EB‑1C Green Card Interview: What to Expect and How to Prepare

The EB-1C Green Card interview is a USCIS adjustment-of-status interview. The officer confirms your identity, immigration history, and admissibility, reviews your answers on Form I-485, and may confirm that your petitioning employer's managerial or executive job offer still stands. It's generally not a second review of your I-140, and applicants often report routine interviews.

Still, an approved I-140 doesn't guarantee a Green Card. Manifest immigration attorney Nicole Gunara says EB-1C interviews tend to include questions about the employer, the permanency of the role, and how you'll function as an executive or senior manager in the U.S. If you self-petitioned on extraordinary ability instead, see our guide to the EB-1A Green Card interview.

Will USCIS interview an EB-1C applicant?

Generally, most adjustment-of-status applicants are interviewed unless USCIS waives the interview, which it decides case by case. There's no way for you to personally request the waiver. Being called for an interview doesn't necessarily mean something is wrong with your application, it's only USCIS's chance to confirm the information you gave. In 2026, immigration practitioners have reported more employment-based applicants being called for in-person interviews.

The increase reflects the discretionary nature of adjustment of status, with USCIS exercising more scrutiny over applications rather than treating the interview as a routine step that can be routinely waived.

Preparing to explain why you're applying from inside the U.S.

A May 2026 USCIS memo emphasized that adjustment of status is a discretionary benefit, rather than a right. The memo did not eliminate adjustment of status or change the statutory eligibility requirements.

Instead, it reminded USCIS officers that adjustment of status is a discretionary form of administrative relief because it allows an eligible applicant to seek permanent residence without leaving the United States to complete the immigrant visa process abroad.

That means officers must consider not only whether an applicant is eligible for a Green Card, but also the circumstances supporting the decision to adjust status from inside the U.S.

Gunara says applicants should be prepared to explain why they are seeking adjustment from inside the U.S. rather than pursuing consular processing abroad. For many EB-1C applicants, the reason is simple: they already work in the offered role in the U.S. on an L-1A, a dual-intent status that allows them to pursue a Green Card. If your attorney addressed these reasons in your I-485 filing, the officer is more likely to check that your answers and circumstances are consistent with the explanation provided there.

What might the officer ask?

There's no official script for an adjustment-of-status interview, and exact wording varies by officer. Most questions confirm basic facts about you and what's already in your file, but some officers go deeper into the parts of your case that are specific to EB-1C. Questions may cover:

• Your background: Your identity, biographic details, travel history, and L-1 or other immigration status.
• Admissibility: The yes/no questions on your Form I-485.
• Your job offer: Whether you still work for your petitioning employer and whether your role is permanent.
• Your role: What you do as a manager or executive, and the team or part of the business you lead.
• Reporting lines: Who you report to within the company.
• The company: What your employer does and how it's connected to the company you worked for abroad.
• Your spouse: If your spouse is applying with you, basic questions about your relationship.

For general sample questions, see our Green Card interview guide.

Does the EB-1C job offer still matter at the interview?

The adjustment of status through EB-1C is based on a job offer. To qualify, you need a permanent offer for a manager or executive role from the U.S. company that filed your petition. That's why the offer matters even after your I-140 is approved: it has to stay valid until your Green Card is approved, and you need to plan to take the job once you have it. Both the U.S. company and its related company abroad also have to keep doing business until then. If the U.S. office is small or new, the officer may look more closely at whether it's still doing business regularly, so recent contracts, invoices, or tax filings can help.

To confirm the offer is still there, USCIS uses a form called Supplement J. You and your employer each fill out part of it, showing that the job in your I-140 is still available and that you intend to accept it. If you filed your I-485 after your I-140, you had to include Supplement J with it. If you filed both together, you didn't need it at first. Even if you already filed one, USCIS may ask for a new one before it makes a decision, through a Request for Evidence.

What if your role or employer has changed?

Because EB-1C is tied to a specific job offer, changing jobs could put your case at risk. To protect applicants who've waited a long time, a rule called job portability lets some people change jobs while their I-485 is pending, as long as the new job is similar. Whether it applies depends on your situation, so talk to your attorney before your interview if any of these apply to you:

• New duties or title with the same employer: Job portability also covers a new job with the company that filed your petition, such as a promotion. The new role generally needs to be the same as or similar to the job in your I-140, and you may need to file a new Supplement J to show it.
• A new role with the same employer, or a new employer, after your I-485 has been pending 180 days or more: Job portability may let your case continue if the new job is in the same or a similar occupational classification as the job in your I-140. You'd typically file a new Supplement J, and USCIS decides whether the new job qualifies.
• Any job change before 180 days, or losing your job: Portability generally isn't available yet, and a change could put your I-485 at risk. Contact your attorney right away.

