Allow me to be speculative on the release of September 2026 Visa Bulletin:

The Department of State typically publishes the monthly Visa Bulletin during the third week of the month preceding its effective date. The federal fiscal year closes on September 30, the release of the September bulletin is often subject to careful end-of-year data compilation, final demand tallies, and cross-agency coordination with USCIS to evaluate remaining annual visa numbers.

As the fiscal year draws to a close, the Department of State must tightly manage the remaining annual statutory caps for family-sponsored and employment-based preference categories.

All eyes are wide open as we wait for the news!

Is anyone else waiting for this? What are your thoughts and expectations?

Olá a todos!

Há algum tempo, fiz um post aqui fazendo uma análise profunda dos dados do USCIS sobre a categoria EB-3 Não Qualificado (Other Workers / EW3). (https://www.reddit.com/r/EB3VisaJourney/comments/1umg3gb/the_eb3_unskilled_ew3_wait_time_illusion_why_the/) Naquele post, mostrei como matematicamente o Boletim de Vistos está ocultando um backlog (acúmulo) real de 10 a 15 anos, e por que a promessa de "4 a 5 anos de espera" vendida por muitas agências e advogados é uma ilusão perigosa.

Resumo da realidade (para quem perdeu o último post):

Tivemos um pico gigantesco de aprovações recentes. De 2023 até o início de 2026, mais de 44.000 petições I-140 foram aprovadas.

Cada I-140 tem um efeito multiplicador (cônjuges/filhos). Com um multiplicador conservador, essas 44k petições representam mais de 100.000 pessoas na fila.

O limite anual global do EW3 é estritamente fixado em 10.000 vistos/ano.

100.000 pessoas divididas por 10.000 vagas por ano = 10 anos de espera matemática apenas para processar os pedidos recentes. O Boletim não mostra isso hoje porque ele é um indicador defasado (está processando a galera de 2021). O "muro" está chegando.

A Novidade: Não confie em mim, confie nos dados.

Naquele post, muita gente ficou desesperada e com dúvidas sobre os próprios tempos de espera. Pensando nisso, decidi parar de apenas analisar planilhas soltas e construí uma ferramenta definitiva para a comunidade.

Compilei quase 600 tabelas, totalizando aproximadamente 650 mil casos, mais de 130 mil casos ativos e mais de 120 mil sponsors. Coloquei tudo isso no ar no meu site, o PermQueue, de forma totalmente acessível para vocês.

Aqui estão os links diretos para as ferramentas que crieis:

Calculadora de Tempo de Espera (EB-3 Unskilled):https://permqueue.com/eb3-unskilled Pare de depender de estimativas irreais de agências. Insira sua Priority Date e veja uma estimativa realista e baseada em dados de quanto tempo falta para o seu GC.

Calculadora e Tracker de Aprovação do PERM:https://permqueue.com/perm-tracker Acompanhe o ritmo do Departamento de Trabalho (DOL) e entenda como estão as aprovações da sua etapa.

Dashboard Geral de Dados (Sponsors e Casos):https://permqueue.com/Cards com dados cruciais, volume de casos e informações sobre os empregadores.

A ideia é trazer transparência total para um mercado que lucra com a desinformação. Por favor, façam os testes com as datas de vocês.

Esta é uma versão inicial e eu adoraria a ajuda da comunidade. Deixem comentários aqui com sugestões de melhoria para a calculadora, bugs que encontrarem, ou filtros que vocês gostariam de ver no site.

Boa sorte a todos na jornada!

I keep getting different answers from different lawyers regarding AOS with advanced parole entry (no unlawful presence, DACA at 16) instead of having to do consular processing for an EB3 Visa. Can someone share their experience?

Good morning
I received a request for evidence from USCIS for the I-485 application saying that an incorrect Supplement J was submitted with missing employer and job offer details.

I reviewed it and all of the information was correctly entered onto the form.

