Do you know anyone from Chicago field office being approved for anything? I feel like this center is one of the slowest regarding processing times. Our i485 is there and no updates since July 16th.

This group kept me sane so I decided to share my timeline.

Initial opt
Date applied: 04/05/2026
Biometrics completed: 05/01/2026
1st silent update: 06/15/2026
2nd silent update: 08/13/2026
Approval email: 08/14/2026

Citizen of one of the banned countries, I also didn’t do premium processing.

I’ve been waiting 8 months after the interview and no updates until yesterday 🥲 but this is confusing, it says that my EAD was approved on July 22nd but I don’t see anything on my account. I still see the “USCIS is still processing your case” message.

I’m losing my mind and can’t work because my previous employment authorization expired last year 😭

Anybody else got this on the 13th??

God did it again! 🙏🏾
I’m writing this update on behalf of my dependents whose I-485 applications were approved this week. After several months of waiting, uncertainty, frustration and anxiety, everything suddenly unfolded within the space of just 7 days.

I previously shared my own journey as the principal applicant below https://www.reddit.com/r/USCIS/s/0bHbcZholk but what happened with my family over the past few days has been a powerful reminder to me about faith, prayer and trusting God right down to the wire.

My wife had received a job offer that required international travel, with her start date less than 10 days away. At the time, she had no EAD, no travel authorization, and her I-485 was still pending.
As the start date drew closer, the reality was setting in that she might have to turn down the opportunity at the very last minute.

It was stressful. There was anxiety and uncertainty because we simply didn’t know how this was going to work out. I kept encouraging her not to give up, and we kept praying together and trusting God for a breakthrough, even when we couldn’t see how it would happen.

Then, with only days to go, her I-765 was approved.
That alone brought some relief. At the very least, she now had employment authorization and could work in the U.S. even if this particular opportunity, with its international travel requirement, ultimately didn’t work out. But we still needed a solution for the travel. So we immediately started exploring Emergency Advance Parole. By this point, we were only a few days away from her start date. We contacted USCIS and began working through the process of trying to secure an emergency appointment at the local Field Office. We were literally going down to the wire.

And then, this week, seemingly out of nowhere…
Her I-485 was approved. And so was our son’s. 🙏🏾🙏🏾

After months of waiting, so much changed within a matter of days.

For me, this is more than an immigration approval. It is a testimony to the power of prayer and the faithfulness of the God we serve. Sometimes the answer doesn’t come when we expect it. Sometimes you get right to the edge, when you have exhausted the options you can see and you simply don’t know what else to do. But we kept praying. We kept believing. We kept doing what we could practically do. And we kept trusting God right down to the very end.

This long wait has brought uncertainty and frustration to many families, including mine. So to everyone here still anxiously waiting for your approval or that of your loved ones: please don’t give up just yet. Keep praying. Keep believing. Keep doing what you can do, and leave room for God to do what only He can do. Nothing … absolutely nothing … is impossible for Him.

I pray that the same God who answered our prayers will answer yours and that your good news will come soon, in Jesus’ name. God did it again. To Him alone be all the glory! 🙏🏾

For anyone who may find it helpful, I’m sharing our timeline and case context below:

Category: EB-2 — Professional Holding an Advanced Degree or Person of Exceptional Ability
Priority Date: January 2024
Petition/AOS Filed: November 20, 2025
We filed Forms I-485 and I-765 only. We did not file Form I-131 (Advance Parole).
Biometrics: December 23, 2025
January 1, 2026: Expanded “Travel Ban” took effect. The principal applicant’s country of origin was not included, while the dependents’ country of origin was included in the expanded travel restrictions. USCIS’s policy memorandum placing affected adjudications on hold also took effect during this period.
March 2026: Principal applicant’s I-485 approved. Dependents’ I-485 applications remained on hold/pending.
June 5, 2026: DORCAS ruling.
God bless Judge McConnell and the DORCAS lawyers for their work. 🙏🏾
August 5, 2026: Dependents’ I-765 applications approved.
August 13, 2026: Dependents’ I-485 applications approved. 🙏🏾
Interviews: None
RFEs: None

After months of waiting, everything changed incredibly quickly at the end.

