NIW.

Wishing everyone who’s still waiting the best of luck!

EB-2 NIW (ROW) – I-485 Approved!

Finally approved!

Timeline:

• Category: EB-2 NIW (ROW)
• Previous status: F1 visa
• PD: OCT, 2023
• I-485 filed: June 9, 2025
• Biometrics: July 3, 2025
• EAD Approved and recieved: July 15, 2025
• Interview: December 30, 2025
• Approved: October 3, 2026
• Card produced: October 7, 2026
• Card Delivered: October 10, 2026

Processing time: very long.

It hasn’t been an easy journey, but I can finally breathe a sigh of relief! Wishing everyone who’s still waiting the best of luck! 🍀

EB-2 NIW (ROW) – I-485 Approved! Principal & Spouse 🎉

Finally approved! My spouse and I received our I-485 approvals! Our two dependent children are still waiting.

Timeline:

• Category: EB-2 NIW (ROW)
• Previous status: B visa
• PD: September 6, 2024
• I-140 approved: September 2024
• I-485 filed: May 1 (me), May 15 (spouse), 2026
• Biometrics: June 12, 2026
• Field Office: San Fernando Valley (principal)
• Interview waived
• Both approved: October 2026

Processing time: About 5 months.

Hoping our children's approvals come soon! Good luck to everyone still waiting! 🍀

Background Details:

• Category: EB-2 NIW
• Priority Date (PD): October 16, 2024
• Receipt Date (RD): April 8, 2026
• Biometrics: May 5, 2026 (First batch of FTA0 background codes generated)
• Field Office: Queens FO (Non-local transfer)

The Final API Timeline (October 2026):

• Oct 7: Background checks refreshed. A new FTA0 code dropped on primary file, and two FTA0 codes dropped on dependent’s file. Later that afternoon, dependent’s file received the FTA1 tag, and primary file received a silent update.
• Oct 9 (Friday Afternoon): Dependent’s file got a second FTA1. Later, primary file got a silent update, followed by a second silent update.
• Oct 10 (Saturday): APPROVED! 🎉 The H008(Case Approved) codes officially dropped on both the primary and dependent.

Hi everyone,
Is anyone here waiting for their I-485 approval from the Portland, Maine Field Office?

My EB2 NIW I-485 was filed in April 2026, PD Nov 2024, and my case has been at the Portland Field Office since June 10. My interview is waived, but there has been no update since then except one Mass FTAO in August.

I’m trying to understand how quickly this field office is processing cases.

Has anyone recently received an approval from Portland, Maine? If so, could you share your filing date, transfer date, and approval timeline?

i work at a tech start up and I am the first candidate who is going through PERM, I140 and I485 process. I have approved PERM and based on Oct bulletin my PD is current for EB2.
My immigration firm and HR team is not much familiar with the immigration process , risks, visa stamping issues, etc.. We are in process of filing my I 140, 485, etc and the immigration team and the HR is not on page to file for premium processing for I 140.

Upon discussing the benefits of faster processing and no risk of 485 rejection, HR claims that as it is not a threat to employment, the I 140 premium processing request is not justified.

My request for advise from folks who have been in same boat currently and in the past, what are some data points I can use to request my HR and immigration team to file my 140 case in premium processing given that my PD is current and does not make sense to wait for next ~6 months for 140 approval as a part of standard processing and then proceed with 485AOS.

Thanks

EB2-NIW
Country: ROW
Block: IOE09373xxxxx
Lockbox: LCKBXPDF (submitted online)
FO: Queens FO
PD: Sept 2024 (current in FAD throughout the application stage)
Status: F1/F2 (PhD student + spouse)

I-485s
6/17 Filed online myself, no lawyer (primary: I-485 + derivative: I-485, I-765)
6/22 IAF
6/26 Biometric notice
7/17 Biometric completed, 2x FTA0
8/31 3rd FTA0 on primary only [probably a mass update]
9/25 SU Transfer to Queens (EMMA confirmed)
10/8 11:16am ET 4th FTA0 on primary + 3rd FTA0 on derivative (simultaneously)
10/8 11:16am, 11:45am, 1:16pm, 3:01pm ET SUs on both
10/9 I-485s approved: 11:56am ET primary, 1:28pm ET derivative

I-140
Sept 2024 Field for EB2-NIW through EP (normal processing)
3/3/26 Premium processing upgrade
4/30/26 Approved without RFE (43 business days), NSC
Reddit post to approval: https://www.reddit.com/r/EB2\_NIW/s/qfNpNhH6vq

Wishing all the best to everyone!

Regardless of the retrogression is anyone getting their EAD card ? The GC situation is dire but a work permit would be super helpful rtn

What is happeing with the I485 decisions at Columbus Field Office? I responded to my RFE which was a simple birth certificate format not adhered to USCIS standards. I responded on July 10. My priority date of March 2024 has been current for a long time now and yet there has been no decision yet. I have seen many reddit posts lately of people getting decisions as sson as in 2-3 months of either nonRFE submission or RFE submission.
Is columbus field office this slow for other people as well?