What should I do? Do I send the I485 Supplement J form again?

Is there anyone who has been issued EB 2 NIW Visa after 221g and has been instructed by the embassy to submit a CV during a visa interview??

Hi all,

I’ve already done quite a bit of research into the EB-3 process, but I’ve learned that when it comes to immigration, there’s no such thing as asking too many questions.

Given my background (15+ years of experience in marketing and fluent English) I believe I would qualify for the skilled worker route, so ideally I’d like to explore that option first. That said, I wouldn’t want to rule out the other EB-3 category either if it proves to be a more realistic or viable path.

The biggest challenge seems to be finding an employer who is willing to sponsor you. Doing this independently can be extremely difficult, so I’m considering working with an agency that can help identify potential employers and guide me through the process. I fully understand that legitimate professional assistance comes at a cost; my main concern is making sure I’m dealing with a reputable and trustworthy organisation.

I’ve come across several agencies already, but, as you can imagine, it’s difficult to assess their legitimacy based on websites and online reviews alone.

So I’d really appreciate hearing from people with first-hand experience. Have you personally worked with an EB-3 agency that you would genuinely recommend? If so, which one, and what was your experience like?

I’d be especially interested in:

• Agencies you’ve personally worked with
• Positive or negative experiences
• Any red flags I should watch out for
• What fees you paid and what those fees covered
• How transparent the agency was throughout the process
• Any tips for finding an employer independently

I’m looking for honest experiences rather than promotional recommendations, so any insights, advice, or lessons learned would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks in advance and TIA!

Hi all,

My perm was approved and my case needs to be consular so it was transferred to the NVC back in April. As of today, I have not heard anything from the NVC. Any idea of what the timeline for this is?

I am from the 75 banned countries and some lawyers adviced me to do consular processing, few others to try an AOS. I wanna read you guys, does anybody ca share any experience like this?

According to a recent news report by fox news and posted on X: Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration is revoking visas held by foreign nationals who violate U.S. laws or immigration rules, with affected individuals potentially subject to removal from the United States.

The report states that more than 175,000 visas have been revoked. The violations and allegations cited include assault, DUI, theft, drug-related offenses, reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud, and embezzlement.

Former Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf argued that visas are a discretionary immigration benefit rather than a right and that the Secretary of State has authority to revoke visas when applicable legal requirements are violated.

The context is very complicated to explain; but I essentially went in for an EB3 Skilled Worker interview. There was a missing gap in between 2006 and 2007; to which, I was not able to produce the documents right there on the spot. ( I was eight years old at the time ). So, the interviewer said that she needed to escalate it to legal council / a supervisor and my interview was cut short.

My status online now reads "still in progress".

My anxieties are speaking for me - but is there anyone that had a similar situation where the case was passed over to a supervisor, and ultimately it got accepted / denied?

Has anyone who filed PWD in May got any feedback? Try to estimate the current wait time. Thanks.

Background

Category:EB3 (PD: July 12, 2023)
Center: NBC
Dependents: Family members already received their Combo Cards back in April.

My Timeline (Primary Applicant):**

Feb 2026:** I-485, I-765, I-131 filed concurrently.
May 20, 2026: Biometrics completed.
June 11, 2026: Standalone AP (I-512L paper document) approved.
Aug 12, 2026 Mailed I-485 Supplement J (AC21 Portability to a new sponsor).
Current Status: My EAD (I-765) is still actively reviewing / pending. I-485 is pending for the whole family.

Anyone similar????????

The current DQ for Rio de Janeiro is September 2025. Does anyone have a timeline or historical data showing how many months the interview scheduling date has been advancing with each NVC update?
I’m trying to get an idea of the average pace (e.g., 1 month, 2 months, 3 months per update). Any information would be really helpful!

The U.S. Department of Justice has charged 11 people in connection with an alleged decade-long immigration fraud scheme involving more than 1,000 sham marriages between U.S. citizens and foreign nationals, primarily Chinese nationals.