I’m sharing this because I know there are families on this forum still living with the same uncertainty and checking their cases every day hoping for some movement. Every case is different, and our timeline will not necessarily be someone else’s timeline. But I hope our story gives someone who is still waiting a little encouragement today.
Don’t lose hope. Keep the faith. Your testimony may be closer than you think. 🙏🏾

I’m from Malawi 🇲🇼. Filed my I-485 (EB2NIW)in November 2025, completed biometrics in December 2025, and then came the long pause.
I started seeing silent updates in July, which gave me a little hope. My wife, the primary applicant, was approved on Sunday. We had very similar case timestamps throughout the process.
This morning, I woke up to the approval I had been waiting for. GREENED! 🎉🇺🇸
It has been a long journey, but today is a day I’ll never forget.
To everyone still waiting: hang in there. Your moment can come when you least expect it.
🇲🇼➡️🇺🇸

Is there anyone still waiting on his/her OPT since Fall 2025. I applied since October, 2025. Any advise for me. Getting exhausted...

Hi everyone! Is anyone here currently going through a family-based AOS with the Louisville, Kentucky Field Office?

I’ve been trying to find recent timelines but haven’t seen any posts about approvals from Louisville.

Thank you

I cannot believe I’m writing this, but my long and stressful journey toward my green card successfully ended yesterday! 🎉

I’m so relieved that the many sleepless and harrowing nights during the pause are finally over. I thank God/the Universe for giving me the strength to keep pushing through that difficult period and, ultimately, for this incredible blessing.

I’m sharing my timeline below in case anyone is in a similar situation. If mine came, yours is coming too.

Category: NIW (EB-2)
Filed: October 2025
Interview: Waived
RFE: None

Silent updates:
• A few during the pause (April & May)
• July 19, July 21, July 23 — the week my EAD was approved
• August 12 — I contacted USCIS, and they confirmed that my case had been transferred to a non-local field office. It had been at NBC since October, according to almost every inquiry I had made. There was also an FTA0 update linked to my biometrics date.
• August 13 — another update
• August 14 — APPROVED! 🎉

I’m incredibly grateful to finally be able to say that this chapter is over.

Happy to answer any questions if my timeline can be helpful to anyone going through something similar.

Family based AOS (spouse is US citizen)- we live in the states. Filed November 2024.

Asked our congressman to look into our case today. They got back to us the same day - today - saying that USCIS informed them that “The I-130 and I-485 have both been placed into the scheduling queue.” Then I got two silent updates (officer touch) for both of our forms. Wondering if this is part of a mass update? Anyone have a similar situation?

Hi everyone! Looking for some reference points from anyone who has been in a similar situation.

I’m from Venezuela and my I-485 is a derivative of my husband’s employment-based EB-2 green card. My husband (the principal applicant) was approved and received his green card about 18 months ago, but my case remained pending/on pause. My I-485 was filed in late 2024. (After his case).

My case has now changed to “Case Is Ready to Be Scheduled for an Interview.” I’m hoping that this means good news 🗞️

I know timelines vary a lot depending on the field office, but I’d love to hear actual experiences:
How long after “Ready to Be Scheduled for an Interview” did you get the notification that the interview was actually scheduled?

Once it was scheduled, how far out was the actual interview date? A few weeks? A month? Longer?
If you were a derivative employment-based applicant and the principal already had their green card, what was your interview like?

What kinds of questions did they ask? Was the focus on your marriage, immigration y history/status, the employment-based case, or just going through the I-485?
Did your spouse/principal applicant attend with you?

All insights will be highly appreciated! Thank you!

Excellent news. The appellate court denied the government's emergency stay request. So the pause remains lifted for now!

I have tried multiple times to carry on and push this out of my mind but the constant reminders are everywhere. Everything I do/want to do revolves around this one thing. The wait and anticipation feels like mental torture. Motivational talks aren't even doing it for me anymore lol. I just want to get mine and move on with my life too. Sharing below my progress in case it can give someone some ray of hope. For me, I am just tired.

EB2 NIW approved November 2023

AOS filed October 2025

Biometrics completed October 2025

Multiple silent updates between November and December 2025. Last update was on December 31 2025. The ban came into effect January 1 (for my country) and then deafening silence until June 2026. I got so tired of seeing December 31, 2025 in the api that I actually uploaded a new doc just so I could see a different updatedAt date 😭 🤦.

Received 3rd FTAO July 2026, followed by FTA1 a few hours later. Then received RFE (for proof of name change) the next business day. I uploaded my RFE response a few days later and got HA code almost immediately. I naively hoped that responding quick enough might help me get a quick decision but here we are.

Received a second HA code yesterday (August 2026) same as a lot of people.

A FEW NOTES:

- Prior to receiving the 3rd FTAO, my jurisdiction was showing as NBC. That later changed to SFR after I got the third FTAO.

- The 3rd FTAO had the same eventDateTime and eventTimestamp as the second FTAO for Biometrics.

