If the approval follows an interview, the INS will stamp the applicant s passport with an indication that they are a US permanent resident. If there is no interview, the applicant will receive a notice that the application has been approved, which they can take to a local INS office and obtain the stamp. A few months later, they will receive the green card. Choosing Between Consular Processing and Adjusting Status Deciding whether to pursue consular processing or adjusting status can be a difficult choice. The chief advantage of consular processing is speed.
Consular processing is generally much faster than adjusting status.
Adjusting status has several advantages. First, processing can take place with no traveling abroad. Also, the applicant can work while waiting for processing to take place. Finally, processing in the US means that potential bars on reentry can be avoided that might prevent consular processing. The question often arises over whether it is possible to pursue BOTH consular processing and adjustment of status simultaneously.