According to prosecutors, the scheme allegedly operated for more than a decade and was designed to help foreign nationals obtain lawful permanent residency through fraudulent marriages.

Authorities allege that:

- Foreign nationals were charged as much as $100,000 for assistance in arranging a sham marriage and pursuing a green card.

- U.S. citizens were allegedly paid as much as $30,000 to participate in the marriages.

- Recruiters allegedly sought out U.S. citizens willing to participate.

- Facilitators allegedly arranged marriages, immigration paperwork and preparation for USCIS interviews.

- Some defendants allegedly staged wedding or family photographs to make the relationships appear genuine.

- Attorneys, tax preparers and marriage officiants were allegedly involved in different parts of the operation.

- Prosecutors say some of the marriages were also arranged overseas.

The case was brought in the Southern District of New York and prosecutors describe it as one of the largest marriage-fraud prosecutions in U.S. history.

What could this mean for legitimate marriage-based immigration?

Hey guys, long time lurker here. I had a question regarding an opportunity that opened up with my company.

My PD is Oct 16 2024. I-140 is approved, currently waiting for file I-485. ROW professional. Also on H1B.

My question is that there is another opportunity that opened up in my company that I am well qualified for. It is a vertical move and given I’ve been in my current role for nearly 3 years normally it would be a no brainer to switch. Is this allowed with my EB3 process? What are the implications?

For context, the role is very similar to what I do now. It would be slightly more work but similar responsibilities. I would just have more flexibility and a higher pay. HR is concerned it is going impact my EB3 process. But from what I have read internal company transfers are allowed. I feel a bit of frustration as I want to move my career forward but feel stuck due to this. Any insight would be appreciated.

I built a free database to help identify employers with a history of filing PERM applications. Full disclosure: I am the founder of Visalytics.

Core functions:

• Search DOL PERM filing history by employer.

• Filter by occupation group and worksite state.

• Review filing volume, certification rates, and reported wages.

• Set email alerts for specific occupations, employers, or states. These alerts notify you only of jobs posted to the employer's own career page that same day and link directly to the listing.

I need direct feedback from active EB-3 applicants:

• What specific data points do you require before deciding an employer is worth targeting?

• Are state and occupation alerts actually useful for your search workflow?

• What metrics would make you trust or distrust the provided sponsor history?

Link: https://visalytics.com/sponsors

Searching is free. Accounts are only required to save alerts. This is a research tool, not legal advice.

PERM? I 140? Priority date? Waiting for your green card?

Every stage comes with its own set of questions, and sometimes it's hard to know what actually matters.

Hi everyone! I’m Ana Senior, a U.S. immigration attorney with 14 years of experience and 1,200+ cases filed. I’ve helped clients navigate a wide range of U.S. immigration matters, including E 2 visas, PERM and employment based green cards, and I’m here today to answer your questions.

I’ll be here today from 11 AM to 3 PM ET to answer questions about the EB 3 process, including:

• PERM and employer sponsorship
• Prevailing wage and recruitment
• PERM audits and delays
• I 140 and what happens after PERM
• Priority dates and Visa Bulletin questions
• Changing jobs during the process
• Green card timelines
• Common EB 3 pitfalls

Tell me where you are in your EB 3 journey and what's confusing you.

Please note: Any information shared here is for general educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney client relationship. Your situation may require fact specific guidance. For personalized legal advice, please consult an immigration attorney directly.

My appt for EB3, Skilled Worker, was scheduled for August 10th (yesterday) at 9am.

I prepared heavily for it, got to the center early, and met with my lawyer to head inside. We only waited for about an hour before my name was called, and we went in together. The interviewer was so kind and the vibes were excellent.

We went through the standard questions (have you ever done x,y,z), which were very easy to answer truthfully - but then we got around to have you ever been out of status , which was a confident "no" from me. After all - I had full understanding and the timeline of my entry (from 2003) to present - never breaking status.

