⏳ EB-3 ROW Pending I-485 - Unrestricted SSN Card Received Before Approval

⏳ **Case Status: Pending** --- An EB-3 ROW applicant with a May 2023 priority date received an unrestricted Social Security card on May 4, 2026, approximately 5 days after I-485J approval, while their I-485 remains officially pending. The SAVE system subsequently showed an 'Oversight Case Creation' transaction with status 'Returned to Agency', raising questions about whether a background approval occurred. An EB-3 ROW applicant filed I-485 on October 22, 2025, with a May 2023 priority date that became current in February 2026. After biometrics in November 2025 and I-485J approval on April 29, 2026, an unrestricted SSN card (no work authorization restriction banner) arrived May 4, 2026 — dated April 30, 2026 — before the I-765 EAD was even approved (May 10, 2026). The SAVE system showed SSA initiated an 'Oversight Case Creation' transaction that returned status 'Returned to Agency' for the primary applicant and a dependent. The I-485 and dependent cases continue to show as pending. The case is located at the Santa Ana Field Office. --- **[📎 View Original Post](https://www.reddit.com/r/USCIS/comments/1v00pf2/got_an_unrestricted_ssn_card_while_my_eb3_i485_is/)** *Source: Reddit EB-3 search* --- *This post was automatically curated from online sources to share real case experiences with the community.*