Articles Posted in Green Card Interview

by

Starting April 27, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) implemented a new enhanced FBI security screening process that is affecting the adjudication of immigration benefit requests that require finger-print based background checks. The update requires USCIS officers to conduct additional background vetting before approving eligible cases.

Under the new policy, officers must resubmit certain pending applications for expanded FBI fingerprint and criminal history checks and place cases on hold until the updated review is completed. The change is expected to impact a range of immigration filings, including adjustment of status (green card) applications, asylum cases, naturalization applications, employment authorization documents, and some family-based petitions.

Who is Impacted

The temporary delays primarily affect applicants whose fingerprints were submitted before April 27, as USCIS is now reprocessing those records through the updated vetting system. Newly filed applications may also experience longer processing times while the agency works through the increased review requirements.

Continue reading

by

USCIS may not be denying your green card case — but it may be quietly putting it on hold.

As of December 2, 2025, USCIS and the State Department began a new “hold and review” process for certain immigration applications filed by individuals from 39 countries – suspending the issuance of visas and green cards for all applicants for an uncertain period of time. Under this policy, officers are expected to pause final decisions while enhanced security vetting processes are established by the government.

For applicants, that means one thing: more delays and uncertainty.

If your case was moving forward, your fingerprints were already taken, or you were expecting an interview soon, this sudden pause could explain why everything has gone silent.

In this update, we break down what USCIS’s “hold and review” policy means, who may be affected, whether you need to take action, and what applicants should watch for next.

Why is there a “hold and review” policy?

In June and December 2025, the President issued various executive orders, imposing immigration restrictions affecting individuals from 39 countries. The ban affects their ability to enter the United States, receive U.S. visas, and obtain immigration benefits through agencies like USCIS and the Department of State via Consular processing.

The affected countries include Afghanistan, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, The Gambia, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and individuals holding Palestinian-Authority-issued travel documents.

Continue reading

by

Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the May 2026 Visa Bulletin.

In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories next month.

            Highlights of the May 2026 Visa Bulletin

At a Glance

What can we expect to see in the month of May?

Employment-Based Categories

Final Action Advancements

EB-3 Other Workers

  • Worldwide and Mexico will advance 3 months to February 1, 2022

EB-5 Unreserved Categories (C5, T5, I5, and R5)

  • EB-5 China will advance 3 weeks to September 22, 2016

Dates for Filing Advancements

EB-5 Unreserved Categories (C5, T5, I5, and R5) 

  • EB-5 China will advance 4 months to March 1, 2017

Family-Sponsored Categories

Continue reading

by

If you’ve made it to the green card interview stage, you’re closer than ever to becoming a lawful permanent resident—but it’s also the part that makes many applicants the most nervous. What actually happens in that room? What kinds of questions will they ask?

The green card interview is a chance for immigration officers to verify your application, confirm your eligibility, and ensure everything checks out. Still, the uncertainty can feel overwhelming if you don’t know what to expect.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly what happens during a green card interview, from the moment you arrive to the types of questions you’ll be asked. Whether your application is based on marriage, family, or employment, understanding the process can help you feel more confident, prepared, and in control on the big day.

Importance of the Green Card Interview

The green card interview is one of the most critical steps in the immigration process because it’s where your entire application is reviewed face-to-face by an immigration officer. Up until this point, decisions are largely based on paperwork, but the interview allows the officer to verify your identity, confirm the accuracy of your information, and assess your eligibility in real time.

It’s also an opportunity for them to detect inconsistencies, clarify details, and, in certain cases—such as marriage-based applications—determine whether your relationship is genuine. A successful interview can lead directly to approval, while red flags or incomplete answers may delay your case or even result in denial, making preparation and honesty essential.

Nearly All Green Card Cases Require an Interview in 2026

As of 2026, the vast majority of green card applications now require a mandatory in-person interview as part of the application process. While some categories were previously eligible for interview waivers, changing immigration policies have made in-person review the standard rather than the exception.

This shift allows immigration officers to more thoroughly verify applicant information, assess eligibility, and detect potential inconsistencies or fraud. As a result, applicants across family-based, employment-based, and other categories should plan for an interview and prepare accordingly, treating it as a central step in securing permanent residency.

Continue reading

by

Imagine building a life in the United States, paying taxes, buying a home, putting down roots, only to have it all put at risk by a single misstep. One arrest. One extended trip abroad. Suddenly, your green card status is on the line. Sound impossible? For thousands of green card holders during the Trump administration, this has become a very real and unsettling reality. By contrast, those who become U.S. citizens can live in the United States with greater security and peace of mind.

In this blog post, we discuss five key differences between green card holders and U.S. citizens that might make you rethink staying a permanent resident.

#1 Deportation Risk

One of the most important differences between green card holders and U.S. citizens is the risk of deportation. Green card holders have the right to live and work in the United States, but their status is not guaranteed forever.

Certain situations can put a green card at risk, including criminal convictions, immigration violations, or even spending too much time outside the U.S. In these cases, a green card holder may be placed in removal proceedings.

