USCIS to require interviews for employment-based green card applicants

August 29, 2017: USCIS announced earlier this week that it will begin expanding in-person interviews for individuals filing applications that would allow them to permanently reside in the United States. Effective October 1, 2017, USCIS will begin to phase-in interviews for the following applicants: 1. employment-based adjustment of status applications (I-485), and 2. certain refugee/asylee petitions (Form I-730). Beyond these two categories, USCIS is planning an additional expansion of interviews to applicants for other immigration benefits. This means that employment-based applicants for permanent residence can expect longer processing times and required attendance at an in-person interview with a USCIS officer at the local office (which for us is the USCIS Raleigh-Durham Field Office [https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-uscis-office/field-offices/north-carolina-raleigh-durham-field-office]). Please note that staff from the International Employment office will NOT be able to accompany NC State employees to these interviews who have been sponsored for a green card by their hiring department/unit.