Rescheduling the Green Card interview: A step-by-step guide.

The Green Card interview is the final and arguably most important step in the process to become a U.S. Permanent Resident Green Card holder.

At the Green Card interview, the applicant for U.S. permanent residency will meet face-to-face with a U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services (USCIS) officer who will ask some questions, review certain documents and decide whether the Green Card will be issued.

Needless to say, the Green Card interview is a crucial meeting that an immigrant should be on time for and definitely must not miss.

There are situations, however, when an immigrant needs to reschedule the Green Card interview for a valid reason.

This article will give you the key information about how to reschedule the Green Card interview and related issues.

Table of Contents

Importance of the Green Card Interview

How important is the Green Card interview?

The Green Card interview with the USCIS officer is, perhaps, the most important step in the process to adjust status from temporary legal resident to permanent resident of the United States, because after this meeting is when the decision will be made whether or not to issue a Green Card to the immigrant.

An exception to this rule is when the USCIS officer decides to waive the Green Card interview for a particular case.

At the Green Card interview, the USCIS officer will review your application for adjustment of status to become a U.S. permanent resident and will ask questions about the details you entered in your application.

The USCIS officer will also check the original documents filed with the application, such as the immigrant’s passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate (if relevant), etc.

If there is missing or incomplete information in your application or something needs to be clarified, the USCIS officer will ask questions about these items during the Green Card interview and make any necessary updates to the application.

Key goals of the Green Card interview are to substantiate important details about the immigrant and confirm that he or she is eligible to be granted a U.S. Permanent Resident Green Card.

Reasons for Rescheduling the Green Card Interview

The Green Card interview can be rescheduled without penalty for valid reasons such as:

    • Unforeseen circumstances that arise
    • Scheduling conflicts
    • Health or medical reasons
    • Other reasons for rescheduling

Steps to Reschedule the Green Card Interview

  • Contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by phone or via the mail
  • Provide a valid reason for rescheduling the Green Card interview
  • Choose a new interview date and time
  • Confirm the rescheduling with USCIS

Timeframe for Rescheduling the Green Card Interview

  • An applicant should contact USCIS to reschedule the Green Card interview as soon as he or she knows there is a valid reason
  • If there is a short timeframe for rescheduling the Green Card interview, the applicant should call the USCIS office to reschedule
  • A Green Card interview that is rescheduled will generally occur about 4-6 weeks after the previous interview date
  • There is no penalty for rescheduling a Green Card interview for a valid reason, but it can delay the overall Green Card process

What to Expect at the Rescheduled Green Card Interview

  • Preparing for the interview:
    • The applicant should make sure he or she knows how to get to the USCIS office so as to arrive on time
    • The applicant should arrive at the USCIS office about 15 minutes before the scheduled interview
    • The applicant should know what information is on the application and be ready to answer questions
    • The applicant needs to bring original documents to the interview to support information on the application
    • Remember – Key goals of the interview are to check the details of the application and confirm Green Card eligibility
  • The format of the interview:
    • The Green Card interview generally lasts about 15-30 minutes
    • The applicant and USCIS officer will introduce themselves to each other
    • The USCIS officer will review the application and will ask questions to confirm the information
    • The USCIS officer will ask to see certain original documents, such as a birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc.
    • If an item was not completed fully, the USCIS officer may ask for further details and update the application
    • If the application is for a marriage-based Green Card, the USCIS officer may ask questions about how you and your spouse met and other questions (e.g., birthdays, favorite foods, etc.)
    • The USCIS officer may ask if you have any questions
    • The USCIS officer may inform the applicant if he or she is approved for a Green Card at the end of the interview; the official decision notice will be sent to the applicant in about 30 days or less; and if approved, the Green Card will be sent separately in around 90 days or less following the interview.
  • Types of questions that may be asked during the interview:
    • I see your full name is _____. Is that correct?
    • You were born on MM/DD/YYYY in the city of _____ in the country of _____. Is that right?
    • May I see your birth certificate please?
    • You have citizenship from the country of ______. Is that correct?
    • May I see your passport please?
    • It says here that you and your spouse were married in _______ in the state of ______. Is that accurate?
    • What is your anniversary date?
    • May I see your marriage certificate please?
    • You (speaking to a sponsoring spouse) are an American citizen?
    • May I see your (the sponsor’s) birth certificate?
    • You live together at _______ in the city of _______. Is that correct?
    • May I see your driver’s license, lease or rental agreement, bank statements or other supporting documents?
    • What is your spouse’s favorite food?
    • Which one of you sleeps on the left side of the bed?
    • Which of you enjoys cooking?
    • How often per day do you call or text each other?

The types of questions asked at the Green Card interview will depend to a certain extent on which Green Card category an immigrant is applying under (e.g., Family Sponsorship, Employment-Based, etc.) and other factors.

Some questions are generally asked of applicants for all Green Card categories in order to verify personal details, such as full name, date and place of birth, citizenship, immigration status if legally living in the USA on a non-immigrant U.S. visa, etc.

The Green Card interview for the Family Sponsorship Green Card category will also include questions to verify the relationship of the applicant to the American citizen or U.S. permanent resident (as relevant) and to confirm their eligibility to sponsor a family member for a Green Card.

Green Card interview questions for the Employment-Based Green Card category may focus on work experience, having a valid job offer from an employer in the United States, education, skills, and other items related to eligibility.

Conclusion

The Green Card interview is an important final step of the process to become a permanent resident of the United States, particularly through adjustment of status.

Situations can arise, however, when an applicant needs to reschedule the Green Card interview for a valid reason (for example, if he or she is sick with influenza).

U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services (USCIS), which normally conducts the Green Card interview, will allow an applicant to reschedule the interview without penalty for a valid reason, however, rescheduling could delay receiving a Green Card by several weeks.

An immigrant who has a Green Card interview scheduled (or rescheduled) should prepare adequately beforehand to have the best opportunity for a successful outcome.

Perhaps, you would like to receive a U.S. Permanent Resident Green Card to live, study and work in the United States for an unlimited amount of time, but you do not know if you qualify for a U.S. immigration program.

USAFIS offers a U.S. Visa Assessment that can let you know which U.S. visa option is right for you.

Additional services are also offered by USAFIS to its customers to help their relocation to the USA go as smoothly as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

If you miss your Green Card interview and you did not contact USCIS ahead of time to inform them and/or reschedule, USCIS might allow you to reschedule another interview, but they may deny your application for a Green Card. Therefore, if there is a valid reason why you cannot attend your Green Card interview (for example, you are sick with influenza), be sure to contact the USCIS office to reschedule the interview.

Yes, you can reschedule a Green Card interview without penalty if you have a valid reason and contact the USCIS office in advance.

An interview is normally required in order to get a Green Card, unless the USCIS officer waives the interview for a particular case.

Yes, you can reschedule your Green Card interview if you need to change the date for a valid reason and you contact the USCIS office in advance to make arrangements.

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