EDIT: Please read the post before you respond „I already got approved“. This isnt about AOS this is about people ABROAD SO OUTSIDE THE USA.

Why isnt anyone talking about the average processing times of 20 months for consular processing i130 cases? This shouldnt be this long we miss our partners and we struggle financially trying to support our partners.

Its a shame that the rest of the US doesnt care about married couples from abroad who try to do everything by law.

Our petitioners are US citizens, sometimes in the Military or veterans but USCIS doesnt care nor do US citizens. We deserve a response after paying fees just like the rest of you.

Its a shame no one talks about this, no media, no politicians, no citizens, no one.

USA will lose perfectly law abiding citizens, military personnel, tax payers, business owners just because USCIS fees arent being used correctly.

There is only silence and we deserve answers!!

Btw this isnt only about the 75 or 39 countries pause this is about general pause of i130 consular cases. If you try to deny what I say just do your own research so you dont look dumb.

Thank you

Did anyone else's case status change from " Case is still being processed" to "USCIS is currently processing the case"? Is this a variation on "actively reviewing"?

Edit: Saw another post abt someone's "actively being reviewed" changing to "USCIS is currently processing". Possibly just language change 🤷🏽🤦🏽‍♀️

February 19, 2026: USCIS received the application and sent out the receipt notice.

April 27, 2026: The interview notice was officially scheduled.

June 4, 2026: I had my actual interview, and the case went into active review.

July 2, 2026: I found the official approval letter waiting in my document tab.

July 6, 2026: The system officially updated to approved today!

Now that the I-130 is officially approved and closed, does anyone know how long it usually takes for the I-485 to be approved? Should I expect it in the next few days, or does it take longer?

What is the timeline from biometrics to interview?

APPROVED!!!

Our timeline below:

FO: Brooklyn, NY

No overstay, no unauthorised work, not from 75 countries, adjusted from O1

07/08/25 — Married my USC spouse

01/22/26 — Filed through lawyers, case received by USCIS

03/18/26 — RFE (needed another copy of my birth certificate)

03/21/26 — Scheduled for biometrics 

03/30/26 — USCIS received response for RFE

04/10/26 — Biometrics appointment 

04/20/26 — Scheduled for interview 

05/28/26 — Interview (it went really well)

06/30/26 — I-485 approved, I-130 approved!!

Now we're just waiting for the physical card so we can travel!

My I485 was approved on July 3rd !! here's the timelines.

Married to US spouse - Mid December

Sent application - 21st Jan

Application received - 29th Jan

Receipt notice - 13th Feb

Received RFE - 9th April ~ some docs weren't scanned properly

Responded to RFE - 10th April

Biometrics scheduled - 11th April

Biometrics - 30th April

Interview scheduled - 28th April

Our cat died - 1st July

Interview - 2nd July

I485 approval - 3rd July

The interview as at 8:45 am on July 2nd, the officer was friendly, but was quick to get into the details, we messed up a few dates, but nothing was serious. I was on H1b earlier which expired late Jan due to layoff, and I covered that gap by applying for a b2 visa, asked about previous citations, I had one which was missing license plate.

The officer asked for updated joint bank account statements, and joint tax return, we didn't have it at that time (cause our lawyer forgot to bring it). The officer told us to upload it after we reach home, along with some co-habitation pics. I posted all the pics again, along with the requested docs and additionally I uploaded joint insurance docs.

Due to the memo, I got 10 affidavits for my character support, and a police clearance certificate ~ initially we submitted 4 letters to support our marriage. We also have a house together.

What I learned - the officers may not go through all of your docs thoroughly, its best to carry all of your docs that you submitted initially, along with supplemental information.

Personal life- I lost count of the recruiters who reached out to me for a job but wouldn't proceed due to my h1b status. Been unemployed for 7 months now, thankfully I hand finances to cover our expenses including the house mortgage. But we did talk about selling the house if things didn't go as planned. Can finally resume my job search with will full force, hopefully I get my card soon.

It wasn't tough, but not easy either - daily meditation, gaming, and cooking for my wife helped me stay sane.

We miss our cat- but our other pets are happy and healthy with with us.

