URGENT: USCIS and Consular Affairs are scheduling interviews with short notice

EAD Holders Need to Report to Work Immediately

Immigration attorneys and clients across the United States in all visa categories are reporting a surge of USCIS and Consular interview notices with short time frames for the interview. Our clients and others are reporting interview notices requiring them to interview within a week or even a few days.

Both Consular Affairs for the U.S. Department of State and USCIS have increased their staffing and are attempting to conduct as many interviews as possible because of their extensive backlogs of cases and also fear of any future variant that may disrupt their operations.

For AOS Only: Many of these interview notices with only a week notice for the interview are requiring individuals to bring one to two months of pay stubs from their employer. Therefore, it is URGENT that if you have an EAD card that you should immediately report to work. USCIS can deny your I-485 application if they see that you have an EAD card and never reported to work on the grounds that they do not believe you will work in the job that sponsored you. Interview notices can be received at any time and if you go to your interview having had an EAD but did not go to work, that can be the basis of a denial.

For Consular Only: Some of the interview notices require an interview before an applicant is able to complete their medical exam. Consular Affairs is well aware of the difficulties in obtaining a medical exam and should your interview occur before you can obtain a medical exam, Consular Affairs will place your case in administrative processing until you receive your medical exam results (which you will mail to the US Embassy or Consulate that interviewed you).