Dream I
Jul 22, 2026
EB3 RN I-485 (green card) approved (Nigeria)
My I-485 was approved on July 10, 2026. I would like to share my experience and detailed timeline for others going through this process.
Agency Nurse
PD: April 10 2023.
F1 → OPT → EB3 ROW
Country: Nigeria
I-140, I-485, I-765 (EAD) , I-131 (Advance Parole) were all concurrently filed.
My case was filed right before the retrogression that started in May 2023. My receipt number starts with an LIN so my case was first filed with the Nebraska Service Center.
I-140 was approved on April 21, 2023 (premium processing).
I-765 and I-131 were approved on May 31, 2023.
At some point my case was transferred to the National Benefits Center (NBC).
My case was transferred to the Atlanta FO and I was scheduled for an interview. The officer didn’t really ask me anything. Just verified what agency I was with, told me he’d love to approve me but I wasn’t current, and that I’d be approved when I became current.
Also, in May 2024 I traveled to Nigeria with my Advance Parole and had no issues.
In January 2025, I applied to renew my EAD and it was approved a few days later. I was given the 5 year EAD. I also applied to renew the Advance Parole at the same time but it wasn’t approved until November 2025 (also given a 5 year Advance Parole).
My case was in “Case Remains Pending” for a long time because I wasn’t current. I became current in December 2025 and coincidentally, that’s the same month Nigeria was added to the ban list plus USCIS released the memo about the benefit pause. On Dec 16 when that memo was released, my case status changed to “Fingerprints have been applied to your case”.
For almost 6 months, there was no movement as many others across the U.S. from affected countries also experienced. It was an emotionally and financially difficult time for many people, and I truly sympathize with everyone.
On June 5, 2026, Judge McConnell issued a ruling that vacated the USCIS hold policies. On June 6, I filed inquiries with my two state senators and a case outside processing times with USCIS itself. The senators’ caseworkers responded pretty quickly and said they’d reached out to USCIS and would give them 30-45 days to respond.
July 1: USCIS responds to first senator: said my case was “under review” and they expected a decision within 120 days.
July 6: USCIS responds to second senator: Confirmed my case was affected by the hold policies and since they have been vacated, they were working to process cases.
July 9: Case Status changed to “Interview Cancelled and Notice Ordered”. I was confused cause I had already been interviewed a long time ago.
July 10: Case status changed to “Case was Approved”.
July 15: Case status updated to “Card was mailed to me”.
July 16: Letter received from USCIS (response to the inquiry I did with them in June) they just said my case had been approved on 7/10/26. I also got the interview cancelled notice letter which was interesting because I had my interview a long time ago.
*My card says resident since 7/9 (the day when I saw that interview cancelled and notice ordered update) but my case status on myUSCIS says it was approved on 7/10. I guess it just refreshed on 7/10.
This has been a long trying journey and I cannot describe how happy I am that it has come to an end. I am extremely grateful for my state senators and their caseworkers. Their efforts contributed to my results today. I am extremely grateful to Judge McConnell for his ruling and for recognizing that applicants should be evaluated based on their individual eligibility rather than circumstances beyond their control. I am grateful to everyone who makes up these groups and forums, your messages and input hold people up during such trying times. I wish everyone the very best!
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Just Green Jul 22, 2026
Congratulations 🎉.
Nspdd GraceJul 23, 2026
how did you reach out to the senator
MOR LJul 23, 2026
Congratulations,Are you 794 or 798?
uc j4d
congratulations
BA O4d
congratulations. 🎉🎉🎉
I have a question 🙋 and will appreciate if you could share some information regarding EAD with me. I have similar case like yours.
I’m on F-1 (just graduated) and now transitioning to OPT just waiting for approval. As an RN at reputable hospitals my EB3 I -140 was filed 05/2025, although I-140 not approved yet, I filed AOS on April 2026 and EAD has been approved.
I-140, I -131, still pending. now my question is: is it advisable to activate my AOS EAD or I wait for OPT EAD ??
Dream I4d
@Nspdd Grace I looked up the information for the senators and congressmen for my state. I went to their websites and clicked “get help with a federal agency” I filled out the inquiry and sent them the signed privacy release form they asked me for
Dream I4d
@BA O Thank you! did you just graduate from a bachelors or a masters? I’m curious because if it’s a bachelors then I’m not sure how the I-140 was done before you became a nurse. If your AOS EAD has been approved I believe you can use it because it was given to you based on your pending I-485 not based on the pending I-140. Lmk but always confirm with your agency lawyers/hospital lawyers.
Dream I4d
@MOR L what is that?
BA O3d
@Dream I thank you for your response. I appreciate your time and effort. I just graduated from a masters program (clinical research)
I’m foreign trained nurse but pass the NCLEX exam here,and got a job with this hospital while on CPT and base of that job offered the I-140 and AOS was filed .
MOR L3d
@Dream I does your LIN end with 794 or 798? Seems my case is nearby
Dream I2d
@BA O ohhh okay that makes sense. If you’ve been using CPT but now have your EAD, you can make the decision to use your EAD now so you don’t have to pay school fees anymore.
Dream I2d
@MOR L no mine is 123
MOR L2d
@Dream I thank you.
Timi S2d
congratulations!
Dream I1d
thank you everyone