I did my 2 times online reschedule biometrics appointment for 485. My dad is in a very critical condition and he’ll be performing a surgery soon. I will unfortunately miss the biometrics appointment. I did my online 2 times reschedule and as soon as I realized i will miss the appointment but the sent a very uninformed email saying that they sent the notice already which say that my appointment is July 13 but I won’t be able to make it. I did make my due diligence and called on June 10th when I realized my dad’s situation and they replied on June 30 and when it was uninformative and I called back they said I can’t submit any request less than 30 days, but that means my appointment will be missed? Am I at risk that my case will be denied? Any helpful insight will be appreciated!

Hey everyone,

A while back, I posted an analysis on Employment-Based (EB) efficiency across Field Offices. While that data was a helpful starting point, the mathematical framework was not proper. It treated USCIS queues as static blocks and aggregated simple processing errors.

Today, I’m releasing a drastically updated framework based on continuous-flow queueing theory. This new model finally bridges the gap between what USCIS officially reports (massive, terrifying backlogs) and what we actually see on crowd-sourced trackers (cases getting approved in weeks).

Here is the evolution of the methodology and the new metrics:

1. The "Paper Transfer" Illusion & Stagnant Baselines

Have you ever wondered why a field office mathematically looks like it takes 150 months to clear its backlog, but people on community trackers report approvals in 2 weeks?

This is the Macroscopic vs. Microscopic illusion. USCIS officially assigns thousands of cases to FOs on paper that physically remain in boxes at the NBC, or are permanently stalled (background checks, RFEs).

The Fix: I now calculate a "Stagnant Baseline" (the historical average pending cases) for every single FO. By subtracting this baseline from their official Pending count, we isolate the Active Backlog—the cases actually moving across an officer's desk.

2. The 1.5x Multiplier (Uniform Arrival)

In my old post, I multiplied quarterly clearance rates by 3 to get the "months to clear." That assumed every single case arrived on Day 1 of the quarter and waited the whole time. In reality, cases flow in continuously. Assuming a uniform distribution, the median arrival time is exactly halfway through the quarter (1.5 months). So, if an FO clears exactly what it receives (a Clearance Rate of 1.0), the true average wait time for that batch is 1.5 months, not 3.

3. Fixing the "Average of Ratios" Bug

Previously, calculating a clearance timeline per quarter and then averaging those quarters together caused wild anomalies. If an FO like Santa Ana had a single quarter where their clearance temporarily dropped to 1 case, the ratio would explode to hundreds of months, poisoning their 3-year average. The Fix: The timeline is now calculated as a Ratio of Averages across the entire 3-year aggregate (Total Active Load ÷ Total Cleared). This completely neutralizes single-quarter statistical anomalies and accurately ranks consistent performers.

4. "Negative" Processing = Hidden NBC Transfers

In old models, processing numbers often inexplicably turned negative. A negative processing rate just means an FO's backlog dropped massively without corresponding approvals or denials. This indicates cases were quietly re-routed back to the NBC or elsewhere. This is now explicitly tracked as Transfers TO NBC, which officially counts toward an FO clearing its queue.

The New Metrics

Here is how to read the new data (all volumetric numbers are now presented as clean integers per quarter):

• Assigned per Quarter: Raw number of new cases officially added to the FO's docket.
• Transfers FROM NBC per Quarter: The "hidden" influx. Calculated when an FO processes way more cases than it was officially assigned.
• Cleared per Quarter: (Accepted + Denied + Transfers TO NBC). The total macroscopic volume of cases that successfully left the FO.
• Average Clearance Rate: A ratio of output to input (Cleared ÷ Incoming). 1.0 means the FO is clearing cases exactly as fast as they arrive for this quarter.
• Months to Clear (The Static Backlog): A macroscopic projection. If the FO received zero new cases, this is how many months it would take to burn through their entire official static Pending backlog.
• Months to Clear Non-Stagnant (The Active Pipeline): The most accurate timeline for a new applicant. It measures how many months a newly transferred, active case expects to wait, assuming it bypasses the "dead" stagnant baseline and strictly waits on the active pipeline volume (Active Load + Active Backlog) ÷ Cleared * 1.5.

