I’m on F-1 and planning to apply for OPT, but I already have a valid C09 EAD from my pending I-485.
If a job can’t wait for OPT approval, can I start working with the C09 EAD and then switch to OPT once it’s approved?
My immigration lawyer told me it’s fine, but I’ve seen conflicting information online and I’m confused. Has anyone actually done this?

I wanted to come back and share my journey because I learned so much from reading other people’s posts here, especially during the long waiting periods. So many stories on this subreddit encouraged me when I was anxious or unsure, and I hope mine can do the same for someone else.

First and foremost, I give all the glory to God. He carried me through this process, opened doors at the right time, and gave me the strength to keep going.

My timeline:
Initial filing / priority date (form I-140): December 29, 2025
Premium processing: filed from the beginning
RFE received: March 2026
RFE response submitted: early June 2026
Approved: July 31, 2026
Attorneys: Ellis Porter

A little about my profile at the time of filing: I had a Bachelor of Science from my home country and a Master of Public Health from an R1 university in the U.S., one peer-reviewed publication where I was not first author with around 40+ citations, and 1 poster presentation at an international conference.

I did not submit recommendation letters with the initial petition.

For the RFE response, I strengthened the case with additional evidence. I added one dependent recommendation letter and two independent/expert opinion letters. One of the independent experts was someone whose work had cited our peer-reviewed article extensively, which I felt helped show that the work had influence beyond my immediate collaborators.

By the time I responded to the RFE, my citations had also increased from the 40s into the 60s.

I also added three funding testimonial letters connected to three different funded projects I had contributed to. My name was not listed directly on the original award notifications, so the principal investigators wrote letters explaining my role, my contributions, the importance of the funded work, and the impact of the projects. I included those letters together with documentation confirming the funding.

Another thing I added in the RFE response was evidence of two fully funded PhD offers I had received after the initial filling for programs starting this fall. I included them as additional evidence of the value of my background and the continued demand for my work.

This process was stressful, especially after receiving the RFE, but I kept reminding myself that an RFE is not a denial. It was an opportunity to understand what USCIS wanted to see more clearly and respond as thoroughly as possible.
I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has shared timelines, RFE experiences, approval stories, and advice here. Reading those posts genuinely helped me stay hopeful.

And again, all glory to God. I am so thankful.
If anyone is going through an RFE right now, I hope this gives you some encouragement. Strengthen what USCIS questioned, explain your contributions clearly, and do not assume that evidence has to look a certain way just because your name is not on every formal document. In my case, testimonial letters from project PIs helped explain contributions that were not obvious from the funding records alone.

Hi everyone, I am so glad my AOS application has now been approved and i appreciate everyone in this subreddit for all the updates and encouragements. Here is my timeline.

April 17, 2026: Submitted all documents and received Priority Date

April 23, 2026: USCIS sends a request for evidence

April 29, 2026: RFE submitted by me.

May 16, 2026: USCIS schedules Biometrics appointment

May 19, 2026: Biometrics completed (I did this early because they allow a 10-14days early window before the actual scheduled day)

May 21, 2026: USCIS schedules interview for I-485 for June 30th, 2026

June 30, 2026: Interview day (Interview cancelled, as they were moving to a new office building in Edmond). Interview rescheduled for Aug. 24, 2026.

August 24, 2026: Interview day. God bless my FO..!!! and my WIFE ❤️

August 25, 2026: I-485 Approved 🎉 🎉

August 28, 2026: Green Card Produced

August 31, 2026: Green Card delivered to me.

I am so so Happy.

FO: Oklahoma City.

Hi all, this subreddit has been really helpful so I wanna share my timeline so it can help and motivate others.

Category: EB2 NIW I-140 (2nd try, no RFE, self filing)
(From 39 banned country)

Here is my profile and timeline

Priority Date: April 2026 (Exceptional ability)
Premium Processing: 30th, June 2026
I-140 Approval: 1st, September 2026. Nebraska Service Center (44-45 Business days)

• PhD candidate in R1 University in the US
• 16 publications
• 60+ citations at the time of filing (~150 citations now)
• 6 awards
• Peer reviewer (reviewed about 15 publications)
• Professional memberships
• Industry funded research
• 6 patents of inventions
• 7 recommendation letters (3 independent, 4 dependent)
• PE: Improving high performance ceramic capacitors for energy storage in Naval ships and electric vehicles.

Just completed my interview from one of the banned countries. We got there an hour before our interview and waited. We were called in about 10 mins after our scheduled time. We got in and the officer was super friendly. Started on the I-30 asked basic questions like “name of your spouse, how did you meet, where do you work” etc. He then went into the I-485 and he asked me the yes/no questions. I overstayed and worked without authorization, and he even made a joke that how does the government except you to support yourself. Overall it went really good and he told us theyll let us know when they reach a decision. Fingers crossed 🤞🏾

Got api update, asked live agent and I485 moved to Reno from NBC. Wondering anyone has Reno as FO?

Timeline:

Filed march 2026,
april biometrics,
ead approved end of July,
FO assigned end of august

Partial banned country, eb gc not marriage

Hi,

h1-b visa renewal came in today. Filed Jan 2026 under premium processing, got RFE, submitted RFR in April 2026. Got approval today Sept 1. Born in Syria (not a Syrian citizen, but citizen of a western country).

Best of luck to all of those waiting. This sub helped me a lot as I waited. Thank you.

Hello, wonderful community.

I’m from one of the 39 countries. As the primary applicant, I recently received an interview request at a field office close to my residence. However, my wife, who is a beneficiary didn’t get an interview request. Infact, her case is at a field office different from where we reside.
When heading to the interview (in roughly a month), is it still advisable to go with my wife (peradventure she didn’t get any interview request by the time I’m going for my own interview date) or am I supposed to go alone since the interview was only scheduled for me the primary applicant.
If anyone has also been through this process, did you eventually get the interview request for wife (dependent) as well before the date of the primary applicant interview?
Filed October 2024. EB2-NIW.

Thank you all in anticipation for your very helpful responses.

After countless congressional inquiries 2 expedites I’m finally glad to say that my I-765 was approved it is not the green card yet but I’m incredibly grateful because I haven’t been able to work for more than a year
Timeline
I-485 filing date : February 11, 2025
I-765 Filing date: June 20 2025
Receipt received : July 9 2025
Approval date: September 1 2026
API updates

May 8, 2026 - API update
• May 27, 2026 — API update
• June 15, 2026 - API update
• July 13, 2026 - FTAO
• July 15, 2026 - APl update
• July 24, 2026 - API update
• August 13, 2026 - FTAO activity
• August 25, 2026 - API + FTAO (#7) on I-485
• August 28, 2026 - API update
• August 31, 2026 - 3 API updates on I-485
• September 1, 2026 - SA event created; I-765 approved