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r/EB3VisaJourney

▲ 2 r/EB3VisaJourney

EB-3 unskilled I-485 Interview Coming Up

Hi everyone,
I have an EB-3 unskilled I-485 interview coming up soon. I received my I-765 EAD about a month ago, but I have not started working for the sponsoring company yet.
I am currently working on F-1 OPT and do not want to leave/drop my OPT because I am worried about the risk if the EB-3 interview does not go well.
Has anyone been in a similar situation where they had an EB-3 interview but had not started working for the sponsor yet? Did it affect your interview, and how did it go?

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u/Green_Raccoon9603 — 1 day ago
▲ 9 r/EB3VisaJourney

The EB-3 Unskilled (EW3) Wait Time Illusion: Why the Visa Bulletin is hiding a 10-15 year actual backlog (FY26 Data Analysis)

Hi everyone. While working on data tracking and scraping for my project, I ended up doing a deep dive into the latest USCIS I-140 receipt tables (specifically the FY2026 Q1 report) for the EB-3 Unskilled (Other Workers / EW3) category.

​What I found is completely disconnected from the current Visa Bulletin, and I wanted to see if anyone here has reached the same conclusion.

​A lot of agencies and lawyers are currently selling the EW3 process with a "4 to 5 year wait time" based on the current Visa Bulletin dates (which are hovering around late 2021 / early 2022). But the math for recent applicants paints a terrifying picture.

​Here is the breakdown of the impending "wall":

​The Surge in Approvals: Looking at the All Countries data for EW3, there were massive spikes recently. From 2023 to the start of FY2026, USCIS approved over 44,000 I-140 petitions for Unskilled Workers. (If you include 2022, it’s over 53,000).

​The Multiplier Effect: The annual visa cap counts individuals, not petitions. Every I-140 usually brings dependents (spouse/children). Even if we use a highly conservative multiplier of 2.2 visas per approved petition, those 44,000 approvals equal roughly 96,800 to 100,000+ people needing a Green Card.

​The Annual Cap: The "Other Workers" category is strictly capped by law at 10,000 visas globally per year.

​The Reality Check:

If you have ~100,000 people fighting for 10,000 spots per year, that is mathematically a 10-year backlog just to clear the 2023-2025 applications. If the multiplier is closer to 2.5 or 3, we are looking at 12 to 15 years.

​Why hasn't the Visa Bulletin retrogressed massively yet?

Because it's a lagging indicator. The State Department is currently issuing visas to people who applied in 2021, before this massive 2023-2025 wave of approvals hit. Once the bulletin reaches late 2022 and 2023 priority dates, it will slam into this wall of 100,000+ applicants and inevitably stagnate for years.

​For anyone applying today, the 4.5-year estimate seems mathematically impossible.

​Am I missing a massive variable here, or is the industry just turning a blind eye to this impending retrogression/stagnation to keep selling EW3 spots? Would love to hear your thoughts.

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u/Remote-Mall-1790 — 3 days ago
▲ 7 r/EB3VisaJourney

Successful writ of mandamus lawsuit (by myself) for I-485

I wanted to share a major success story to give hope to those stuck in the backlogs. After years of waiting, my I-485 was finally approved just 30 days after I took matters into my own hands and filed a Writ of Mandamus lawsuit.
I did the entire process by myself (pro-se) without an attorney.

My Timeline & Case Details:
Category: EB2 India
Priority Date (PD): May 2014
I-485 Filing Date: April 2022
Service Center: National Benefits Center (NBC)
Filed a Writ of Mandamus in Federal District Court on April 29, 2026
The Result: I-485 approval within 30 days of filing the lawsuit.

If you are in a similar situation (EB1/EB2/EB3), your priority date is current, and you are contemplating a mandamus lawsuit to force a decision, please feel free to DM me. I am happy to share my experience.

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u/Fast_Amount_1089 — 4 days ago
▲ 11 r/EB3VisaJourney

EB3 India -July 2026 Approvals?

Starting this thread to track the approvals. Pl share if you case is approved.

My PD (12/27/2013) got current today (per July bulletin). Had a soft update on 6/20.

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u/Useful_Minute7282 — 5 days ago
▲ 13 r/EB3VisaJourney

Supreme Court Upholds Biirthright Citizenship, Rejecting President Trump’s Restrictions

As shared by ABC news and other outlets in X: The Supreme Court has rejected President Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship in the U.S. by executive order, reaffirming more than a century of legal precedent and national tradition that babies born on American soil are automatically American citizens

u/Sorry-Feedback1115 — 5 days ago
▲ 5 r/EB3VisaJourney+1 crossposts

How to upload additional documents in ceac.

I got rfe after interview a month ago. Im trying to upload the additional documents in ceac but there is no option to upload. Help.

u/GrassOrdinary3610 — 4 days ago
▲ 15 r/EB3VisaJourney

President Trump Calls Upcoming Supreme Court Birthright Citizenship Ruling "A Big Deal"

According to a post on X: President Trump said the upcoming Supreme Court decision on birthright citizenship is "a very big" case and argued that the 14th Amendment's Citizenship Clause was intended to address the status of children born to formerly enslaved people after the Civil War, not modern-day immigration.