The Data

Field Office	Cleared per Quarter	Average Pending	Average Clearance Rate	Months to Clear	Months to Clear Non-Stagnant
🚀 St. Albans, VT	543	163	0.98	0.9	1.63
🚀 Potomac, Service Center	9	3	1.02	1	1.71
🚀 Charlotte Amalie, VI	43	45	1.53	3.14	1.47
🚀 San Juan, PR	112	119	1.13	3.19	1.55
🚀 Imperial, CA	179	209	0.99	3.5	1.96
🚀 Boise, ID	359	433	0.97	3.62	1.93
🚀 Spokane, WA	124	155	1.05	3.75	1.7
🚀 Nashville, TN	871	1116	1.02	3.84	1.5
🚀 Yakima, WA	138	184	1.03	4	1.68
🟢 Anchorage, AK	100	135	0.97	4.05	1.85
🟢 Tucson, AZ	244	342	0.85	4.2	2.23
🟢 Harlingen, TX	204	296	0.95	4.35	2.15
🟢 Los Angeles County, CA	1628	2377	0.91	4.38	1.94
🟢 San Fernando Valley, CA	1460	2319	0.91	4.77	1.93
🟢 Kendall, FL	310	534	1.15	5.17	1.62
🟢 Fresno, CA	369	689	1.03	5.6	1.78
🟢 Helena, MT	32	60	0.96	5.62	2.02
🟢 Fort Myers, FL	154	289	1.13	5.63	1.55
🟢 Honolulu, HI	121	234	1.04	5.8	1.96
🟢 El Paso, TX	246	513	0.94	6.26	2.22
🟢 Providence, RI	175	369	1.08	6.33	1.6
🟢 Agana, GU	87	199	0.71	6.86	2.94
🟢 Wichita, KS	62	151	0.98	7.31	1.8
🟢 Louisville, KY	402	987	0.94	7.37	1.83
🟢 Buffalo, NY	306	793	1.02	7.77	1.72
🟢 San Bernardino, CA	535	1423	0.93	7.98	2.19
🟡 Hialeah, FL	362	974	0.99	8.07	1.78
🟡 Manchester, NH	158	439	0.96	8.34	1.95
🟡 Los Angeles, CA	1190	3510	0.84	8.85	2.17
🟡 Cincinnati, OH	420	1273	0.88	9.09	2.19
🟡 Portland, ME	85	260	0.9	9.18	2.17
🟡 Miami, FL	441	1354	1.17	9.21	1.47
🟡 Reno, NV	44	138	1.01	9.41	1.7
🟡 Las Vegas, NV	118	386	0.99	9.81	1.72
🟡 New Orleans, LA	274	919	1.16	10.06	1.4
🟡 Queens, NY	413	1411	0.9	10.25	1.95
🟡 Nebraska, Service Center	3253	11109	1.56	10.25	1.65
🟡 Columbus, OH	420	1458	0.96	10.41	1.94
🟡 Albany, NY	188	659	0.91	10.52	1.9
🟡 Montgomery, AL	264	937	1.28	10.65	1.34
🟡 Brooklyn, NY	420	1511	0.82	10.79	2.25
🟡 St. Paul, MN	544	1981	0.97	10.92	2.02
🟡 Albuquerque, NM	110	402	1.45	10.96	1.94
🟡 Long Island, NY	418	1602	0.98	11.5	1.82
🟡 Cleveland, OH	346	1330	0.86	11.53	2.2
🟡 West Palm Beach, FL	256	986	1.32	11.55	1.32
🟡 San Francisco, CA	1187	4739	1.3	11.98	2.29
🔴 Boston, MA	826	3341	1.02	12.13	1.67
🔴 New York, NY	705	2856	0.98	12.15	1.76
🔴 Newark, NJ	860	3504	1.31	12.22	1.49
🔴 Texas, Service Center	3378	13892	2.09	12.34	1.53
🔴 Omaha, NE	128	548	0.95	12.84	1.85
🔴 Baltimore, MD	734	3141	1.06	12.84	1.48
🔴 Santa Ana, CA	587	2518	0.86	12.87	2.24
🔴 Fort Smith, AR	95	409	1.01	12.92	1.66
🔴 Memphis, TN	235	1015	1.32	12.96	2.04
🔴 Oakland Park, FL	314	1360	1.05	12.99	1.78
🔴 Charleston, SC	153	665	1.1	13.04	1.51
🔴 Pittsburgh, PA	263	1149	0.93	13.11	2.03
🔴 Des Moines, IA	125	554	1.05	13.3	1.67
🔴 Indianapolis, IN	326	1462	1.04	13.45	1.83
🔴 San Diego, CA	496	2310	0.87	13.97	2.27
🔴 Oklahoma City, OK	108	516	0.94	14.33	2.14
🔴 Denver, CO	285	1398	0.99	14.72	1.79
🔴 Orlando, FL	604	3008	1.09	14.94	1.56
🔴 Salt Lake City, UT	154	799	0.91	15.56	1.9
🔴 Detroit, MI	513	2826	0.94	16.53	1.99
🔴 Greer, SC	115	634	1.09	16.54	1.54
🔴 Tampa, FL	339	1879	1.15	16.63	1.78
🔴 Houston, TX	866	4930	0.87	17.08	2.3
🔴 Hartford, CT	260	1602	0.93	18.48	1.96
🔴 Portland, OR	260	1625	0.89	18.75	2.38
🔴 Washington, DC	522	3320	1.08	19.08	1.58
🔴 Sacramento, CA	345	2218	0.85	19.29	2.15
🔴 Seattle, WA	1056	6793	0.84	19.3	2.39
🔴 Norfolk, VA	170	1122	1.08	19.8	1.68
🔴 Jacksonville, FL	157	1040	0.99	19.87	1.74
🔴 St. Louis, MO	211	1431	0.95	20.35	1.89
🔴 San Antonio, TX	606	4129	0.97	20.44	1.85
🔴 Mount Laurel, NJ	221	1514	0.98	20.55	1.84
🔴 Kansas City, MO	142	988	1.02	20.87	2.46
🔴 Philadelphia, PA	501	3487	0.87	20.88	2.21
🔴 Lawrence, MA	245	1753	0.92	21.47	2.01
🔴 Milwaukee, WI	123	902	0.86	22	2.27
🔴 Phoenix, AZ	248	1826	1.08	22.09	1.94
🔴 Atlanta, GA	641	4756	0.94	22.26	1.96
🔴 Raleigh, NC	314	2397	0.86	22.9	2.2
🔴 Charlotte, NC	269	2147	0.85	23.94	2.45
🔴 Chicago, IL	568	4617	0.82	24.39	2.23
🔴 California, Service Center	858	7795	0.46	27.26	6.61
🔴 San Jose, CA	1236	11300	0.77	27.43	2.96
🔴 Dallas, TX	879	8227	0.88	28.08	2.17
🔴 New Jersey Central, NJ	219	3752	0.47	51.4	4.64
🔴 Vermont, Service Center	2	418	0.62	627	4.85
❓ Charleston, WV	0	0	nan	nan	nan
❓ Christiansted, VI	0	0	nan	nan	nan
❓ Chula Vista, CA	0	0	nan	nan	nan
❓ Dover, DE	0	0	nan	nan	nan

