Immigrants Wait Years for USCIS to Approve Green Cards
29 posts in the last 30 days, all from r/USCIS.
“Anyone else with a 2 year GC that expired years ago and still waiting for any action on their I-751?? It's a pretty cumbersome requirement to make people carry all this crap around on them at all times especially when the I-797 notice is just a piece of paper, much larger than a…”
“I’ve very recently received my I-130 approval and received the notice in the mail for its approval. I’ve filed both form i485 & i130 concurrently in 2024 and had interview 2025. Now my i485 is stuck at USCIS is currently processing the case. And I’m assuming I need to patiently…”
“My spouse is a U.S. citizen and filed my marriage-based I-130 on March 29, 2024. My I-485 was filed May 13, 2024. My I-130 is still pending almost 30 months later. I have had no RFE and no decision. We have already submitted multiple service requests, a congressional inquiry…”
Several users express extreme wait times for green card processing. One user waited 1555 days, and others are tracking IOE numbers from June. The process involves multiple steps like PD dates, biometrics appointments, and 485 approvals.
SOURCES (47)
“Has anyone filed I-130 online then mail I-485 later? How long did it take for your I-130 to be approved when you filed online and separately from I-485? submitted by /u/Responsible-Rock-679 [link] [comments]”
“USCIS asks the petitioner to provide the adjusted gross income for the past 3 years. However my spouse did not file his 2024 taxes. Should I then provide it for 2025 and 2023 only? Or include 2022? submitted by /u/Rude-Leek-5181 [link] [comments]”
“My I-485 was approved on September 2026, and I received my green card on October 2. My spouse's I-824 (follow-to-join) has been pending at Texas Service Center since April 3, 2026, with no updates until now. My attorney filed an interfiling request with TSC to notify them of the I-485 approval. FedEx shows it was delivered on October 9. Today, my I-824 status changed to "transferred to another USCIS office, which now has jurisdiction." The notice says a notice explaining the reason”
“Filed 4/15, I-130 approved 9/28, and I-485 approved 10/14. No interview submitted by /u/Thin-Pass6423 [link] [comments]”
“I finally got my Employment based I-485 approval today after such a long wait. Came here in 2006 PERM priority date - 2011 in EB2 category I-485, I-765 and I-131 - Filed Aug 2024 I-765 - APPROVED Mar 2025 I-131 - APPROVED Sep 2025 I-485 - APPROVED Oct 2026 Requested Congressional inquiry in Apr 2026. Was asked to wait 90 days. As you all know, In the May visa bulletin USCIS used up all the available visas for the fiscal year and the category I filed. So had to wait for a while and reached out to”
“ROW Nov. 17, 2025 — I-485 filed,This is my receipt date Jan. 22, 2026 — transferred to Burlington July 5, 2026 — last API update Aug. 18, 2026 — congressional inquiry Aug. 18 response — USCIS says to Congressional office :assigned to officer + expected adjudication soon Aug. 26 — Emma confirms Burlington + officer review + interview waived Sept. 2 — Emma confirms Burlington + Case Review + interview waived Sept. 15 — Emma confirms Burlington again Anyone facing this similar long hold ? No RFE an”
“My husband is currently on L1 stamp approved till Oct,2028. His office applied for his H1B this year and it got picked. At the same time we got married, Im green card holder and I have applied for his sponsorship in July’26. He already got his EAD card, based on our I485, his I786 already done. but there is no updates in travel parole / I 131. In this status can he travel outside of US? if not how long does it take for I131 to arrive? We have some health emergencies back in India and we wanted t”
“I filed the application june 2023. It’s been 3 years now and still nothing happened. What should I do? submitted by /u/ImprovementKey9462 [link] [comments]”
“Submitted November 2025 (with I-751) Bio metrics submitted December 2025 I-751 approved May 2026 USCIS currently processing your case May 2026 I was wondering what timeline to expect and what the process for the oath and interview is. We are overseas will we get a call or email about scheduling. I also wanted to see about the process of getting passports after the oath. If anyone has experience please let me know. Will we be given an exception with same day oath and interview since we are living”
