At Takhsh Law, P.C., we understand the importance of being prepared for a Green Card marriage interview. The Green Card marriage interview is one of the most important steps in the process of obtaining a Green Card (a/k/a Legal Permanent Resident Card), and it is essential to have all the necessary information and documentation readily available for submission. We have compiled a list of common questions that may be asked during a Green Card marriage interview to help our clients be better prepared. We hope that this post will provide valuable insight into what to expect during the interview and how best to answer the questions so that your application can be approved as expeditiously as possible.
What is a Green Card Marriage Interview?
A Green Card marriage interview is an interview conducted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to determine the bona fide nature of a marriage, namely whether the marriage is genuine. The purpose of the interview, therefore, is to verify that the couple has a legitimate relationship and that the marriage was not entered into solely for immigration purposes. During the interview, the USCIS officer will ask questions about the couple’s relationship, including how they met, their wedding ceremony, their daily routines, and other such details about their relationship. Additionally, the USCIS officer will most certainly ask for evidence of cohabitation (living together) and comingling of funds (sharing money), such as joint bank statements and shared bills. It is important to be prepared for this interview and answer all questions truthfully in order to ensure that your application process is processed smoothly.
What to Bring to Marriage Green Card Interview
Preparing for the Green Card marriage interview is the key to a success outcome. During the interview, the USCIS officer will ask you and your spouse a series of questions to determine if your marriage is real. You should be prepared to answer questions about your relationship and provide evidence that it is genuine. It is important to be honest and provide accurate information during the interview because, contrary to popular belief, the government can very easily determine the truthfulness of the information you provide. USCIS officers often ask for additional evidence such as photos of the couple with friends and family that demonstrate the relationship is genuine. Bringing a photo album to the interview or having a sub-folder on your smartphone dedicated to your relationship would go a long way to helping the USCIS officer make a favorable decision. As such, being prepared and providing clear, truthful and transparent answers can help ensure that the interview is a positive experience and that you are approved for legal permanent residence in the United States.
Marriage-Based Green Card Interview Questions
What Questions Will Be Asked? During the interview, the USCIS officer will ask questions to determine if the marriage is genuine and not just a way for the applicant to gain immigration benefits. During a Green Card marriage interview, the following types of questions are typically asked:
- Questions about your relationship: How and where you met, how long you’ve known each other, details about your daily life, etc.
- Questions about personal information: Your full name, birth date, address, and other biographical information.
- Questions about your spouse’s immigration history: Entry and exit dates, previous visas, and other relevant details.
- Questions about any past marriages: Any prior divorces or annulments, and details about those relationships.
- Questions about employment and finances: Your current and previous jobs, educational background, and financial situation.
- Questions about your knowledge of each other: How well you know your spouse’s family, friends, hobbies, etc.
- Questions to verify the genuineness of the marriage: How you communicate with each other, how you make decisions, how and with whom you celebrate holidays and birthdays, etc.
These are just some examples of the types of questions that may be asked during the course of a marriage-based Green Card interview. The specific questions asked may vary depending on the individual case. Takhsh Law, P.C. focuses on helping individuals who are looking for assistance with their marriage based green card interview. Our experienced immigration attorneys will provide you with the necessary guidance and resources to ensure that your interview is adjudicated as smoothly as possible. We will help you prepare for the interview by providing you with a comprehensive list of questions that you may be asked during the interview, as well as tips and strategies on how to answer them in a way that will best demonstrate your eligibility for a Green Card—but truth and transparency should always be your north star. Additionally, our attorneys can provide legal representation during the actual interview, if needed. With our guidance, you will feel confident that your marriage-based Green Card application will be approved.
Watch this interview with Alen Takhsh about Marriage Based Green Card Interviews
Marriage-Based Green Card Interview – What to expect?
We have provided a transcription of this video, below.
Hey, everyone. Thanks for joining me. My name is Alan Takhsh, an immigration attorney from Chicago. I’ve been doing this line of work for over ten years, helping individuals and families maneuver their respective immigration journeys.
Today we’re going to talk about the marriage based (green card) adjustment of status interview. The interview causes a lot of concern and anxiety for many people because they don’t know what to expect, how it’s going to go. And so this video is intended to demystify some aspects of the process. First of all, by now you have filed your case. You have potentially obtained your work and travel authorization card and patiently waiting to receive your interview date.
So you get the notice in the mail. Usually the government is going to give you about 30 to 45 days in order to prepare for the interview. On the day of the interview, you will present yourself, along with your spouse, to the field office that schedule your interview. You’re going to be called in. You’re going to go inside.
You’re going to remain standing, raise your right hand, swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. The beneficiary is going to be, obviously, the person that is seeking the immigration benefit. And so the focus of the interview will be on him or her. The officer is really concerned about one thing and one thing only, and that is to determine whether the relationship is real. And so you have submitted tons of evidence to prove that the relationship is real.
You provided leases, bank statements, credit card statements, utility bills, photos. You name it, you’ve submitted it. And so you’re feeling pretty good. But the officer is still keen on asking you some questions, personal questions sometimes, in order to determine the veracity of your statements, the veracity of your supporting evidence. What are those questions?
Well, how did you meet? Where did you meet? Have you met her parents? Has she met yours? What was the last movie that you watched together?
Where did you go on vacation last? What side of the bed do you sleep on? Things like that. Sometimes, depending on the personality of the officer, the interview could be as short as ten to 15 minutes, although rare sometimes. Again, depending on the personality of the officer, the interview could be as long as 45 minutes to an hour.
I would say that 80% of our interviews at our office are usually about 30 to 40 minutes, because that is generally a good amount of time during which the officer is going to be able to determine whether a relationship is real. And so, as you’re preparing for the interview, what I always recommend my clients do is to role play, ask each other questions. It could be fun. You learn a lot about each other, things that you may not have known, things that don’t come up every day, but at the same time, remember, this is not an exam. You can’t really quote unquote prepare for it.
Because you either know her or you don’t. She either knows you or she doesn’t. And so be yourselves. That is single handedly the most important piece of advice I can give you. Be natural.
Be yourselves. Have faith in your relationship. You’ve come this far. And so take heart. Prepare and remember.
Everything will be fine. Take care.
