✅ EB-3 Professional Approved - Non-Retrogressed Country PD May 2023

✅ **Case Status: Approved** --- An EB-3 Professional (non-retrogressed country) single filer received I-485 approval after a lengthy process involving a Writ of Mandamus lawsuit and congressional inquiry. Priority Date was May 2023, with the case becoming current in February 2026 and final approval in September 2026. The total journey from filing to approval spanned approximately 23 months. An EB-3 Professional applicant from a non-retrogressed country (not among the 75 backlogged countries) filed as a single applicant with no dependents. The priority date was May 2023, with the I-485 receipt date in October 2025. Biometrics were completed in October 2025. The case was transferred to the Hartford Field Office in December 2025. The priority date became current in February 2026, and the combo card (EAD/AP) was approved in February 2026. Despite the priority date becoming current, the case stalled. The applicant pursued multiple escalation strategies: a congressional inquiry in April 2026, a FOIA request in May 2026, two Writ of Mandamus (WoM) intent letters, and ultimately filing a WoM in July 2026. The WoM triggered a case transfer, and an interview was scheduled and conducted in August 2026. Following the interview, the I-485J was closed in September 2026, and the I-485 approval notice was issued on September 2, 2026 — approximately 16 months after the receipt date and about 7 months after the priority date became current. --- **[📎 View Original Post](https://www.reddit.com/r/USCIS/comments/1w6b7v4/finally_approved_eb3/)** *Source: Reddit EB-3 search* --- *This post was automatically curated from online sources to share real case experiences with the community.*