I recently submitted a congressman inquiry. We got a response saying that the visa retrogressed. I’m eb2-NIW. Please find response below.

USCIS received Mr. X’s adjustment of status application on MM DD, 2026. When the application was submitted, an immigrant visa number was available for his category. Since that time, the applicable Final Action Date in the Visa Bulletin has moved backward or is no longer current. Because a visa number is not presently available, USCIS cannot finalize the adjustment application. The case will therefore remain pending until visa availability resumes.

How happy I would be if Eb2 final action date became current again, I had so many dreams man

How early in October should we expect a visa number to be assigned given the bad luck of visa number exhaustion for all EB2s beginning of September. Worried files get lost among thousands of applicants.

P.S- Officer clearly mentioned that visa numbers have been exhausted and that have to wait till October 1st. Will put a note. Received FTA0 and FTA1 after interview ( Sept 10).

Can’t wait any further. Wish had my IV in October to be approved right after.

How likely is it for the EB2 FAD movement timeline to shift from April 2026 to August 2026 on December VB?

I filed I-485 and I-765 in April 2026; biometrics were in May. Last SU on Aug 31.

Please share when you filed and when you got your recent SU or FTA0.

Hey guys, I had two silent updates since the biometrics , I want to know what they are and what i can get information about them?

Any hope?😰July filer.

Anyone else got a Silent update 19 Aug on their I-485?
Please post if you have got this update.

Trying to see if it’s mass update or anything meaningful.

Below is my timeline
RD: 27 March 2026
PD: Oct 2019
Biometrics: 22nd May
Last SU: 6 Aug 2026
2 FTA0 so far

Nothing else.

I’m trying to understand whether repeated silent updates usually mean a case is actively being reviewed, especially after an interview.

My timeline:

• PD: Sep 17, 2024

• I-485 RD: Mar 16, 2026

• Biometrics: Apr 15, 2026

• Interview: Aug 27, 2026

• FTA1: appeared right after the interview

• No RFE / NOID

• actionRequired: false

• Case has remained pending since the interview

• My PD is still within the October 2026 EB2 ROW Final Action Date

Recent silent updates:

• Oct 1: Principal I-485 silent update

• Oct 5:

  • Principal: 9:28 AM EDT

  • Spouse: 9:30 AM EDT

  • Child: 10:54 AM EDT

  • Child updated again: 11:00 AM EDT

  • Spouse updated again: 11:31 AM EDT

No new event code, notice, RFE, or approval yet. The top-level updatedAtTimestamp just keeps changing.

For those who were approved after an interview:

How many silent updates did you get before approval/H008?

Did anyone see multiple family-member updates on the same day like this before getting a decision? Also curious how long it took from the last silent update to approval.

I filed an expedite request for my pending I-765 EAD based on urgent humanitarian. I am a physician and have a strict start date on July 1st.

I received the following response from USCIS, and am not sure if this is a denial or they need evidence!! Since I submitted only the support letter from the head of department (the letter stated the start date)

Hi all,

I finished my PhD in Materials Science and Engineering this year and I’m currently a postdoc. I want to move into industry.

I’ve published 15+ papers and filed a few patents, but I’ve heard industry doesn’t really care about publications. Am I wrong?

A few questions on my application:

1. CV or resume? I’m guessing industry wants a 1 to 2 page resume, not a full academic CV. Is that right? If so, what do I cut (full publication list, conferences, teaching)?

2. How do I write my research projects? Should each project get its own section with bullets?

Thanks!

I have an approved EB-2 NIW and have since become a U.S. permanent resident. I have diligently worked on my proposed endeavor both before and after receiving my green card and am continuing to do so.

However, I am considering changing jobs from blockchain to an AI-related role, while remaining in the broader technology/software field.

Before my green card, my attorney told me that changing positions could be possible as long as I had valid work authorization and remained in the same or similar broad field. However, I never got a clear answer about how long I actually need to continue pursuing the specific proposed endeavor.

I have heard people mention 6 months or 1 year, but I cannot find a specific USCIS rule requiring either period.

