6-Month EAD Wait: Applicant Explores Options After USCIS Delays

An immigration applicant has shared their experience of waiting over six months for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) after filing their I-130, I-485, and I-765 applications with USCIS in September. The applicant remains unemployed and unable to work during this period, highlighting the real financial consequences of prolonged EAD processing delays. Despite repeated attempts to resolve the situation — including regular USCIS inquiries, online status checks, and an expedite request filed in early February based on financial hardship — the applicant has received no substantive response or case updates from USCIS. The applicant escalated the matter by contacting their U.S. senator's office, which confirmed the delay is unreasonable and has reached out to USCIS directly on the applicant's behalf. Congressional inquiries (known as casework requests) are a recognized tool for prompting agency action on stalled immigration cases. For EB-3 applicants in similar situations, available options include filing an expedite request with documented evidence of financial hardship, submitting an online case inquiry after the published processing time has been exceeded, contacting a U.S. senator or representative for a congressional inquiry, and consulting an immigration attorney to evaluate whether an infopass appointment or mandamus lawsuit may be appropriate. This case reflects broader concerns about USCIS EAD processing backlogs, which have been a persistent issue affecting employment-based green card applicants, including those in the EB-3 category.