Change To Employment-Based Green Card Process Now Includes Scheduling In-Person Interviews

Effective October 1, 2017, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin implementing in-person interviews for all employment-based green card applicants, pursuant to President Trump’s new Executive Order 13780, entitled “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States.” Previously, applicants with an employer-sponsored green card application were not required to have an in-person interview with USCIS officers in order for their green card applications to be adjudicated. According to the USCIS, the reasoning for the change is to detect and prevent fraud and give USCIS officers the opportunity to verify the information provided in an individual’s application, to discover new information that may be relevant to the adjudication process, and to determine the credibility of the individual seeking permanent residence in the United States. Applicants who filed their employment-based green card applications (also known as Form I-485 or Adjustment of Status) are subject to this new interview requirement. In the future, USCIS is planning an incremental expansion of interviews to other benefit types.