Who Attends Adjustment of Status Interview

The interview will be scheduled at an office near where you live. If the office is located far from where you live, it may require an overnight stay. The applicant and the petitioner may be required to attend the interview. In some cases, where the application is a marriage based Adjustment of Status, USCIS may require only the applicant to attend. 

What Items Should you Bring to the Interview?

You will receive in the appointment notice a list of documents to bring with you to the I-485 interview. Make sure you follow the directions on your appointment notice. You should expect to take the following items:

• The original Appointment notice (I-797C, Notice of Action) for your I-485 interview;

• The Originals documents that you submitted to USCIS with the adjustment of status application. Especially important examples include birth, marriage and death certificates as well as divorce decrees (if applicable);

• Your passport (If you have one);

• If the underlying application is based on marriage, bring copies plus originals of documents showing a real marriage, such as a joint lease or mortgage, joint bank account or credit card statements, children’s birth certificates, and so on;

• Government-Issued Photo ID. Such as your passport (even if expired) but can also be any other government-issued photo ID like a driver’s license;

• Any travel documents you have, for example your advance parole permit if you traveled while awaiting your interview;

• A complete copy of your adjustment of status application packet. In addition to Form I-485, have available any other forms (e.g. I-130, I-130A, I-864, I-131, I-765) you may have submitted;

• A Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record on Form I-693, completed by a USCIS

  designated civil surgeon and placed in a sealed envelope, unless previously submitted within the

  past 15 months;

• Proof of termination of any previous marriage (original or copy), if applicable;
  

• Certified documentation regarding the outcome of any past criminal charges, arrests or

  convictions;

The USCIS interviewer will ask questions to find out if any of the answers on the application have changed. Some of those changes may include the birth of a child, a new address or a new employer. If any of those changes include an arrest, speak to an immigration attorney before attending your I-485 interview. 

The I-485 Interview 

It is recommended that you bring an attorney to your interview, or consult with an attorney before your interview. When it is time for your interview, the USCIS will come to the waiting area and call out your name. The USCIS officer will swear in you in, review the I-485 Application with you, and ask for any documents s/he may want to review, etc. You should note the name of the interviewing officer in case s/he does not approve the case that day and you have to follow-up with USCIS in the future for any reason.

I-485 Interview Questions

Most adjustment of status interviews last approximately 20-25 minutes, which includes introductions and swearing in, that doesn’t leave much time for questioning. You do not have to memorize the answers to questions. In most cases, the USCIS will ask you questions about the applications and to clarify any of the answers. 

For applicants who filed their adjustment of status based on a marriage, the questions may get personal. USCIS is looking to confirm that the marriage is real. They will scrutinize the application to make sure there is no fraud.

Sample I-485 Questions during Adjustment of status interview.

• How, when and where did you meet your spouse?
• Where and with whom did your spouse live when you met your spouse?
• Who lives at your address now?
• What is your spouse’s date of birth?
• Where did your spouse work when you met him/her?
• What type of work does your spouse do?
• What is your spouse’s work schedule?
• How much is your spouse’s salary?
• Are both spouses’ salaries deposited into the same bank account?
• What bank account do you use?
• Did your spouse have a car when you met? What model, color, etc?
• Are these the cars you and your spouse current drive?
• If not, when did you and/or your spouse change cars?
• If you now have cars, how much money is owed on them? How much is the monthly payment?
• When did you and your spouse decide to get married? Was there a proposal? Who proposed? When and where did it take place?
• Did you and your spouse live together prior to your marriage? Where and how long?
• When did you and your spouse move in together?
• When did you get married?
• If you had a celebration, what food/beverages were served?
• Did you and your spouse go on a honeymoon? If yes, where?
• Who pays the rent/mortgage? How is it paid? (Do you mail it? Hand-deliver it?)
• Where does your landlord live?
• How many sleeping rooms does your home have?
• Are all the sleeping rooms on the same side of the home?
• What size bed do you and your spouse have?
• Can you describe the pieces of furniture in your bedroom?

This is a small sampling of possible questions. In practice, USCIS may ask a wide variety of questions to help make a determination if you and your spouse have a bona fide marriage.

CONCLUSION OF THE INTERVIEW

After the adjudicator has completed the interview, s/he may immediately inform you that your Green Card application has been approved. If this is the case, you should receive an Approval Notice and a Green Card in the mail within 2-4 weeks.