https://preview.redd.it/2zu3q3zxmmbh1.png?width=1143&format=png&auto=webp&s=e062aeb042f418887aa434db590f62cddaaf7525

If you want the full data you can find it here with all the intermediate computations go here.

To be honest I could do a better analysis given the average overall processing time for i485s posted by USCIS per fiscal year (in July 2026 it sits at 5.7 months for the median acceptance for i-485 EB) and embed this prior to the predictive model but it might become too chaotic and I am also super bored to do that as well.

Hi all,

I think a lot of us are in a similar boat here. But basically, my wife and I filed on January 4th, 2026 and had our AOS interview at the Long Island FO on March 11, 2026 and the I-130 was approved the next day. So from an overall case processing timeline perspective, things moved quickly. But from a post-interview perspective, we are stuck.

My I-485 adjudication is still pending. On the post-interview notice my wife and I were given by the officer, it mentioned to give at least 120 days for a decision to be made. I’m wondering if that means that, with this notice in mind, and after 3 unsuccessful inquiries as well as attempts via EMMA, if there is any risk to filing a WOM now? Instead of sitting on our hands for another 6 months. Or even a letter of intent to file WOM. Just curious to hear this threads thoughts, or whether there is any risk with filing it from the perspective of “overall case timeline” being “only” 7 months?

