Interview Requirements Are Quietly Returning: What Green Card Applicants Should Know in 2025

Recent developments indicate that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is quietly reinstating in-person interviews for adjustment of status (Form I-485) applicants—reversing a trend under the Biden administration in which many interviews were routinely waived.

Our office has already seen a noticeable uptick in interview notices for cases that previously qualified for waivers, including:

• Marriage-based green card petitions (U.S. citizen filing for spouse)

• U.S. citizens petitioning for their parents (typically interview-exempt)

This signals a shift in USCIS policy that may have long-term implications for family-based and employment-based adjustment applicants.

Legal Background: Interview Discretion and Waiver Authority

Under immigration law, USCIS officers have broad discretionary authority to waive interviews in adjustment of status cases—particularly for certain low-risk, straightforward petitions. Although the law presumes interviews are required, in practice, USCIS has historically waived interviews in cases such as:

• U.S. citizens petitioning for their parents

• U.S. citizens petitioning for unmarried children under 21

• Green card holders petitioning for children under age 14

Under the Biden administration, interview waivers were frequently granted in a wider range of cases—including many that would traditionally have triggered mandatory interviews.

Real-World Examples from the Biden Era

Here are examples of interview waivers our firm observed during the previous administration:

• Marriage-based green card with financial self-sponsorship: Despite being a newlywed couple married for under two years and multiple RFEs (Requests for Evidence), the case was approved without an interview.

• Reapplication after abandoning permanent residency: A former green card holder (spouse of a U.S. citizen) who had voluntarily relinquished their green card decades earlier due to international relocation was reapproved without an interview, even with a complex travel and status history.

• 2024 expedited approvals:

  • Multiple cases of U.S. citizens sponsoring parents approved in under two months without interview.

  • Multiple marriage-based green card cases (less than two years of marriage) approved in under two months—a category that typically required interviews in the past.

Why Were Interviews Waived Under the Biden Administration?

Our analysis suggests that USCIS implemented a risk-based triage system to reduce its growing backlog, especially post-COVID. This system included:

• Routing low-risk, factually clear cases through expedited “no-interview” channels

• Using RFEs as a substitute for live questioning in certain situations

These policies contributed to a historic decline in the USCIS case backlog—marking the first time in years that overall processing volumes improved.

Policy Reversal Under Trump-Era Practices

The renewed issuance of interview notices appears consistent with the Trump administration’s “extreme vetting” policy during his first term, where in-person interviews were broadly required—even for employment-based green card applications. This led to significant case delays, as USCIS lacked the resources to conduct in-person interviews for every applicant.

While no formal policy change has been announced, the growing number of interview notices in routine family-based cases may signal a return to that framework.

What to Expect Going Forward

As of now, it is unclear whether USCIS will reinstate mandatory interviews for all family-based categories, or expand this shift to employment-based green card applicants. However, based on current trends, we anticipate the following:

• Interview rates are rising, and

• Form I-485 processing times will likely increase as a result.

Our Recommendations

If you are planning to file a green card application or are currently in process, we recommend:

• Prepare all documentation thoroughly and proactively—even in cases historically considered low-risk.

• Be mentally and logistically prepared for longer wait times and the possibility of being called in for an in-person interview.

Our office is monitoring USCIS trends closely and can help you prepare for both streamlined and interview-required filings. Contact us to discuss your case and build a strategy suited to the evolving immigration landscape.