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Case Stories
✅ EB-3 ROW Approved in 98 Days - NY Field Office
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✅ **Case Status: Approved**
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A ROW (Rest of World) EB-3 applicant filed I-485 in late February 2026 and received approval in just 98 days via the New York Field Office. The priority date was current throughout the entire process, enabling swift movement. The case followed a pattern of silent updates leading to approval approximately 3-4 weeks after the third FTA0 fingerprint update.
An EB-3 ROW applicant filed I-485, I-765, and I-485J concurrently on February 24, 2026, with a priority date that was current from the start. Biometrics were completed on March 23, 2026 (FTA0 x2). The case was transferred to the New York Field Office on April 29, 2026. A third FTA0 silent update occurred on May 6, along with a second IAF update on I-485J. Multiple silent updates appeared on June 1, with I-485J closing/approving, followed by I-485 approval exactly 24 hours and 10 minutes later on June 2, 2026. The applicant noted approximately one silent update per week between field office transfer and approval. Total processing time: 98 days.
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**[📎 View Original Post](https://www.reddit.com/r/USCIS/comments/1tv75a8/eb3_approved_in_98_days_ny_fo/)**
*Source: Reddit EB-3 search*
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*This post was automatically curated from online sources to share real case experiences with the community.*
This case demonstrates that ROW EB-3 applicants with a current priority date at time of filing can see exceptionally fast processing — under 100 days — particularly when transferred to certain field offices like NY FO. Key patterns to watch: (1) The '24h10m pattern' between I-485J approval and I-485 approval has been reported by multiple filers, suggesting a systematic batch processing step. (2) The third FTA0 fingerprint update appears to be a strong leading indicator of imminent approval, with approval typically following within 3-4 weeks. (3) Steady weekly silent updates after FO transfer indicate active adjudication. Applicants transferred to a field office who are seeing regular silent updates are likely in the final stages of processing.