If you receive a white paper after your marriage-based or employment-based green card interview, you’re not alone. If the USCIS officer told you your case is being held for review and you should wait up to 120 days, your first thought is probably “Did I get denied?” Well, the answer is that this is not always the case. Watch the video or continue reading to discover what the white paper after a USCIS interview means.
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What Does the White Paper After An Interview Mean?
Even if everything goes well, many marriage green card and employment-based green card cases are not approved immediately.
So why does USCIS hold your case for additional review?
1. Supervisor Review
One common reason is supervisor review. Some USCIS immigration officers need supervisors to review and approve the file before final decisions are issued, especially if the case is more complex or if the officer wants a second opinion.
2. Background check
Another reason is simply due to a pending background or security check. USCIS cannot approve your green card until after all required security clearances are completed. Sometimes those checks simply are not finished by the day of your interview.
3. Information Verification
In other cases, the interviewing officer may want to verify certain information. Perhaps there was a small inconsistency about your travel history, employment, address, or something discussed during the interview. That doesn’t automatically mean there’s a problem or that there’s something wrong with your case.
Officers may simply need additional time to confirm the facts.
4. Inadmissability
In some cases, USCIS may need to do additional legal review if something relates to inadmissibility on your Adjustment of Status application, such as prior immigration history or another issue that requires a closer look.
Occasionally, they may want to review additional evidence about your marriage or employment before making the final decision.
How to Check the Case Status After Receiving a White Paper
If you receive a white paper following your interview, you can follow the case status using the USCIS case status portal.
White Paper After USCIS Interview – Key Takeaways
The important takeaway to remember is that the white paper is not a denial. Don’t panic, it simply means USCIS needs more time before making the final decision.