“Hi everyone, I'm hoping to hear from people with similar timelines, particularly anyone who has had their I-485 approved recently after a long period without updates. My timeline: Category: EB-2 NIW Country of chargeability: Canada Priority date: June 13, 2024 I-140: Approved I-485 filed: October 28, 2025 Biometrics: November 2025 I-485 status changed to “Actively Reviewed”: February 18, 2026 EAD (I-765) approved: July 2026 Advance Parole (I-131) approved: October 4, 2026 I-485: Still pendin”
“Submitted in May 2026 Still no change on my application process at all from “ Case Was Received and A Receipt Notice Was Sent”. I heard here and there it will take at least a year. But shouldn’t the process show that it is actively review by now? It’s been 5 months. submitted by /u/Livid-Focus-5362 [link] [comments]”
“Filed N-400 in May 2026, had a biometrics appointment a month later in June 2026, no updates afterwards. I also have a I-751 pending from May 2023 (marriage to LPR so 5-year rule applies), which I also got a biometrics appointment in June 2026 together with biometrics for N-400. Starting this thread to share timelines and updates for San Jose N-400 filers from May 2026 and nearby months. submitted by /u/Tiny_Philosopher5656 [link] [comments]”
“Wow, finally approved!! 🎉 After months of waiting, the green card is finally in hand. My timeline: I-485 filed: January 20, 2026 Biometrics: February 17, 2026 I-485 interview: March 30, 2026 - Dallas Field Office I-130 approved: March 30, 2026 - same day as the interview After interview: No meaningful update for months FOIA request: August 2026 Congressional inquiry: September 2026 I-485 approved: September 23, 2026 🎉 Card produced: September 28, 2026 Card mailed: No separate “Card Was Mailed””
“Anyone else with a 2 year GC that expired years ago and still waiting for any action on their I-751?? It's a pretty cumbersome requirement to make people carry all this crap around on them at all times especially when the I-797 notice is just a piece of paper, much larger than a green card and much easier damaged. Also what happens if you lose any of this stuff and have to pay the $450 for a replacement green card? Do they mail another expired green card to you so you still have to keep carr”
“I’ve very recently received my I-130 approval and received the notice in the mail for its approval. I’ve filed both form i485 & i130 concurrently in 2024 and had interview 2025. Now my i485 is stuck at USCIS is currently processing the case. And I’m assuming I need to patiently wait which is fine, but do I need to submit my i130 approval letter to my i485 pending case? *I also don’t have access to online portal since they messed up something in my system and cannot give me a new access code.”
“July 27 2026 : Concurrent filing for I-765, I-485 filed by my son ( US citizen ) for me and my wife. I am on H1B. Filing is done for inside of US. Biometrics done on August 21 , 2026 Filed from Denver. When can I expect the EAD or I-485 ? Saw a silent update on Sep 28, 2026. submitted by /u/quicksilverInMe [link] [comments]”
“Title I looked up and it says I am okay for 2 years as long as I applied, but I have to carry my green card and the receipt to prove I haven applied on my person at all times (??!!). I also have this paranoia where if somehow my process gets fucked up or rejected - then what happens? Should I apply for I90 while I am at it just in case? I don't exactly have funds lying around to do so but I am thinking about worse case. I also had to reschedule my biometrics and waiting for that to go throug”
“As title suggests we filed all three at the same time in the same letter. This was sent towards the late end of February. We included all the paperwork required and evidence was provided too. As of right now the only update we have is for the I-130 stating Case was Received and a Recipt notice was sent. Now I know sometimes things can take time especially with situations like this but having 0 information on the I-485 and I-765 in 7ish months is kind of worrying. I also want to add that they too”