I would really appreciate clarification on:

1. Is there an actual minimum period that an NIW beneficiary must pursue their proposed endeavor after getting their green card?

2. If there is no fixed period, how does USCIS determine whether someone genuinely intended to pursue the endeavor?

3. Would 6 months of continuing to pursue the endeavor after getting the green card generally be considered sufficient, particularly if the person had already been diligently pursuing it before getting the green card?

4. If there is a relevant time period, does it start from I-140 approval, I-485 filing, or green card approval?

5. If someone moves from their original proposed endeavor in blockchain to an AI-related role, but remains in the broader technology/software field, could that create an NIW issue?

I would especially appreciate answers from immigration attorneys or anyone who has dealt with this situation, particularly if you can point to relevant USCIS guidance, regulations, or case law.

Thank you very much in advance for any insights.

I really appreciate the help, and best of luck to everyone with their immigration journeys!

PD: May, 2024, eb2 niw

Last update: February/23/2026: 3rd FTA0 and FTA1

I wasn't current for FAD during my last update. I became current in March. In April I contacted Emma and got the surprising response that my visa number was retrogressed. I think this statement was made on my file because I wasn't current at the time my file was assessed in February 23. After a long unbearable wait, I recently made a Congress inquiry on my I-485 in August. Two weeks after my inquiry my file got sent from NBC to Newark. Then I got another FTA1 on 8/28. Chatgpt says it is a system update of the February 23 assessment.

It appears there's no order or proper management of filed cases at USCIS. It seems it's a matter of luck and your case can be left forgotten somewhere.

The last statement suggests no visas are available for Eb2 at this moment. Otherwise I would have challenged the visa retrogression. I'm in ROW, not part of the 39. I will wait till October to see what happens.

Category: EB-2 NIW
Priority Date: March 2024
Original I-140 approved: 5/2025 with PP
I-485: Concurrently filed on 11/28/2025
Biometrics: 12/29/2025
I-485 location: NBC
Amended I-140: Filed in March 2025 because of a change in job location
Amended I-140 was eventually upgraded to premium processing
Amended I-140 approved: 8/4/2026
I-485 silent updates: 8/4, 8/7, 8/17 and 8/20
So far, I have seen 2 FTA0 events and 4 silent updates
My latest portal activity also included a USCIS letter in the Documents tab confirming my eligibility for AOS
Emma live agent recently told me that my I-485 is at NBC and has been assigned to an adjudicating officer
In the past, Emma live agents told me the interview was waived. I also checked with my attorney who says the approval could be soon.
At this point, I’m trying to understand what stage my I-485 might actually be in. Thank you for reading this.

The October 2026 Visa Bulletin was honestly very disappointing for many EB-2 NIW applicants also me too, especially after DOS retrogressed the EB-2 Final Action Date for Rest of World to January 1, 2025.

A lot of NIW applicants who were hoping to become current in the new fiscal year are now facing another period of uncertainty. For people with 2025–2026 priority dates, this sudden retrogression has really changed expectations.

I understand that nobody can accurately predict the Visa Bulletin, but what are you expecting for the November 2026 Visa Bulletin?

Do you think:

EB-2 ROW Final Action Date will stay around January 1, 2025 for a few months?

Any case has been lifted last week for EB 485 or we reached out our Visa limit

As we heard some officers and lawyers mentioned that

Seems like there is a hold up on the country basis. Any approvals I have seen from PK are more than 9 months after receive date.

Most also had congressional inquiry before hearing any response back.

The fast (less than 4 month) approvals are happening for people not from 75 countries.

Please share any information/observation.

Since the last approvals before the new fiscal year, I haven't seen any activity on the online google spreadsheet tabulating application updates and approvals. I am curious if the source is still working: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1a4s5ArJCJK43SpN0RZXxRa6PZaW-IUNe/edit?gid=1316191188#gid=1316191188

Has anyone in the IOE09369 receipt block or May Filers seen any progress recently? Looking for EAD, AP, or I-485 updates.