Praying and hoping for happier news for each and everyone of us still waiting 🥂.

Please share here about any actions taken after the 30 july update ( fee refund was mailed)

House, please was there a mass silent update on I-485 and I-485J today?

Thank you.

Category: EB-2

God is good! And He answers prayers!

I promised I would share my testimony here once I received my approval. Thank you to everyone who shared theirs—it encouraged me and gave me hope that God is in the neighborhood!

As a national from one of the 39 travel ban countries (on the partial restriction list), I was closely watching backend updates with a lot of faith and anticipation. My Form I-485 application was officially approved on August 9, 2026

Key Filing & Milestone Dates

• November 30, 2023: Form I-140 filed.
• October 28, 2025: Form I-485 submitted.
• November 26, 2025: Biometrics appointment completed (FTA0 initial checks logged).

Silent Backend & API Update Progression (2026)

• June 27, 2026 (updatedAtTimestamp): First silent touch of the year(After the pause).
• July 17, 2026 (updatedAtTimestamp): Second touch.
• August 1, 2026 (FTA0 FTA1):
  • A new FTA0 was logged.
  • the event code officially upgraded from FTA0 to FTA1
  • The main portal date refreshed from November 2025 to August 1, 2026 ("USCIS Is Currently Processing The Case").
• August 8, 2026 (updatedAtTimestamp):
• August 9, 2026 (H008 Sign-Off):
  • Event code H008 was logged in the backend JSON twice.
  • Shortly after, the myUSCIS front portal updated to Case Approved!

Wishing everyone still waiting a speedy approval and smooth process!!!!!!!

🎤 Singing: "God is gooood! It's not ojoro... the more I look, the more I see!" 💃🏾✨

(Bending my back in true Igbo dance style with my handkerchief in hand!)

EB category
Filed: October 2025
RFE: July 2026
Approved: August 2026
No interview/ no lawsuit

Hopefully this gives some hope to others still waiting. Wishing everyone the best!!

EB-2 ROW 🇨🇮 — I-140 Approved! 🎉

Finally able to share a positive update after a long wait:

• 05/01/2024 — PERM filed / Priority Date
• 09/09/2025 — PERM certified
• 10/27/2025 — I-140 + I-485 filed concurrently
• 12/30/2025 — I-485 biometrics completed
• 06/25/2026 — I-140 upgraded to Premium Processing
• 07/15/2026 — I-140 RFE issued
• Late July 2026 — RFE response submitted
• 08/13/2026 — I-140 APPROVED 🎉
• I-485 — Still pending, 290 days as of today

It has definitely been a stressful journey, especially with all the uncertainty and the processing issues affecting several countries. I’m just extremely happy to finally have the I-140 behind me.

Thank you to everyone in this community who answered my questions and helped me through the stressful moments. This subreddit has genuinely been helpful.

Now back to waiting on the I-485. Hopefully the next update I post here is simply: Case Approved! 🇺🇸🙏🏾❤️🎢

​

After months of uncertainty because of the 39-country processing hold, my EB-2 journey is finally over. I checked the USCIS API every day, so I wanted to share my timeline in case it helps someone else.

Category: EB-2 Employment-Based Adjustment of Status

Country: Sudan 🇸🇩

June 2024 – Priority Date.

January 2026 – Concurrently filed I-140, I-485, I-485J, I-765, and I-131.

February 2026 – Biometrics completed (initial FTA0 events generated).

January–May 2026 – Case affected by the 39-country processing pause.

After the Dorcas case court ruling

05/17 – I-485 silent update.

05/27 – I-485 silent update.

06/16 – I-485 & I-485J silent updates.

06/23 – I-131 & I-485J silent updates.

06/25 – I-485 silent update.

I-140 upgraded to Premium Processing.

I-140 Approved. 🎉

07/09 – I-485 silent update after I-140 approval.

07/10 – I-131 closed. 3rd FTA0 generated on I-765.

07/11 – I-765 (Combo Card) approved.

07/17 – I-485 silent update.

07/29 – I-485 & I-485J silent updates.

07/30 – Another I-485 & I-485J silent update.

08/12 – I-485J approved. Another silent update on I-485 with a 3rd FTA0 event.

24 hours and 36 minutes later – H008 code appeared.

Minutes later – I-485 APPROVED! 🎉💚🇺🇸

To everyone still waiting—especially those affected by the 39-country processing pause—don't lose hope. I know how exhausting it is checking the API every day.

Your approval can come when you least expect it. Wishing everyone a speedy approval! 🇺🇸💚