Back in April of 2022, the USCIS announced a policy update that would allow interviews to be waived for conditional green card applicants who filed a Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence. Previously, undergoing an interview was required for those holding conditional permanent residence status if obtained through consular processing. It appears that we are finally seeing this policy take effect with reports of marriage-based green cards being approved without interviews in as little as 6 months.

What is Conditional Permanent Residence Status?

Conditional permanent residence status is granted to a noncitzen that comes to the US after marriage (that began less than two years before obtaining that status), and remains under this conditional status for two years. After those two years, they will need to file a Form I-751 within a 90-day period before the two year anniversary of their conditional status to apply for a full permanent status marriage-based green card.

How is Eligibility for the Interview Waiver Determined?

The new policy will allow the agency officer to waive the interview under their own discretion if there is sufficient evidence that the marriage is genuine, the joint-filing requirement is eligible for a waiver, and there is no sign of fraud in the documents filed. They will also consider criminal history of the CPR. This policy change, backed by President Biden and his administration, was implemented in order to help with processing times and increase efficiency overall. 

Are Interviews Currently Being Waived for Marriage-Based Green Cards?

Immigration lawyers have reported that the US government is planning to approve most marriage-based green card applications without an interview this year. It is recommended to check your email to see if you’ve received a notice of your interview waiver. Some applicants are even receiving their approval notice in the mail with their green card. Based on reports, some applicants are getting approved in as little as 6 months.

This is great news for those filing Form I-751 waiting for their conditional status to be changed into lawful permanent resident status. Be sure to check your email for an interview waiver notice or continue checking the mail for your approval notice if you have filed over 6 months ago.