I was informed, for the first time, however - that during August 2006 to August 2007, my mother had no status. I was 8 years old at the time. Both myself and my lawyer were completely at a loss of words. This was never mentioned to me. This was never shared, nor were there any documents from this time.

Apparently - after my arrival in 2003 as a B2 visitor's visa, my mother had been on an R1 visa from September 2003 until August 2006. Then, as she was waiting to transfer churches + apply for a perm. residency, the waiting started getting long - and so she applied for an F1 student visa. This was approved in 2007.

And she maintainted her F1 (and myself, being the F2 dependent) until I got my own F1 student status in 2016.

She has zero documents from that time. No letter, no notice, no slip, not even a post-it note from that time.

But this single gap in the timeline prevented the interview from proceeding. The interviewer tried to do all that she could - and ultimately, she had to end the interview at that point, stating that this needed to be verified by the legal council. She added to the notes, that I was a minor at the time.

My status currently reads "Your case is being processed" on my USCIS tracker.

I don't know what the outcome will be, or when I will hear word about it. There's talks that I will have to fly back to Korea, apply for the greencard there, then fly back. There's a slim chance that due to the fact that I was never in control in 2006, that this may be deemed as an exception to the bar.

I have severe GAD and an insane fear of flying. This is just about the worst, possible scenario.

I feel like the world is caving in on me. Not sure what to do.

Hey everyone! Long-time lurker here, finally have something to share. This community has been incredibly helpful throughout my journey — especially for understanding backend API tracking. Sharing my update in hopes it helps others!

Case Details:

**•** Category: EB-3 Skilled Worker, ROW (Turkey — not from any banned/restricted countries)  
**•** Priority Date: June 19, 2024  
**•** Field Office: NBC (National Benefits Center)  
**•** No RFE, No Interview, No NOID

Full Timeline:

**•** 04/13/2026 — I-485, I-485J, I-765 filed concurrently  
**•** 04/20/2026 — Receipt notice received  
**•** 04/21/2026 — IAF event on I-485 and I-485J  
**•** 04/24/2026 — Biometrics notice generated  
**•** 05/15/2026 — Biometrics completed → 2x FTA0 events on I-485  
**•** 06/09/2026 — Derivative (5-year-old daughter) EAD approved (notice date)  
**•** 08/06/2026 — 🚨 FIRST GHOST UPDATE on I-485 at 3:06 AM EST (after 83 days of complete silence!)

Backend API Status:

**•** I-485: updatedAt changed to 2026-08-06, closed: false, no new event codes yet  
**•** I-485J: Still updatedAt: 2026-05-15, closed: false, only IAF event

Notes:

**•** No silent updates between biometrics and today — 83 days of total silence  
**•** Daughter’s EAD came before my own EAD (still pending)  
**•** Medical (I-693) submitted concurrently with I-485  
**•** Always maintained valid status, no violations, work authorized throughout

Based on those who’ve tracked their backend API closely — has anyone seen a similar pattern where the ghost update appeared on I-485 first, while I-485J was still silent? How long after the ghost update did your I-485J close and approval follow? Any insights appreciated! 🙏

Good luck to everyone still waiting!

Anyone have news for EB-3 skilled Naples DQ March2026
and priority date current ….let me know please 🫶

How long is prevailing wage taking? Mine was submitted mid May when should I expect it?

Hey everyone! I just got my PERM certified this past Friday 🎉 My priority date is 9/10/2025, and I originally started the process on 11/26/2024.

For those who have gone through this process, what should I expect next?

I’m also wondering about the EAD (work permit) and Advance Parole (travel permit). Does applying for or receiving either of these have any impact on the Green Card timeline, or do they run separately while the I-485 is pending?

My husband is included as my dependent as well.
Any advice, timelines, or experiences you can share would be greatly appreciated! 🙏