USCIS Interview 2026: What Changed for Green Card, Marriage, and Citizenship Interviews

In 2026, USCIS is holding interviews noticeably more often, and they involve more questions. Officers ask about the purpose of entry, status violations, work, income, and benefits. Social media is reviewed, and at naturalization so are "good moral character" and neighbors' input. There is no separate memo making the I-485 interview mandatory for everyone, but interview waivers are granted less and less often.

In short:

• There is no formal rule in 2026 that "an interview is mandatory for every I-485." Practitioners report a record share of interviews, including in employment-based cases and I-130 petitions.
• Memo PM-602-0199 of May 21, 2026, calls adjustment of status "extraordinary relief." At the interview, expect questions about the purpose of entry, overstays, and why you are not going through consular processing.
• Since August 5, 2026 (PA-2026-05), USCIS may deny for insufficient evidence without an RFE or NOID.
• For N-400s filed on or after October 20, 2025, a new civics test applies: 128 questions in the bank, up to 20 asked, 12 correct answers required. Since August 25, 2026, neighborhood investigations are back.
• According to USCIS itself, more than 2,400 people were arrested at its offices in 2025. The highest risk is for those with old removal orders, entry without inspection, or past arrests.

What changed in USCIS interviews in 2026

The changes have been building since early 2025, and almost all of them affect the interview in some way. Below are the key documents by date.

Is a green card interview now mandatory

Under the rules, no, but even before it was more the norm than the exception. Regulation 8 CFR 245.6 allows USCIS to interview any adjustment of status applicant unless USCIS waives the interview. The Policy Manual (Vol. 7, Part A, Ch. 5) lists categories that may be waived: parents of US citizens, certain children, refugees and asylees, and those already interviewed. There is also a catch-all: "any other category" where an interview is not needed.

Employment-based cases have been off that list since 2018 (Policy Alert 2018-04), and the 2022 revision did not restore them. In 2026, several law firm blogs ran headlines saying "mandatory interviews are back," but none cites a memo or policy alert. As of October 15, 2026, no such document exists.

Practice, however, has changed. According to Reddy Neumann Brown (July 2026), interviews in employment-based I-485 cases used to be scheduled in roughly 5–10% of cases; now their share is at a record high, although they rarely end in denial. CLINIC reports that since January 2025, I-130 interviews have become more frequent, including for separately filed immediate relative petitions.

For nationals of travel ban countries (19, then 39 countries), interviews are not waived under the December 2, 2025, memo. The list includes, for example, Turkmenistan, Cuba, and Venezuela (they were also among the original 19). Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Belarus are not on it. Courts vacated the hold on case adjudication, but re-review of previously approved cases remains in force (First Circuit decision of August 14, 2026). Details in our article on which countries face US restrictions in 2026.

Green card interview questions in 2026

USCIS does not publish a standard question list, but the new documents show what officers now focus on.

Purpose of entry and overstays: memo PM-602-0199

The "Adjustment of Status and Discretion" memo of May 21, 2026, calls changing status inside the US "extraordinary relief." Officers are directed to weigh:

• overstays;
• intent at entry, especially for those who entered on F-1, J-1, or B-1/B-2;
• the availability of consular processing instead of adjustment of status.

A few days later, DHS clarified that there is no requirement for everyone to leave the US. But discretion has widened, and questions such as "why did you come," "when did you decide to stay," and "why are you not applying through a consulate" are entirely expected at the interview. If you changed status, for example from B-2 to F-1, be ready to explain the sequence of events with documents.

Example (hypothetical): an applicant entered on a B-2 visa, married a US citizen a few months later, and filed an I-485. Immediate relatives of US citizens remain eligible for adjustment of status even after an overstay, but the officer may ask in detail what the purpose of the trip was at the time of entry. A consistent account, backed by tickets, correspondence, and dates, matters more here than rehearsed answers.

Denial without an RFE: PA-2026-05

Since August 5, 2026, an officer may deny for insufficient evidence without issuing a request for evidence (RFE) or a notice of intent to deny (NOID). This applies to pending cases as well. Previously, a weak spot could be fixed in an RFE response; now that chance may not come. That is why the document package and your oral answers at the interview must be complete from the start.

Both policies, PM-602-0199 and PA-2026-05, were challenged in court on October 5, 2026 (AAUP v. Mullin, No. 1:26-cv-14527, D. Mass.), according to legal publications. There is no ruling in the case as of publication; both policies are being applied.

Public charge after September 18

For I-485s filed on or after September 18, 2026, the new public charge rule applies. The officer weighs the totality of the circumstances and may consider any means-tested benefits: Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, CHIP, housing programs. The new I-485 edition asks whether you have ever received such benefits and requires dates and amounts.