What if the company has been restructured, sold, or downsized?

You qualify for EB-1C because you worked as a manager or executive for a company abroad and are moving to a related company in the U.S. So a merger, acquisition, layoffs, or a change in how the two companies are connected can raise questions about whether your petition and job offer still hold. Our M&A immigration guide for employers covers how corporate changes affect sponsored employees. Raise these changes with your attorney before the interview.

If anything about your job has changed since you filed, a Manifest EB-1 immigration attorney can review your situation and help you prepare before your interview date. Request a consultation to plan your next step.

What should an EB-1C applicant bring?

Follow the instructions in your Form I-797C. The notice lists what USCIS wants from you, and document lists online can be outdated, so follow your attorney's instructions, too. Still, most applicants bring originals and copies of the following:

Common items:

• Form I-797C, your interview notice.
• Your passport and a government-issued photo ID.
• Your EAD and advance parole cards, if you have them.
• Your most recent I-94 record.
• Your I-140 approval notice, or receipt notice if it's still pending.
• Original civil documents, such as birth and marriage certificates, for each applicant.

For documents specific to EB-1C adjustment-of-status applicants, the officer may confirm that your managerial or executive job still exists and that the companies behind your petition are still connected and operating. Gunara says documents that "show their position and things related to their company, like the background information of the company," are "extraordinarily helpful." Ask your attorney which of these to bring:

• A recent employment letter from your U.S. employer confirming your title, your managerial or executive duties, your salary, and that the job is permanent.
• An organizational chart showing your position, who reports to you, and who you report to.
• Recent pay stubs or W-2s, to show you're still working in the role.
• Company background, such as what the company does, where it operates, and how many people it employs.
• Proof that the companies are connected and still operating, such as ownership documents, recent annual reports, or tax returns for the U.S. company and the company abroad.
• Supplement J, if your attorney advises it.

How should you prepare?

Your attorney should prepare you for the interview based on the details of your case. These are some of the steps that they would guide you through:

1. Reread your I-485. Note anything that has changed since you filed, such as your address, title, duties, travel, marital status, or any arrests or citations.
2. Check your travel and status history. Compare your entry and exit dates with your I-94 record. If you traveled while your I-485 was pending, know whether you reentered on your L-1A visa or on advance parole. If your L-1A will reach its seven-year limit before the interview, ask your attorney about relying on your pending I-485 and EAD instead.
3. Confirm your job offer is still valid. Check that your employment letter is up to date with what you actually do.
4. Practice describing your managerial or executive role. Be ready to explain in a few plain sentences what you manage, who reports to you, who you report to, and how the U.S. company is connected to the company abroad. Your answers should match your I-140. The employment history on your I-485 should also match the year of managerial or executive work abroad described in your I-140.
5. Prepare your spouse. If your spouse is applying with you, they'll need to attend and may be asked basic questions about your relationship and their own background.

Since May 18, 2026, USCIS generally no longer lets attorneys join field office interviews by phone or video. If you want your attorney there, they need to attend in person, so confirm their plans early.

What happens after the EB-1C interview?

Some applicants are approved within days of the interview. Others get a request for more documents, either at the interview or later through a Request for Evidence. For EB-1C applicants, that request may focus on the job offer, such as a new Supplement J, a recent employment letter, or proof that the U.S. company and the company abroad are still operating. USCIS may also continue or reschedule your interview, send a Notice of Intent to Deny that gives you a chance to respond, or deny the application.

Approval also requires an available visa number. If you were born in a country with an EB-1 backlog, you may wait after a successful interview until your priority date is current. During that wait, your job offer still needs to stay valid, so tell your attorney about any changes to your role or company.

If you or your employer have concerns about your case, such as a pending job change, a restructuring, or a request from USCIS, a Manifest immigration attorney can review your situation and help you plan your next step. Request a consultation to get your questions answered.

FAQ

How long does an EB-1C interview take?

Many applicants report short, routine interviews. Length still varies from case to case, depending on what aspects of the petition the officer wants to confirm.

Will the officer re-examine my managerial or executive duties?

Generally, no. USCIS already decided that your role qualifies when it approved your I-140. Still, to confirm that your job offer is still in place, the officer may ask about your role and about the company.

Does my employer need to attend?

No. USCIS requires you and any family members applying with you to attend, but not your employer.

Can I change jobs before my EB-1C interview?

It depends. If your I-485 has been pending for 180 days or more, job portability may let you move to a new job that's similar to the one in your I-140. Talk to your attorney before you change jobs, since the rules depend on your timing and the duties of the new role.

What if my interview is waived?

This is normal, and USCIS can decide your case without an interview. Your job offer still needs to stay valid until your I-485 is approved, and USCIS may still send a Request for Evidence, so keep your employment documents up to date and watch for notices on your case.