USCIS Announces Green Card Goals and Interfiling Guidelines
USCIS Announces Green Card Goals and Interfiling Guidelines
USCIS updated the Green Card for Employment-Based Immigrants page with an alert about green card processing, noting the “exceptionally high number” of visas available and the Department’s goal for using all visa numbers prior to the start of the new fiscal year on October 1, 2022. On the same page, USCIS also noted updated guidelines for requesting a transfer of underlying basis, also commonly known as “interfiling” for Form I-485. USCIS notes the requirements for requesting a transfer of basis and establishes an address to where the requests should be directed.
From USCIS:
ALERT: There are an exceptionally high number of employment-based visas available this fiscal year (October 2021 through September 2022).
There are an exceptionally high number of employment-based visas available this fiscal year (October 2021 through September 2022). In partnership with the U.S. Department of State, we are committed to attempting to use all these visa numbers. There are many more visas available in the first (priority workers) and second (workers with advanced degrees or of exceptional ability) employment-based categories than pending adjustment of status applications pending with USCIS.
If you are eligible, please consider applying in the first or second employment-based preference categories. If you have a pending adjustment of status application based in the third employment-based preference category but also have a pending or approved petition and an available visa in the second employment-based preference category, we strongly encourage you to request that USCIS “transfer the underlying basis” of your pending application to the second employment-based preference category.
For more information, please see the section called “Transfer of Underlying Basis” below.
Transfer of Underlying Basis
You may be eligible to request to transfer the underlying basis of your Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, to a different employment-based immigrant category based on another Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers. USCIS may, in its discretion, grant a transfer request, if:
- You have continuously maintained eligibility for adjustment of status;
- Your adjustment of status application based on the original Form I-140 is still pending;
- You are eligible for the new immigrant category; and
- You have a visa immediately available in the new immigrant category.
You must request in writing that USCIS transfer your pending Form I-485 from one basis to another category. For Fiscal Year 2022, USCIS has created a new point of contact that should be used to request a transfer of the underlying basis of employment-based Form I-485s. Through September 30, 2022, you may submit your written request, with a completed I-485 Supplement J, Confirmation of Bona Fide Job Offer or Request for Job Portability Under INA Section 204(j)(if required), to the following address:
U. S. Department of Homeland Security
USCIS Western Forms Center
10 Application Way
Montclair, CA 91763-1350
USCIS strongly encourages applicants to send their transfer requests to the above address. If you have already submitted a transfer of underlying basis request to a USCIS office, you should not submit a new request to this address. All requests to transfer the underlying basis already received or that will be received this fiscal year at a USCIS office will be processed as usual by the USCIS office with jurisdiction over your pending Form I-485.
The purpose of the Supplement J is to confirm the validity of the job offered to you in the petition you want to use as the basis for your transfer request.
- If you are requesting to transfer your underlying basis to a previously filed and approved Form I-140, you must submit I-485 Supplement J with your transfer request.
- If you are requesting to transfer your underlying basis to a Form I-140 that remains pending, you do not need to submit I-485 Supplement J.
USCIS does not provide a written response to transfer requests. However, USCIS will issue receipt notices for the Supplement J.
You do not have to submit a new adjustment of status application or filing fee with a request to transfer the underlying basis of your Form I-485 from one petition to another. For more information on transferring the underlying basis of your Form I-485, see theUSCIS Policy Manual.
NOTE: If you are requesting a transfer of underlying basis that is not a transfer from one employment-based petition to another employment-based petition, you should continue to submit your transfer request, in writing, to the USCIS office with jurisdiction over your pending application.
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