Additional facts:
- J-1 visa
- No overstay at the time of filing (now in a period of authorized stay)
- No unauthorized work during visa, however unauthorized work occurred post visa expiry
- Brazil nationality
- I-765 untouched since Feb 6, 2026

I'm trying to decide whether to self-pay for Premium Processing ($2,965) for my EB-1C I-140 and would appreciate advice from people who've gone through this.

My situation:

• India-born
• EB-1C (Multinational Manager)
• L-1B at my current company
• Employer is filing my I-140
• I can choose Premium Processing now or regular processing (and upgrade later if needed)

My understanding is:

• The priority date is established when USCIS receives the I-140, regardless of whether it's filed under premium or regular processing.
• Premium Processing only speeds up the I-140 decision (45 business days) and does not change the priority date.

If that's correct, then my question is:

For someone born in India, where the EB-1 category has a backlog, does Premium Processing actually help me file the I-485 any earlier, or is the Visa Bulletin usually the real bottleneck?

For those who chose Premium:

• Did it actually accelerate your overall green card timeline?
• Or did you still end up waiting for your priority date to become current?

I'd especially appreciate responses from EB-1C India applicants or immigration attorneys who've seen similar cases.

227 days later and the waiting is over

For everyone who got their I-765 or initial OPT EAD approved, how long did it take after the approval decision for your EAD card to get mailed to you? Mine got approved on 28th June but the portal still says "Approval decision rendered" and my start date is on 13th July so I'm wondering how things might end up. Let me know in the comments. Thanks!!

Got a nice surprise on July 4th.. yes really on the 250th independence day.. Got a message on the website with an update saying my I-485 is approved.

I've been reading great info on this feed.. Hence adding my update here for reference.

Country- India - EB3 (had EB2 also with prev employer in 2019)

PD - 9/2013
Filed - 2/2026
Biometric - 3/2026
EAD approved - 4/2026
EAD / AP combo card received - 5/2026
I485 Approved - 7/4/26.
Now waiting for actual card or any fingerprint interview if needed.

Good luck to those in queue..

Thank you to USCIS for approving the marriage-based GC 4.5 months!! Timeline:

Feb 9th, 2026: Applied for GC (Forms I-130, I-485, I-765)
March 3rd: Case accepted
March 25th - Biometrics Completed
April 6th - Interview Scheduled
May 14th - Interview Completed and I-130 approved the same day
June 30th - I-485 Approved

God bless us all!

I came to USA from Russia in 2015 and overstayed after J1 Work and Travel program. Met my now husband in 2021, got married in 2025.

We had an attorney, filed I-130, i-485 and employment authorization.
Miami FO
Timeline:
All 2026
Feb. 25 - filed
Mar. 7 - scheduled for biometrics
Mar. 25 - biometrics appointment
Apr. 13 - scheduled for interview
May 18- interview
June 8 - i-130 approved
July 3 - I-485 approved

We went to the interview without the attorney, had the interview before the memo came out so no questions from the memo.

The officer asked where we met, asked if I broke rules on my visa status (yes overstay and unauthorized work), asked what visa I came in with and what year, what port of entry. Asked whether my J1 was subject to 2 years rule (no as it says not subject to two year rule on my paperwork). He looked at both the evidence already filed and the evidence we brought - went through the new photos and we named some names, updated tax info. My sister wrote a relationship support letter so he asked where my siblings lived and whether my spouse met them (yes over video chat). Went through all the security questions, and that was really it. From everything we brought, he only kept the tax transcripts for 2025 and took a couple of notes on a notepad. He told me to promise not to get on welfare and said he needed supervisors review. I asked him, how we did and he said we “did alright”. He didn’t really ask why I overstayed or anything. He just said that marriage to USC basically saved my bacon on that. It was a short, conversational interview and it didn’t feel like I got grilled crazy. Overall I was expecting it take way way longer than it did. I’m very happy but also I think still a little shocked.

Bona fide evidence we had:
2 joint bank accounts
Bank statements
Joint tax returns
Joint digital subscriptions
4 relationship support letters from friends and family + copies of their ids
Joint lease agreements from past 3 years
Utility bills
Joint phone bill
20-30 photos with heavy emphasis on photos with friends and family, not just selfies.

God bless you all and best of luck to everyone still waiting. Thank you.

Just for my own sanity lol 🥹😔 someone please tell me I’m not the only one still waiting for an approval i485 7 months post interview.. on the 12, it will be 7 months to be exact.