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Case Stories
✅ EB-3 Skilled Worker I-140 Approved - Country Outside US PD April 2023
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✅ **Case Status: Approved**
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An EB-3 I-140 petition filed under premium processing in April 2023 was approved in June 2026 after a USCIS processing hold was lifted. The total processing time from filing to approval was 72 days once the hold was cleared. The petitioner was one of 38 countries outside the US category.
An I-140 petition was filed under EB-3 category with premium processing on April 13, 2023. The case experienced a USCIS administrative hold that delayed processing significantly. After the hold was lifted, the petition was approved on June 24, 2026 — taking 72 days to process once active review resumed. The case falls under the '38 countries outside the US' designation, which typically refers to countries not subject to per-country visa backlogs (i.e., not India, China, Mexico, or Philippines).
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**[📎 View Original Post](https://www.reddit.com/r/USCIS/comments/1uf4x9l/i140_approved_from_the_38_countries_outside_the_us/)**
*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 highlights the impact of USCIS administrative holds on premium processing timelines. Premium processing guarantees a response within 15 business days under normal circumstances, but holds can suspend that clock indefinitely. For petitioners in the 'rest of world' category (countries outside the main backlogged nations), once a hold is lifted, processing tends to move relatively quickly — this case resolved in 72 days post-hold. If your I-140 is stuck beyond the premium processing window, check for hold notices and follow up with your attorney or employer sponsor. The 3+ year gap between filing (2023) and approval (2026) reflects administrative delays, not a backlog in visa availability for this country group.