“Hi everyone, My I-485 has been pending since November 2024 . My case was originally being handled by the National Benefits Center (NBC) . Today I chatted with a USCIS live agent, and they told me that my case has been transferred from NBC to the Boston Field Office . I live in Massachusetts. Does anyone know what this usually means? Is a transfer to the local field office a positive sign that the case is moving toward adjudication, or is it just a normal part of the process and doesn’t necessari”
“My Receipt date is June 17th 2026. How much time it’s taking these days ?? EB2 category . H1B Visa type . Country - India submitted by /u/abyakta1 [link] [comments]”
“Has anyone received this letter before and subsequently obtained a satisfactory response regarding their case? My I-130 was approved on the day of the interview almost a year ago. However, my I-485 is still pending, though there has been some movement on it since June. My country is among the 39 banned nations. submitted by /u/conscientiouslyasks7 [link] [comments]”
“My spouse is a U.S. citizen and filed my marriage-based I-130 on March 29, 2024. My I-485 was filed May 13, 2024. My I-130 is still pending almost 30 months later. I have had no RFE and no decision. We have already submitted multiple service requests, a congressional inquiry, and an expedite request, but the case is still pending. USCIS has told me the case is with the Dallas Field Office. I’m trying to understand whether anyone else has experienced a delay this long, especially March/May 2024 m”
“Sharing my complete timeline in case it helps anyone going through a similar process. finally its over after 2125 days🥹🥹🥹 Overall Timeline Nov 23, 2020 – I-485 submitted Feb 15, 2022 – I-485 approved Dec 11, 2023 – I-751 submitted Jan 9, 2025 – N-400 submitted Feb 25, 2026 – N-400 interview May 22, 2026 – I-751 interview Jul 9, 2026 – I-751 approved Jul 10, 2026 – N-400 approved Oath Ceremony was Held Yesterday September 18,2026🤘🏻🎉🎊🎊🎊 It was a long journey of 2125 days 🎉 Hopefully this”
“My parents filed their applications on September 10, 2025. They had their biometrics appointment on November 21, and both had an update on May 12. Their cases are very similar. They both entered the U.S. legally with visas and overstayed. The only major difference is that my father worked without authorization, while my mother never worked in the U.S. I am their petitioner, and I became a U.S. citizen through naturalization. My mom received her work permit at around 9 months, and then her green”
“For my 1-751: I filed via mail in May 2026 and completed biometrics in June 2026. Recently, contacted USCIS through Emma, and more than one agent told me: “Your case is currently at the field office and is ready for review. Please continue to wait for a decision or further information from the office.” I guess it was transferred from NBC. But based on this response, does it sound like I may receive a decision within the next few months, or is it more likely that USCIS will continue holding the I”
“UPDATE: September 11 — I-485 approved September 15 — Card was produced September 16 — Card was mailed September 18 — Card delivered to my attorney’s office I had checked the box on Form G-28 for USCIS to send notices/documents to my attorney, so the card was mailed to my lawyer’s address instead of mine. My attorney received it today and will forward it to me. Las Vegas FO Total time: 7 months and 9 days from the date USCIS received my forms. P.S. My EAD was never processed/updated before my Gre”
“Finally approved after 20+ months through the Boston Field Office. Marriage-based concurrent I-130/I-485. No RFE, NOID, second interview, or known outstanding issue. December 2024 — I-130/I-485 filed concurrently. January 2025 — Biometrics. March 2025 — EAD approved. December 2025 — After almost a year of basically nothing, we contacted our senator’s office. USCIS responded that the case was pending at Boston FO and asked us to allow another 45 days. March 2026 — After that went nowhere, we made”
“I concurrently filed forms I-130, I-485, I-765, and I-131 for a marriage-based green card. Previously, all four forms were grouped together under one concurrent filing section in my online account. Today, I noticed they split into two separate sections: one for the I-765/I-131 and another for the I-130/I-485. Has anyone experienced this? Does this change mean anything? Any insight would be appreciated! submitted by /u/Weekly_Shoulder_9414 [link] [comments]”
