October 10, 2019
In-Person Interviews for Green Card Applicants
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that effective October 1, 2017, applicants of employment based green cards will be required to attend an in-person interview during the I-485 (adjustment of status) stage of the green card process. The adjustment of status application is the final stage of the green card (permanent residence) process where the foreign national’s personal information and lawful stay history are examined.
The USCIS will begin to phase-in interviews for I-485 applicants (for employment based green cards) effective October 1st. The interviews will give the adjudication officers the opportunity to verify and clarify any concern regarding information provided in the application, ask questions pertaining to the information and generally to evaluate the credibility of the applicants. Such interviews are generally waived under current USCIS policy.
This measure has been introduced as part of Trump’s revised travel ban Executive Order (“Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States”).
Zeenat Phophalia, Esq., Senior Associate