By contrast, U.S. citizens cannot be deported even when convicted of a criminal offense. This key difference means that only U.S. citizenship offers permanent protection from deportation.

Continue reading

by

Rising tensions in the Middle East amid the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran have triggered a collapse in regional air travel. Widespread airspace closures, airport shutdowns, and thousands of canceled flights have stranded travelers across major transit hubs such as Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi.

Among those caught in the disruption are thousands of green card holders and visa holders who left the United States temporarily and are now unable to return as flights remain suspended and regional travel remains restricted.

In this video, we discuss key steps the State Department recommends for permanent residents and other noncitizens currently stranded in the region.

75-Country Ban on Immigrant Visa Issuance

As a reminder, the Trump administration imposed an indefinite pause on immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries beginning January 21, 2026. Due to the pause, the State Department has suspended the issuance of all immigrant visas while it develops new procedures to assess whether applicants may become financially dependent on the U.S. government under the public charge standard.

  • Impact: While U.S. consulates may continue accepting applications and conducting interviews, they are currently unable to issue or print immigrant visas, including family- and employment-based green cards, for affected applicants until the new policy is implemented. This further complicates travel for immigrants residing in the Middle East, including Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Syria, and Yemen.

Continue reading

by

If you’re a U.S. citizen hoping to sponsor your brother or sister for a green card in 2026, patience is essential. Unlike spouses or parents, siblings fall into a backlogged family preference category that can take many years (sometimes decades) to move forward.

Here’s what actually controls the timeline, how long you should realistically expect to wait, what you can do to speed up the process, and other alternatives.

The Harsh Reality

As of 2026, the reality for U.S. citizens sponsoring a sibling is that processing times move very slowly. After you file Form I-130 to establish your sibling relationship, it can take years for USCIS to approve the petition, but the longest delay comes after approval.

Because siblings fall under the Family Fourth Preference (F4) category with strict annual limits, most applicants face backlogs that push total wait times from 8 to 14 years, before a visa becomes available. For countries with especially high demand, such as Mexico and the Philippines, the wait can approach or exceed two decades.

The harsh reality is that major life milestones for both you and your sibling may pass before they are finally able to immigrate to the United States.

Continue reading

by

On January 14, 2026, the State Department announced it is pausing the issuance of immigrant visas for nationals of 75 countries, effective January 21, 2026, while it develops a new process to assess whether applicants may become a “public charge” (financially dependent on the U.S. government).

Applicants can still apply and attend interviews, but no immigrant visas will not be issued during the pause. The policy affects family-sponsored and employment-based green cards, though dual nationals applying with a passport from a country not on the list are exempt from the suspension.

The policy change focuses on the statutory “public charge” ground of inadmissibility, which allows visa refusal in the event an applicant is found likely to depend on the U.S. government for financial assistance. Consular officers are permitted to consider factors such as an applicant’s health, age, education, employment prospects, and financial stability when evaluating if they are a public charge risk.

It is unclear how long the suspension will last or how the public charge review process will ultimately change.

Immigrant visa applicants from the affected countries should monitor communications from the State Department and prepare for potential delays in visa issuance.

Continue reading

by

Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the February 2026 Visa Bulletin.

In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the new year.

USCIS Adjustment of Status

For adjustment of status filings to permanent residence in the month of February, USCIS will be using the Dates for Filing Chart for the employment-based and family-sponsored categories.

Highlights of the February 2026 Visa Bulletin

At a Glance

What can we expect to see in the month of February?

Employment-Based Categories

Final Action Advancements

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers

  • Except India and China, all countries will advance by 5.7 weeks to June 1, 2023

Dates for Filing Advancements

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers

  • Except India and China, all other countries will advance by 3 months to October 1, 2023

Continue reading

by

I-751 denials for conditional residents are surging in 2026, and many conditional green card holders are being caught off guard. What used to be a routine filing is now under intense scrutiny, with even minor errors triggering denials. As USCIS tightens standards, understanding the risks—and how to avoid them—has never been more critical.

A conditional permanent resident is someone who received a two-year green card through a recent marriage and must file Form I-751 during the 90 days before it expires to prove the marriage is real and remove those conditions. Failure to timely file an I-751 application can lead a person to lose their status.

In this video, we break down exactly how to avoid becoming part of the rising denial statistics and set your application up for approval.

If you are Divorced, Expect a Tougher Review

In just recent months, the I-751 approval rate has plunged from roughly 85% to just under 60%.

A major driver of these denials is USCIS’s heightened scrutiny of divorced applicants. I-751 waivers are filed by applicants who are no longer married to the U.S. citizen spouse through which they originally obtained conditional residence.

Applicants filing I-751 waivers face tougher scrutiny, with officers increasingly questioning the legitimacy of marriages that ended in divorce.

What many applicants don’t realize is that you should only file an I-751 waiver after your divorce is final, because without a final divorce decree, USCIS will likely deny the case.

If you don’t have your final divorce decree within the 90-day filing window, you should work with an attorney to fully document your pending dissolution and explain the situation to USCIS.

Continue reading