President Trump acknowledged that the Supreme Court may rule against his position but emphasized that he believes the birthright citizenship case is one of the most important immigration issues before the Court.

All eyes are on the supreme court, whichever decision they come up with will be massive from either side

u/Sorry-Feedback1115 — 6 days ago
▲ 36 r/EB3VisaJourney

President Trump Says He'll Accept Supreme Court's Birthright Citizenship Decision, Even if It Rules Against Him

According to CBS News on X: When asked whether he would accept a Supreme Court ruling against his administration's position on birthright citizenship, President Trump said he would respect the Court's decision because it is the nation's highest court.

At the same time, he argued that birthright citizenship is harmful to the United States, claiming it is costly and that most other countries do not have a similar policy. Trump said he believes the country would be better off if the Supreme Court does not uphold the current interpretation of birthright citizenship but acknowledged that the final decision rests with the justices.

u/Sorry-Feedback1115 — 6 days ago
▲ 49 r/EB3VisaJourney

Markwayne Mullin: TPS Was Never Meant To Be Permanent Immigration Status

According to a CNN State of the Union interview, Sen. Markwayne Mullin discussed the Trump administration's plans regarding individuals currently in the U.S. under Temporary Protected Status (TPS).

Mullin argued that TPS was never intended to be a permanent immigration status. He said that many people who have lived in the U.S. under TPS for 15–20 years had opportunities to pursue other legal pathways, such as employment-based or family-based visas or lawful permanent residence.

He added that those who do not transition to another legal status could be subject to deportation. Mullin also said the government is prepared to assist voluntary departures by providing plane tickets and a stipend of about $2,100 to help individuals re-establish themselves in their home countries.

The big question is: Should long-term TPS holders be expected to transition to another status, or should Congress create a pathway to permanent residency for those who have lived and worked in the U.S. for many years?

u/Cute_Ambition1878 — 8 days ago
▲ 6 r/EB3VisaJourney

EB-3 ROW | NBC | RD 04/13 | Biometrics 05/15 | Cases briefly disappeared from portal?

Has anyone experienced their cases disappearing from the USCIS portal? My cases were showing fine, then suddenly the ‘Your Cases’ section appeared completely empty — no I-485, no I-765, nothing. Logged back in and they reappeared. Anyone know if this is a glitch or could it mean something is happening with the case? Slightly freaking out

u/benjaminbarker17 — 4 days ago
▲ 0 r/EB3VisaJourney

What Monday's Supreme Court Decision Could Mean for Birthright Citizenship

This coming monday will be the biggest immigration day in modern American history because the supreme court is supposed to rule on Trumps attempt to end birthright citizenship and most lawyers thought this could be an easy decision, in reality its not and the whole America and the world will be glued on Tv for the live updates.

In 1898, The supreme Court confirmed the first United states first wang l Kim case that a child born in United states who is an immigrant parent is a US citizen.But after what the supreme Court did in asylum case rruling in favour of President Trump on TPS on haitians and people coming from the Mexican US boarder, nothing here seems to be guaranteed.

If President Trump wins on Monday babies born in the US will be denied citizenship because of their parents immigration status. The children will be illegals in the United states

On the other hand the court may reject President Trump executive order. They may say the constitution protects birthright citizenship, they may take a narrow route and say the president can not do this by executive order: Only Congress can pass this law, but monday matters because this is Not just about Immigration,this is about who counts as an American citizen.

In conclusion all will be waiting for the big decision whichever way it goes, it will have a major impact on immigration.The ruling is one of the most highly anticipated case of the year in the supreme court.

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u/Cute_Ambition1878 — 9 days ago
▲ 13 r/EB3VisaJourney

USCIS Proposes Higher Citizenship Filing Fees, And Removes Fee Discounts

The Trump administration has proposed major increases to U.S. citizenship application fees, with naturalization costs rising by as much as 80%.

Under the proposal, the naturalization filing fee would increase from $760 to $1,330 for paper applications and from $710 to $1,280 for online filings. The fee to request a rehearing after a denied naturalization application would also increase to $1,475.

The proposal would also eliminate the reduced naturalization fee currently available to lower-income applicants, meaning everyone would pay the full amount regardless of income.

Supporters of the proposal argue that applicants seeking immigration benefits should cover the full cost of processing their applications rather than relying on subsidies. Immigration advocates, however, say the higher fees could make U.S. citizenship less accessible, particularly for lower-income lawful permanent residents.

The proposal is currently open for public comment until August 24, after which DHS will decide whether to finalize the new fee structure.

Do you think these fee increases would significantly affect the number of people applying for U.S. citizenship?

Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/trump-proposal-raises-citizenship-naturalization-fees-rcna351362

u/Cute_Ambition1878 — 6 days ago
▲ 14 r/EB3VisaJourney

PERM EB3 Approved (Submitted in June 2026)

Hi everyone,

I’m very happy to announce that my PERM labor certification was approved today! My goal is to keep you all updated on each step of the process.