“Hey everyone, so me and my family we came into the United States as a derivative asylee, in May 2025 , later we applied for green cards on November 2025 and we are still waiting for the results. Which I say is still fine even if it’s a little late but being patient is better. So what I am concerned about right now is our application was submitted by our attorney, but they mentioned the arrival airport of me, my brother my sister and my mother as JFK New York, but we entered the United States thr”
“April 22: USCIS received my I-765 and I-485. May 28: Biometrics were completed. June 11: USCIS approved my NIW EB2 I-140. July 28: USCIS received my expedite request (Financial Loss), but no updates. No updates from my congressional liaison request. I-765 is now at the Texas Service Center, and my I-485 is now at the Seattle FO. Several USCIS human agents said, "Expedites are automatically placed in the urgent queue, not the normal queue. Your expedite is still in the Tier 2 queue; you must”
“Finally. I’m so relieved to wake up to this today. I was really afraid it would take forever. submitted by /u/East-Standard6784 [link] [comments]”
“How long did it take y’all to fill out/file I485 form online? submitted by /u/Individual-Mud-7138 [link] [comments]”
“How long did it take for you to received the green card after you get a notification that card is being produced. Thanks in advance. submitted by /u/Grinninggrinni113 [link] [comments]”
“Looking for a second perspective from anyone who has been thru a similar EB-1A situation… my I-140 was filed in July 2024 under regular processing and is still pending, I’ve been waiting 26 months. As we all know, USCIS processing times have continued to increase with the new administration, and based on the current estimate, I could be looking at around 31 months of processing (February 2027-ish) I’m currently on a valid O-1 thru February 2028. My attorneys believe USCIS likely hasn’t reviewed”
“Filed concurrent i130 and i485. Received 09/3 biometrics scheduled 09/25. From most experiences, what is the average processing times to get approved and receive a green card? Also, how often interviews are scheduled compared to a silent approvals? submitted by /u/BocaPinapple [link] [comments]”
“I’m filing for a green card under the EB-1A category. At this stage, I’m filing only Form I-140 with regular processing. Approximately how long does it usually take to receive a decision? submitted by /u/Elias_Hossain [link] [comments]”
“Depends 1) how long did you stay in the US? 2)how long did you have green card for? If you had green card for 8+ years yes 8854 mandatory, otherwise no. Regarding social security it's possible but you would still need to pay taxes on it as non resident.”
“How long after case approval does it take to get card produced and delivered. submitted by /u/Ok-Grab-6977 [link] [comments]”
“Filed: January 2, 2026 Interview: May 14, 2026 I-130 approval: June 28, 2026 I-485 approval: September 10, 2026 Field Office: Jacksonville We are so happy that we get to share our good news and we wish all of you luck in your process. submitted by /u/2Ksucks69 [link] [comments]”
“My I-485 was finally approved on September 5, 2026 ! 🎉 Here’s my timeline: Married to a U.S. citizen: February 14, 2025 I-130 & I-485 filed concurrently: May 1, 2025 Biometrics: May 27, 2025 EAD / Work Permit approved: May 28, 2025 Interview was initially scheduled in New Hampshire around October 2025 I moved and requested that my case be transferred to the Baltimore Field Office New interview scheduled: February 24, 2026 Interview at Baltimore Field Office: March 31, 2026 I-485 changed to”
“PD 3/2024 RD 4/2026 Bio 5/2026 485 Approved 9/9/2026 485J Approved after 24h submitted by /u/Giohb777 [link] [comments]”
“Hello Preparing to submit I-130 and A, I-485, and I-864. Our preparer took out the petitioners 3 years of tax returns to just include 2025. Should we include the other years? Additionally how many people are using cover letters for this process? Heard a lot of conflicting things here. Field office will be Chicago submitted by /u/Nervous-Repair-27 [link] [comments]”