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Case Stories
❌ EB-3 I-485 Denied - I-290B Appeal Dismissed After Missing Medical Exam Deadline
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❌ **Case Status: Denied**
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An I-485 applicant had their case denied in September for missing the I-693 medical exam deadline. They filed an I-290B appeal in November, which was dismissed five months later in April after USCIS found no grounds for the appeal.
Case Overview: I-485 application was denied due to a missed deadline for submitting the I-693 medical examination report. The applicant subsequently filed a Form I-290B Notice of Appeal or Motion in late November, approximately two months after the denial. After approximately five months of processing, the appeal was dismissed in late April.
Timeline: I-485 denied September 2025 → I-290B filed November 25, 2025 → I-290B dismissed April 30, 2026.
Key Issue: The I-290B was filed in response to a procedural failure (missed deadline for I-693 submission) rather than a USCIS legal or factual error. USCIS dismissed the appeal because an I-290B is designed to challenge errors made by USCIS, not to remedy applicant procedural mistakes.
Lesson Shared: The poster advises others to avoid the I-290B route unless they can demonstrate a clear USCIS error. In cases of missed deadlines or missing documents, refiling the underlying application is typically the more effective path.
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**[📎 View Original Post](https://www.reddit.com/r/USCIS/comments/1t209qa/be_careful_with_filing_a_i290b_please/)**
*Source: Reddit I-485 EB*
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*This post was automatically curated from online sources to share real case experiences with the community.*
I-290B appeals have a narrow scope: they are effective when USCIS made a legal or factual error, not when the applicant missed a deadline or failed to submit required documents like the I-693. USCIS dismissal rates for I-290B motions based on applicant procedural error are high. If your I-485 was denied for a missing document or deadline, the standard recommended path is to refile the I-485 once the underlying issue is resolved — for example, obtaining a new I-693 (valid for 2 years from the civil surgeon's signature). Note that refiling restarts your place in line and requires a current priority date. Cases denied purely for procedural reasons unrelated to eligibility have generally been successfully resolved through refiling rather than appeal.