EB I-485 Success Story: Changing Principal Applicant from EB3 Wife to EB2 Husband with pending I-485s
A case study on the timeline and updates when changing basis for eligibility from one spouse to another - it worked!
One cool thing about having a relatively large linkedin network is that some of my contacts are willing to share information with me. Today one guy contacted me with a detailed timeline of his case. He said I could share it. It is a cool case in a way and shows how being attentive can get results. I had no involvement with this case. I don’t even know the guy. But I am happy to know that after 14 years in this country he and his wife now have green cards.
Timeline:
— November 2008: I first came to the US from India on H-1B.
— January 2009: My wife first came to the US from India on L-1B.
— April 9, 2013: PERM was filed for me in the EB2 category.
— May 13, 2014: PERM was filed for my wife in the EB3 category.
— Oct 2020 Visa Bulletin: Wife’s EB3 I-140 priority date is current.
— Oct 29, 2020: I-485 applications were filed with my wife as principal and me as derivative.
— February 19, 2021: Biometrics notice issued for appointment on March 5, 2021.
— April 2021; Supplement J receipt issued for wife (EB3 I-140).
— May 2021: My EADAP was approved after expedite request (12 month validity).
— July 2021: Wife’s EADAP was approved with 24 month validity.
— Feb 2022: I applied for EADAP extension and got standalone EAD approved on March 10, 2022 (24 month validity) and AP approved in early May 2022 (12 month validity).
— March 16, 2022: Filed Supplement J to “transfer eligibility” moving from wife’s EB3 as principal applicant to my EB2 as principal applicant (priority date current).
— May 14, 2022: Received my Supplement J receipt (EB2 I-140) - priority date current.
— May 30 and May 31, 2022: Online updates reference “fees waived” and “case was updated to show fingerprint was taken.”
— May 31, 2022: Online update “new card is being produced” for my wife and me.
— June 01, 2022: “Case was approved” for both my wife and me.
— June 02, 2022: “Card was mailed” for both my wife and me.
Received green cards in June 2022.
I did call USCIS occasionally and chatted with EMMA but didn't get any additional info on our case.