There are no reports yet on actual interview questions after September 18. But under USCIS guidance (PA-2026-09), the applicant's statements at the interview are evidence, and officers scrutinize employment plans of people near or at retirement age especially closely. Answer precisely and consistently with the application. The rule is covered in detail in our article on the new public charge rule in 2026.

Social media and the "anti-American" factor

Since August 19, 2025, "anti-American" ideology or activity has been a negative discretionary factor. The statute does not define the term. The factor applies to adjustment of status, EAD, parole, extensions and changes of status, NIW and EB-5, and, according to Boundless, to naturalization. OMB approved the collection of social media identifiers on nine forms (including the N-400, I-485, I-751, I-131, and I-589) on February 11, 2026. Exactly when the new form editions took effect is not confirmed as of October 15, 2026.

The scale of the screening is visible in the year-end results USCIS reported in December 2025: 19,500 social media reviews, more than 6,500 site visits by the fraud detection unit, more than 14,400 case referrals to ICE, and about 196,600 Notices to Appear (NTAs) in immigration court. At the interview, the officer may compare your answers with your public profiles, so it is better to catch discrepancies in dates, employers, and marital status in advance.

Marriage-based green card interview: what to watch for

Marriage cases are affected most. PA-2025-12 of August 1, 2025 (applies to both new and pending I-130s):

• sets out the cases in which an I-130 interview is mandatory;
• according to CLINIC, expands the ability to deny without an RFE or NOID;
• states expressly that an approved I-130 confers no status and does not protect against removal, and that USCIS may issue an NTA.

The criteria for waiving the interview when removing conditions (I-751) are still set by memo PM-602-0168 of December 10, 2018. No new rules have appeared here.

Important: in November 2025 in San Diego, dozens of foreign spouses of US citizens were detained at final interviews, mostly with visa overstays. Formally, immediate relatives with an overstay remain eligible for adjustment of status. This does not mean every spouse with an overstay faces arrest, but going to the interview without reviewing your history is unwise.

To see what real approved marriage cases look like, see our review of marriage-based green card cases.

Citizenship interview: the 128-question test and neighborhood checks

The new civics test

The 2025 test applies to N-400s filed on or after October 20, 2025. Those who filed earlier take the 2008 test. The English test did not change in 2026.

On the 2025 test, the officer stops asking after 12 correct or 9 incorrect answers. You get two attempts. The retest is scheduled 60–90 days later (8 CFR 312.5, 335.3).

Good moral character

The August 15, 2025, memo requires a "totality of the circumstances" assessment. Positives include community involvement, caring for family, education, employment, and paying taxes. Negatives include even lawful conduct that is "inconsistent with civic responsibility," such as repeated traffic violations or harassment. Be ready to discuss the positive facts of your background at the interview, and bring supporting documents.

Neighborhood investigation (PA-2026-10)

Since August 25, 2026, the Policy Manual no longer waives the neighborhood investigation under INA §335(a) for everyone. Officers may interview neighbors, employers, and coworkers. Waivers of the investigation are decided individually by the fraud detection unit and field operations. The applicant may submit voluntary letters of recommendation, preferably from US citizens who are not relatives.

What happens after the interview

After an N-400 interview, you always receive Form N-652 with the result: granted, continued, or denied. USCIS must decide within 120 days after the interview; otherwise the applicant may go to federal district court.

Arrest at a green card interview: how real is the risk

According to the USCIS annual report, more than 2,400 people were arrested at its offices in 2025. There is no breakdown by office or category. Known cases:

• San Diego, November 2025: dozens of spouses of US citizens detained at interviews, mostly because of overstays;
• New York, 26 Federal Plaza, November 24, 2025: an applicant married to a US citizen was detained at the interview. Only there did he learn of a 2022 in absentia removal order issued after a missed hearing notice. He was later released, according to ABC7.

The legal basis is memo PM-602-0187 of February 28, 2025: no category of removable individuals is exempt from NTAs, and after a denial an NTA is issued by default to those unlawfully present in the US. Since September 4, 2025, USCIS special agents (1811) have authority to make arrests and execute warrants.

Who is at elevated risk (according to CLINIC):

• people with prior removal orders, including in absentia orders;
• those who entered without inspection;
• those with an overstay and no eligibility for adjustment of status;
• people with fraud or misrepresentation findings;
• anyone with past arrests, even without a conviction.

