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Case Stories
⏳ EB-3 Skilled Worker Pending Decision - Philippines PD April 2023
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⏳ **Case Status: Pending**
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Philippines-born EB-3 applicant filed I-140 and I-485 concurrently in April 2023. Despite priority date becoming current in February 2026, the I-485 remains pending with the case recently transferred to Sacramento field office. Applicant is now weighing whether to pursue a parallel marriage-based green card route after marrying a USC in November 2025.
EB-3 Philippines applicant filed I-140 and I-485 concurrently in April 2023 under premium processing. I-140 was approved in approximately 2.5 months. The I-485 experienced a rocky path: an initial RFE for medical in November 2023, followed by a pause due to visa unavailability in December 2023, a second biometrics appointment in October 2024, and a second RFE for medical in late 2024 after the original civil surgeon was fraudulent. Case entered CRP status in November 2024. Priority date became current on February 1, 2026. As of April 2026, the case was transferred from NBC Overland Park to Sacramento field office, suggesting an interview may be scheduled. A congressional inquiry was filed in March 2026. Applicant married a USC in November 2025 and is exploring whether to file an I-130 and either transfer or re-file the I-485 under the marriage-based category, weighing the risk of losing EAD/AP continuity against a potentially faster marriage-based process.
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**[📎 View Original Post](https://www.reddit.com/r/USCIS/comments/1syoezg/aos_1485_transfer_from_eb3_to_marriage_based_pd/)**
*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 reflects a pattern seen with Philippines EB-3 applicants who face long retrogression waits followed by a sudden current date — the I-485 can linger even after CRP if there were prior RFEs requiring officer review. The transfer to a field office after NBC processing is often a signal that an interview is being scheduled, which typically occurs 1–4 months post-transfer. Regarding the marriage-based question: technically, an existing I-485 cannot be 'transferred' to a marriage-based petition — a new I-130 and I-485 (or a motion to substitute the basis) must be filed. The key risk is EAD/AP continuity during any gap. Given the EB-3 PD is already current and the case has reached field office jurisdiction, statistically it may resolve faster staying the course than restarting. Cases at Sacramento with CRP status and a current PD have seen approval 2–6 months post-field office transfer in 2025–2026 data points shared on community forums.