Once a foreign national has obtained approval to obtain a US green card, the next step is to apply with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for an adjustment of status. This procedure is necessary to change the petitioner’s current status to lawful permanent status.
Is it possible to get adjust status with USCIS and get a green card without an interview? Read on to find out.
Is it Possible to Get a Green Card without an Interview? – In Detail
Since the pandemic started, USCIS introduced several changes to expedite visa processing, which eventually resulted in many green card approvals without the applicants necessarily going through the traditional interview process.
The standard process to adjust status with USCIS requires the applicant to attend an interview. If the applicant is already in the United States, the interview happens in a USCIS office. If the applicant is located abroad, the interview will be conducted by an officer in a US Consulate or Embassy.
Both family-based and employment-based green cards have an interview requirement, during which a trained officer will ask the applicant several questions to assess one’s eligibility for an adjustment of status.
Please note that what has been seen recently is that many green cards in both family-based and employment-based categories have been approved without an interview.
Additionally, immigration officers have the discretion to waive interviews for family members of US citizens and conditional permanent residents who filed Form I-751 (Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence).
Is it Possible to Get a Green Card without an Interview? – Attention to Detail
It is fundamental to observe that applicants filing Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status) might have their petitions approved without an interview, but this is not a guarantee.
Based on observation, it is possible to conclude that USCIS will continue waiving the interview requirement for employment-based petitions as well. Two important elements explain this growing trend.
First, USCIS has not always required an adjustment of status interview for employment-based applications. In the past, the standard processing of employment-based green card applications did not normally require an interview for adjustment of status.
The recent changes in USCIS policies also favor this trend, as the agency wants to stop the processing backlog and keep applications moving forward efficiently. Waiving the adjustment of status interview for approved employment-based applicants would result in superior effectiveness.
Additionally, determining the existence of fraud without conducting an in-person interview is much harder in family-based green card applications. Most employment-based green card applications already required extensive documentary evidence, which facilitates the work for immigration officers.
Hence, it is harder for immigration officers to waive the interview requirement for family-based green card applications. Hopefully, the number of adjustment of status petitions approved without an interview will increase in the next few years.
Do You Want to Obtain a US Green Card? – Immediately Seek Expert Legal Guidance
You do not need to risk rejection or denial of your visa application when filing with USCIS. Contact Immigration Attorney Romy B. Jurado today by calling (305) 921-0976 or emailing [email protected] to find the best immigration strategy for your case.
