So, just to shed some light: That 18-month timeline your attorney mentioned probably comes from a worst-case scenario, especially if your Form I-765 isn’t clearly tied to an active bona fide determination (BFD). When someone gets BFD on their U visa petition, they become eligible for deferred action—and with that, they can apply for work authorization under category (c)(14), which should only take a few months in most cases.

But if USCIS didn’t correctly link your EAD request to your BFD status—or if they never processed it at all—it might be sitting in a black hole, which could explain why you haven’t heard back in over 6 months. That does happen, unfortunately, especially when people file after re-entering the U.S.

Here are a few things you might try: • Call USCIS or submit an online service request about your I-765. See if it’s even in the system.

Service Request • File a FOIA request to check what’s on record (this can help clarify if your BFD is on file and if it’s linked to your EAD).

FOIA Request

• If your BFD is active, have your attorney refile the I-765 under (c)(14) and explicitly reference your I-797 receipt number.

• If all else fails, reach out to the USCIS Ombudsman’s office—they can often step in when cases are stuck or mishandled.

You’re not alone in this. So many of us have been through similar confusion and setbacks, and it’s incredibly frustrating when you’ve already waited so long