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Case Stories
✅ EB-3 SIJS Approved After Motion to Reopen - Arriving Alien 12-Year Pending
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✅ **Case Status: Approved**
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An I-485 based on an approved I-360 (Special Immigrant Juvenile Status) was approved after a Motion to Reopen, following a 12-year pending period, detention, removal proceedings, habeas corpus filing, and a mandamus lawsuit. The I-485 was initially denied on May 1, 2026 for missing documents, but the Motion to Reopen was granted and the case approved within weeks. The entire Motion to Reopen process took only 23 days from filing to final approval.
This case involved an I-485 adjustment of status based on an approved I-360 under Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), filed as an arriving alien. The applicant had a complex history including detention by immigration authorities, a habeas corpus petition that secured release, and eventual termination of removal proceedings. The I-485 had been pending approximately 12 years, prompting the filing of a mandamus lawsuit to compel adjudication. On May 1, 2026, USCIS denied the I-485 citing missing documents. The attorney filed a Motion to Reopen on May 24, 2026 with the required supporting evidence. USCIS issued a receipt notice on May 26, granted the motion on June 16, and approved the I-485 on June 17, 2026 — just 23 days after the motion was filed and only 1 day after reopening.
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**[📎 View Original Post](https://www.reddit.com/r/USCIS/comments/1u9es48/motion_to_reopen_i485_very_quick/)**
*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.*
This case demonstrates that a Motion to Reopen can resolve an I-485 denial due to missing documents remarkably fast — in this instance, just 23 days from filing to approval. For cases denied solely for missing or incomplete documentation (rather than substantive eligibility issues), a well-prepared Motion to Reopen with complete supporting evidence can lead to rapid re-adjudication. Cases involving SIJS with arriving alien classification and prior removal proceedings are particularly complex, and legal representation appears to have been critical here. Applicants facing similar long-pending I-485s (especially beyond 5-7 years) may want to consult an attorney about mandamus as a tool to compel adjudication. The combination of mandamus pressure and a timely Motion to Reopen appears to have accelerated resolution after more than a decade of delay.