Timeline:

Prevailing Wage Determination Submitted: August 2024

Prevailing Wage Determination determined: February 2025

PERM Submitted: June 2025

PERM certified: June 2026

Next step: File the I-140 Immigrant Petition. After that, we'll wait for my priority date to become current.

As of now, the Final Action Date for EB-3 is August 2024, while the Dates for Filing chart is Current. I'm currently waiting for USCIS to allow applicants to use the Dates for Filing chart for Adjustment of Status applications.

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u/Forsaken-Ad8131 — 9 days ago
▲ 2 r/EB3VisaJourney

Judge blocks Trump administration from arresting migrants at immigration courts

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration's policy of arresting migrants at immigration courts nationwide, ruling that the policy likely violated the Administrative Procedure Act.

In a 71-page decision, U.S. District Judge P. Casey Pitts found that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) failed to provide a reasonable legal basis for the policy, calling it "arbitrary and capricious." The judge issued a nationwide injunction preventing immigration court arrests while the case moves forward.

The ruling comes after reports that migrants were being arrested immediately after their immigration cases were dismissed. Immigration attorneys argued that the administration was using those dismissals to place individuals into expedited removal proceedings, limiting their opportunity to pursue asylum or other forms of legal relief.

The judge also pointed to a recent court filing in which the Department of Justice acknowledged that an ICE policy memo it had relied on to justify courthouse arrests did not actually apply to civil immigration enforcement actions at or near immigration courts.

Source: https://abcnews.com/Politics/judge-blocks-trump-administration-arresting-migrants-immigration-courts/story?id=134155292&cid=social_twitter_abcn

u/Cute_Ambition1878 — 9 days ago
▲ 4 r/EB3VisaJourney

D.C. Circuit Reinstates President Trump Administration’s Expanded Expedited Removal Policy in 2-1 Ruling

A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the U.S. house has proposed a bill that would remove the $100,000 application fee for H-1B visa applicants in the healthcare field, including doctors and nurses. The fee, introduced in September by President Trump administration, raised concerns among hospitals that depend heavily on international medical professionals to fill staffing gaps, especially as new medical residents, many of whom are foreign-trained, typically begin work each July. Lawmakers backing the proposal argue that the high cost could make it harder for healthcare facilities to recruit essential workers.

Healthcare leaders, including the American Medical Association, have voiced strong support for the measure, emphasizing the critical role international medical graduates play in underserved and rural communities, as well as in high-demand specialties like primary care. They warn that without changes, many regions could face worsening physician and nutses shortages. Current projections already estimate a shortfall of up to 86,000 doctors in the coming years, and similar pressures exist in nursing, where immigrant professionals make up a significant portion of the workforce. The proposed legislation aims to ease these pressures by making it more feasible for foreign-trained healthcare workers to contribute to the U.S. system.

Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/work/bipartisan-bill-would-waive-100000-h-1b-visa-fees-for-medical-professionals/articleshow/129647290.cms

u/Cute_Ambition1878 — 12 days ago
▲ 12 r/EB3VisaJourney

Does the USCIS Service Center Handling Your I-140 Make a Difference?

As most of us in the initial stages don't know whether the USCIS service centers handling your Form I-140 petition affects processing times or approval chances. While all service centers apply the same immigration laws and adjudication standards, processing times can vary significantly between centers such as the Nebraska Service Center, Texas Service Center, California Service Center, etc.

Differences in workload, staffing levels, case backlogs, and the types of petitions assigned to each center can result in faster or slower processing. For example, an I-140 petition filed at the Nebraska Service Center may be processed more quickly than a similar petition at another center during one period, while the reverse may be true at another time. However, the service center itself should not affect the legal outcome of a properly documented petition, as USCIS officers are required to follow the same regulations and policy guidance nationwide.

For applicants tracking your case, it is generally more useful to monitor the current USCIS processing times for your specific I-140 category than to focus solely on which service center received the petition

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u/Cute_Ambition1878 — 10 days ago
▲ 12 r/EB3VisaJourney

EB3 skilled Row updates

New here, sharing my timeline and would love any insights from those who’ve been through similar:

Category: EB-3 Skilled Worker, Turkey ROW not banned
Priority Date: June 19, 2024 (current)
I-485, I-485J, I-765 filed concurrently: April 13, 2026
Receipt Notice: April 20, 2026
Biometrics completed: May 15, 2026
Medical (I-693) submitted with I-485: Yes

Backend events so far:

•	IAF: April 13, 2026  
•	FTA0 x2: May 15, 2026  
•	No updates since May 15 (currently 5+ weeks of silence)  
•	No RFE, no NOID, no action required

Dependent (5-year-old daughter) EAD: Approved, notice dated June 9, 2026, valid 06/08/26–12/07/27

My own or wife’s EAD/combo card: Not approved yet

I-485J Supplement: Still just at receipt stage, no movement

No status violations, always maintained valid status, work-authorized throughout, no criminal record. Not from any restricted countries. Just trying to understand if my daughter’s EAD approval coming before mine/our I-485 is normal, and roughly what to expect next based on others’ patterns. Thanks in advance, and good luck to everyone still waiting!

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u/benjaminbarker17 — 14 days ago