Is FTA1s always negative?

My I-140 application was recently approved after an RFE. I am now preparing for my I-485 application. I am thinking of applying by myself without any lawyers. I am looking for reliable templates, DIY packages, or even somebody's accepted application package (without any personal information, of course) available for download so that I know what a successful petition looks like. Anything (recent enough) would help. I really don't want to hire a lawyer since it seems like you have to do almost 90% of the work anyway.

Here are some details of my case:

1. Current visa status: F1 OPT
2. Dependents: Wife (F2), no kids
3. Work status: I am not currently working in my field of proposed endeavor (involved in a relative field) because for the life of me, I am not getting any job offers. I have probably sent out 1000s of job applications. My plan is to explain in my personal statement that my current job is a means to sustain myself while I look for a better job that matches my PE, which is the truth.

Thanks!

Had FTA1 and FTA0 after an interview in mid-September due to visa unavailability. Would a silent update on Saturday potentially mean a pending approval ? Or likely file transfer

PD 2024

Sharing my timeline because I spent a lot of time checking other people’s cases, especially after my interview and the October visa bulletin movement.

Category: EB2-NIW
Chargeability: Rest of World
Priority Date: November 15, 2024
I-140: Premium processing, approved in November 2024
I-485 / I-765 / I-131 filed: April 13, 2026
Service center: NBC
Field office: Baltimore, MD No derivative previous status : F1

Timeline

• April 13, 2026: I-485, I-765, and I-131 filed
• May 11, 2026: Biometrics
• July 16, 2026: Silent/internal update — FTA0
• July 28, 2026: Interview scheduled
• August 2026: EAD pre-completion OPT approved/produced
• September 1, 2026: I-485 interview at Baltimore Field Office
• Officer told me that everything looked okay and that a decision would depend on visa-number availability.
• September 1, 2026: Internal updates after interview — FJ followed by FTA1
• No RFE
• No additional documents requested
• Case remained pending during September because EB2 visa numbers were unavailable/exhausted at the end of FY2026.
• October 2, 2026: Case had another silent updatedAt change with no visible status change.
• October 3, 2026: Two H008 internal events appeared within seconds of each other.
• A few minutes later, the case metadata updated again.
• October 3, 2026: I-485 APPROVED.

The interesting part for people watching internal API updates was the sequence:

FTA0 → FJ → FTA1 → October silent update → two H008 events → approval

I obviously cannot say that H008 always means approval, but in my case the two H008 events appeared immediately before the approval.

Other case details:

• Interview completed: yes
• RFE: none
• Medical: submitted with filing
• Case transferred to Baltimore FO: yes
• Employment-based interview waived: no
• I-485 approved after the new fiscal year started: yes
• Approval came during the first few days of October
• Priority date was current under the October 2026 Visa Bulletin when the case was approved.

For anyone stuck after an employment-based interview because of visa-number availability: a pending case after a successful interview does not necessarily mean there is a problem with the case. Mine sat after the September 1 interview until visa numbers became available again in October.

I hope the timeline helps anyone tracking FTA0, FTA1, FJ, H008, or post-interview EB2-NIW cases.

Interview experience : The interview was very straightforward and mostly consisted of basic verification and yes/no questions.

At the beginning, the officer asked me to swear that I would tell the truth. That caught me a little off guard because I had never done that before, but after that the interview was very direct.

He asked whether I was married, whether I had any children, how many people were in my household, and whether I had ever received any government benefits. When I asked what he meant by benefits, he gave food stamps as an example. He also asked whether I had ever voted. I answered no to all of those questions. I am not married, I have no children, and I do not have family here.

He asked approximately how much I make. I gave him a rough amount, and he did not seem particularly concerned with it. He also asked about my entries to and exits from the United States, so I gave him my I-94.

Document-wise, it was very limited. Other than identification documents such as my passport and ID, he did not ask me to provide any additional supporting documents.

At the end, he told me that everything was okay, that they did not need anything else from me, and that they already had everything they needed. He also said that I should receive a result soon once a visa number becomes available. He then gave me a paper stating that the case was being held for review and that USCIS did not require any additional information or documents from me at that time.

Overall, it was a very direct and pleasant interview. There were no difficult questions, no request for additional evidence, and no indication during the interview that there was a problem with the case.

I-485 approved Oct 2, 2026 (EB2-NIW)

Receipt date: Jan 12, 2026
Priority date: Jul 26, 2024 (I-140 approved in 42 days)
Service center: Nebraska
Biometrics: February 2026
RFE: Received and responded (minor traffic violation which occurred after application was submitted). Responded with the dismissal.
Case approved: Oct 2, 2026 (264 days from filing)

Nigerian, ROW chargeability

EAD & AP never had any silent updates
So grateful for this group and resource during my GC journey. Thank you for all the info along the way!

