The Legal Brief: Is Adjustment of Status Impacted by the 75 Countries Immigrant Visa Processing Pause?

Today’s brief is brought to you by Nicole Gunara, principal immigration lawyer at Manifest, who has more than seven years of experience and over 17,000 cases filed.

A few weeks ago, the State Department announced an immigrant visa processing freeze affecting applicants from 75 countries. That policy primarily impacted people applying for a Green Card outside the United States, through a U.S. consulate or embassy abroad.

Now, attorneys and applicants are reporting on social media that domestic Green Card interviews are also being canceled for nationals of those same 75 countries.

For many applicants, the interview is the final step before receiving a Green Card through adjustment of status inside the U.S.

If these reports are accurate, it suggests the impact may be broader than initially understood, and that people pursuing Green Cards from within the United States could be affected as well, including through last-minute interview cancellations by USCIS.

Why we may be seeing cancelled appointments

When the government rolls out new vetting procedures, Green Card processing can slow down, sometimes without warning or a public announcement. Immigration officers may need to receive additional training on how to apply new guidance, review new types of forms, or flag issues that require additional scrutiny.

We saw a version of this in December, when thousands of H-1B visa appointments were suddenly canceled as the Department of State took time to implement additional social media vetting procedures.

Something similar may be happening here. In this instance, USCIS officers may be receiving updated instruction on how to identify potential public charge concerns, or how to apply expanded screening steps tied to increased vetting. 

That possibility is especially relevant given that the State Department’s immigrant visa processing freeze reportedly targeted nationals from 75 countries that the government has deemed higher risk for public charge concerns.

Based on what attorneys and applicants are reporting online, this kind of internal retraining or procedural shift may help explain why some adjustment of status interviews are being canceled for nationals of these same 75 countries. 

USCIS has not issued an official announcement confirming the reason, and it’s possible multiple factors are at play, including retraining, new screening protocols, or internal workload changes.

But any of those developments could lead USCIS to temporarily pause or reschedule select Green Card interviews while the agency adjusts its internal processes.

What this means for Green Card applicants from the 75 countries

If you’re eligible to file Form I-485, we’re still advising our clients from these 75 countries to move forward with submitting their adjustment of status application to USCIS. At this time, USCIS has not stopped accepting Green Card applications or announced any formal policy change affecting eligibility.

Until we receive official guidance, your ability to apply for permanent residence from within the U.S. remains the same.

If you’re already in the process of becoming a permanent U.S. resident, it’s wise to maintain your underlying nonimmigrant status while your I-485 remains pending. While a pending I-485 can provide a legal basis to remain in the United States during the process, keeping valid underlying status can help protect you if your case is delayed, denied, or otherwise interrupted.

Maintaining a valid status beyond your pending I-485 may also reduce risk if you need to travel or make other major life decisions while your application is still in progress.

Final thoughts

USCIS has not publicly confirmed why some adjustment of status interviews appear to be getting canceled for nationals from these 75 countries. But if the reports are accurate, the trend may signal a broader shift in how certain Green Card cases are being screened and scheduled.

If you’re affected, the most important thing is not to panic, but to plan. Continue filing if you’re eligible, maintain your underlying status where possible, and be prepared for delays at the interview stage. 

We’ll keep tracking this closely and share updates as they become available. 

Sincerely