The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released an important policy update regarding interview requirements for refugees, asylees, and their derivative family members who are filing Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.
Effective immediately, USCIS has reestablished a uniform baseline of screening and vetting standards for these interviews. This update is intended to strengthen program integrity, improve fraud detection, and enhance national security and public safety. The changes also align with Executive Order 14161, which aims to protect the United States from foreign terrorists and other related threats.
Key Points from the Policy Update:
- Clarifies interview requirements for asylees and refugees applying for adjustment of status.
- Interviews will be required in situations including, but not limited to:
- When an officer cannot verify the applicant’s identity based on USCIS records, background checks, or if there are multiple or conflicting identities.
- When there is insufficient documentation to confirm the applicant’s refugee or asylee status, or if fraud or misrepresentation is suspected.
- When FBI fingerprint checks return records that may indicate inadmissibility, or there are two unclassifiable fingerprint responses.
- When an interview is necessary to determine admissibility or to clarify information in the record.
- When there is a concern that the applicant is a citizen or former resident of a country designated as a state sponsor of terrorism.
- When there are national security or terrorism-related grounds of inadmissibility.
- This policy applies to all Form I-485 applications filed or pending on or after August 1, 2025.
- The updated guidance is detailed in the USCIS Policy Manual:
- Volume 7, Part L, Chapter 5: Refugee Adjustment – Adjudication Procedures
- Volume 7, Part M, Chapter 5: Asylee Adjustment – Adjudication Procedures
USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser emphasized that these changes are part of the agency’s effort to return to enhanced screening and vetting policies for refugee and asylum processes to ensure the safety and security of the American public.
Click here for the full USCIS Policy Alert (PDF)
If you have any questions or would like assistance with adjustment of status applications, please contact our office.
Contact Information
If you or your family members have any questions about how immigration and nationality laws in the United States may affect you, or if you want to access additional information about immigration and nationality laws in the United States or Canada, please do not hesitate to contact the immigration and nationality lawyers at NPZ Law Group. You can reach us by emailing info@visaserve.com or by calling us at 201-670-0006 extension 104. We also invite you to visit our website at www.visaserve.com for more information.