Country: One of the 39 countries affected by the U.S. travel restrictions

February 13, 2024 — I-140 Priority Date (EB-2 NIW)

February 2025 — After approximately 12 months of waiting, upgraded my I-140 to Premium Processing

April 7, 2025 — 🎉 I-140 Approved

October 22, 2025 — I-485 Adjustment of Status filed

November 22, 2025 — Biometrics appointment scheduled

December 3, 2025 — Biometrics completed

August 13, 2026 — Backend case activity

August 14, 2026 — Case processing update

August 18, 2026 — RFE issued requesting evidence of continued engagement in my NIW proposed endeavor

August 19, 2026 — I-765 (EAD) approved

August 28, 2026 — RFE response submitted and received by USCIS

September 11, 2026 — RFE response updated in USCIS system

October 1, 2026 — Silent case update

October 2, 2026 — Another silent update

October 2, 2026 — H008 ×2 appeared in API

🎉🇺🇸 OCTOBER 2, 2026 — I-485 CASE APPROVED!

Priority Date → Green Card Approval:

February 13, 2024 → October 2, 2026

Approximately 2 years, 7 months and 19 days

I-485 Filing → Approval:

October 22, 2025 → October 2, 2026

Approximately 11 months and 10 days

As a Nigerian applicant from one of the countries affected by the travel restrictions, the uncertainty added another dimension to an already long journey. Through the waiting, RFE, silent updates, and uncertainty, I remained hopeful.

A journey of patience, persistence, prayer, and faith. 🙏🏽

Today, I am deeply grateful to God for bringing this chapter to a successful conclusion.

EB-2 NIW → Lawful Permanent Resident 🇺🇸 Thank you Jesus

Hello again community,

After getting my I-140 approval, I thought most of the immigration headaches were finally behind me. Then the VB retrogressed, and now my brain is malfunctioning again and I can't seem to think about anything else.

My situation:

• PD: Feb 2025
• EB2-NIW (ROW)
• I-485, I-131, and I-765 filed
• Biometrics completed (Sep 2026)
• 6th-year PhD candidate
• Anticipated graduation: June 2027 (I-20 valid until Sept 2027)

I'm trying to think ahead in case my I-485 remains pending for a while, especially if my I-485-based I-765 is still not approved by the time I graduate.

Right now I have an NRT (non-resident tuition fee) exemption, but after next June I would likely lose that exemption if I remain a student. If I stay in F-1 status, I'm also not completely sure what the F-1 extension process will look like under the proposed changes, especially if extensions may need to go through USCIS rather than being handled primarily through the University.

And financially, staying enrolled longer would mean paying around $5k per quarter out of pocket. Maybe that is lunch money for someone, but it definitely isn't for me.

One of my best-case scenarios is simply getting my pending I-485-based I-765 approved before next June. But given the uncertainty, I don't really want to rely entirely on that.

My other concern is STEM OPT.

Since I already filed I-485 and clearly demonstrated immigrant intent, I'm worried that future F-1-related benefits could become complicated. ChatGPT keeps telling me that a pending I-485 should not automatically make someone ineligible for OPT/STEM OPT, but some experiences I've seen in this community seem less reassuring.

Has anyone here successfully received post-completion STEM OPT while an employment-based I-485 was already pending?

I also haven't explored H-1B deeply yet.

If I receive a postdoc/research position offer from a university/national lab, could a cap-exempt H-1B be another realistic path?

From what I understand, premium processing can result in USCIS taking action on an H-1B petition within 15 business days. So if I receive an offer and the employer is willing to sponsor a cap-exempt H-1B, this seems like a potentially good backup plan.

Another question: if the employer is hesitant because of the H-1B filing or premium processing costs, is there any portion of those fees that the employee can legally offer to pay, or do they generally have to be paid by the employer?

And separately, if I receive a postdoc offer while my I-485-based I-765 is still pending, I assume that offer could also help support an expedite request for the I-765.

Anyway, I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has dealt with a similar combination/concerns/strategies.

If I'm misunderstanding anything, please feel free to correct me!

Has anyone had a second FTA1 after an I-485 interview?

EB-2 NIW, Interview was Sep 2, first FTA1 appeared Sep 3. Today, Oct 3, I got a second FTA1 with a new event ID, and my public status also refreshed to “USCIS is still processing the case.”

No RFE, no new notice, and actionRequired is still false.

Has anyone had this same pattern? What happened after the second FTA1?

Anyone in the same boat?

Hey all, anyone else in waiting hell without SUs? PD: Dec 24, RD April 26. No SUs since 5/22 for primary or dependent.

Those who have filed I-485 before October 1st and no longer current, have you received any silent update, or noticed any change in status etc? Please share.