Example (hypothetical): years ago, an applicant moved and never received a notice to appear in immigration court. He is sure there is no case against him. A FOIA request to USCIS, CBP, OBIM, and the immigration court before filing would have revealed the in absentia order, and a strategy could have been built in advance with an attorney, rather than learning about the order in the officer's office.

For most applicants, the interview remains a routine procedure. But if even one item on the list above applies to you, CLINIC recommends attending the interview with an attorney and requesting your records through FOIA in advance.

Interpreter, attorney, and what to bring

Interpreter at a USCIS interview

Under the Policy Manual (Vol. 7, Ch. 5), the applicant brings their own interpreter. The interpreter presents government-issued photo ID, signs an oath and a consent to disclose information (Form G-1256), and interprets verbatim. By default this is a disinterested party, but the officer may allow a friend or relative. The attorney of record may not interpret.

Information is conflicting: one law firm writes that friends and relatives are "generally" not allowed, citing a USCIS Facebook post of September 28, 2025. The Policy Manual contains no such rule. It is safer to bring a professional interpreter with no connection to you. For affirmative asylum interviews, bringing your own interpreter has again been mandatory since January 2024.

We could not confirm whether the rule on applicants recording their own interviews is currently in effect. Practitioners advise against recording on your own.

Attorney

An attorney may attend the interview if Form G-28 is on file. With any risk of enforcement action (see the section above), their presence is especially important.

What to bring

• The interview notice and identification.
• An interpreter with ID and a completed G-1256, if needed.
• A G-28, if an attorney is accompanying you.
• For I-485s filed after September 18, 2026: tax returns or IRS transcripts for 3 years, pay stubs, an employer letter, bank statements, a private health insurance policy, the I-864 with the sponsor's documents, and records of benefits received (dates and amounts).
• For the N-400: proof of tax payments, employment, community involvement, and letters of recommendation from US citizens who are not relatives.
• FOIA results, if there is anything at all unclear in your history.

Wait times in New York and fees from October 16, 2026

Data from a third-party mirror of USCIS statistics as of September 17, 2026: the New York field office processes I-485s in 14.5–33.5 months and N-400s in 10–12.5 months. Times for Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island were not checked. Before planning, check the official page at egov.uscis.gov/processing-times.

From October 16, 2026, the H.R. 1 fees change (inflation adjustment, Federal Register document of October 1, 2026, according to law firms). There is no fee waiver for these fees.

An increase in the N-400 fee to $1330 (paper filing) and $1280 (online) has only been proposed and is not final. Base fees for the I-485, I-130, and I-765 are still set by the 2024 rule. On limits to EAD validity, see our article on work permits in 2026.

What to do now

1. Assume there will be an interview, even if your category can formally be waived.
2. Reread all filed forms (I-485, I-130, N-400) and check them against your passport, visas, entry and exit dates, and public social media profiles.
3. If you had overstays, a change of status, or missed notices, file FOIA requests with USCIS, CBP, OBIM, and the immigration court before the interview.
4. Prepare a consistent explanation of your purpose of entry and later decisions, and back it up with documents.
5. For I-485s filed after September 18, 2026, gather a financial package and benefit records.
6. For the N-400, check which test you will take (by filing date) and gather good moral character evidence and letters of recommendation.
7. Find a disinterested interpreter and prepare the G-1256.
8. With any risk factor, discuss with an immigration attorney whether they should attend the interview (G-28).
9. Keep in mind that from October 16, 2026, fees for asylum, EAD, TPS, and parole are higher.

How M&M can help

• Pre-interview document review. We will check your filed forms, dates, and evidence to find discrepancies before the officer does.
• Package preparation. We will gather and translate financial documents, marriage evidence, and letters of recommendation, and prepare FOIA requests.
• Partner attorneys. If your case has risk factors, we will bring in a licensed immigration attorney who can attend the interview.

Start with a free assessment or contact us; our office is in Brooklyn, at 1944 Coney Island Ave.

Sources

• USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 7, Part A, Ch. 5 — adjustment of status interviews
• USCIS, PM-602-0199 "Adjustment of Status and Discretion" (May 21, 2026)
• USCIS, Policy Manual Update PA-2026-10 — investigations for naturalization (August 25, 2026)
• USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 12, Part B, Ch. 4 — naturalization interview
• Federal Register — social media identifiers on USCIS forms (March 5, 2025)
• AILA — Policy Alert on investigations for naturalization
• ILRC — FAQ on the adjustment of status memo
• Immigration Policy Tracking Project — the new civics test
• Immigration Policy Tracking Project — arrests of spouses at interviews
• EIG Law — H.R. 1 fees for fiscal year 2027

This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. M&M Document Preparation is not a law firm. Information is current as of October 15, 2026.