How to prepare for a marriage-based immigration interview
First and foremost, congratulations on getting married! We hope you have enjoyed your special day, went on a honeymoon, and had enough rest. If you or your spouse is a foreign national who needs to obtain a US permanent residence based on marriage to a US citizen or US permanent resident, we have covered Form I-485, Adjustment of Status, and other important steps in other blogs. This article will discuss the I 130 interview process. As you may know, the green card interview is the last step in the marriage-based process, and thus, you need to ensure that you are well prepared for the questions immigration officers will ask during the green card interview. Once all your or your spouse’s I 130 and I 485 forms have been submitted to USCIS, you should anticipate USCIS to invite you and your spouse to the joint interview approximately a year later (depending on USCIS backlog).
Many applicants tend to stress about the interview experience, but if you work with our immigration attorneys, we will help you prepare for an immigration interview and go with confidence.
Before we dive in, we want to emphasize that there are two types of marriage-based interviews.
The first green card interview occurs when your Form I-130 and Form I-485 get adjudicated. The second interview, the I-751 removal of conditions interview, may or may not happen depending on certain circumstances.
First, if you have been married less than two years at the I-485 interview and your green card is approved, you will receive a conditional green card valid for two years. Therefore, you will be required to file an I-751 petition to remove conditions in two years before your green card expires. Thus, the final stage of the I-751 petition adjudication is the joint interview. However, under recent policy changes, USCIS has the discretion to waive the I-751 interview if they have enough evidence to determine that it was a legitimate marriage. Therefore, it is essential to submit a strong I-751 petition with plenty of evidence of bona fide marriage to help the officer determine that the I-751 interview is unnecessary.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR MARRIAGE-BASED GREEN CARD INTERVIEW EXPERIENCE
Immigration green card interview questions depend on many variables: USCIS officer, the clarity of your case, the amount and quality of submitted evidence, your answers, and much more. Every case is different, and while it would be impossible to predict a complete list of marriage based green card USCIS interview questions and answers, we can help you understand what to expect from the interview.
We encourage you not to get overwhelmed because we will provide you with general instructions and helpful tips on addressing interview questions for a green card through marriage.
First and foremost, we recommend you review the USCIS interview notice letter carefully and carefully follow its instructions.
DOCUMENTS TO BRING TO THE GREEN CARD INTERVIEW
At a minimum, you should expect to bring the following documents to the marriage-based adjustment of status interview:
- A government-issued photo identification (e.g. valid passport, driver’s license)
- Appointment notice for your I 485 interview
- A complete copy of your adjustment of status application package (i.e. copies of all forms and supporting documents you submitted to USCIS)
- Your passport and original birth certificate (with a certified English translation if it’s in a foreign language)
- Your original marriage certificate (with a certified English translation if it’s in a foreign language)
- Name change documents, if applicable
- Any documents that USCIS issued, such as Employment Authorization Card and Travel Parole
- Doctor’s report from your required medical examination on Form I-693 (if you did not submit this report with the adjustment of status application)
- Any new evidence of bona fide marriage that you collected after submitting the adjustment of status application (newly filed joint taxes, joint bank statements, proof of continuous joint residence, joint travel, recent photographs, etc.)
- Updated documents for the Affidavit of Support, Form I-864, such as the US petitioner’s recent federal tax returns, paystubs, and other proof of employment such as an employment confirmation letter
As mentioned earlier, please carefully read the USCIS appointment notice as it outlines the list of documents you are required to bring with you.
THE PROCESS OF GREEN CARD INTERVIEW FOR MARRIED COUPLES
We advise you to arrive at the interview site at least 15 minutes before the scheduled time. Although the formal dress code is not required, the appropriate clothes reflect your respect and attitude toward the whole process and the immigration officer.
The USCIS officer will swear you in and confirm your identity. The officer will likely request you to submit any copies of documents you brought to the interview, such as recent joint financial statements, tax returns, photos, etc.
In addition, the officer will likely want to confirm some of your answers from the I 130 and I 485 forms. Therefore, we encourage you to review a copy of your case and refresh your memory. After that, the officer may ask you questions about your relationship, courtship, engagement, wedding, and your life together.
I-485 MARRIAGE BASED GREEN CARD INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
While USCIS does not publish the list of questions they may ask you, based on the experience of our clients, we know what to expect.
First and foremost, the USCIS officer will briefly go over your case and ask you questions from the Form I 485 and Form I 130. Therefore, we encourage you to review the full copy of your case and refresh your memory on the information found there.
As for the interview questions for a green card through marriage sample, the USCIS officer may ask you anything relevant to your relationship, which could include a wide variety of topics and questions.
I 485 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS SAMPLE
- How, when and where did you meet your spouse?
- When did you get married?
- In what city did you get married?
- Are both spouses’ salaries deposited into the same bank account?
- Have you met each other’s parents?
- What are each of your parent’s names?
- Who pays the rent/mortgage? How is it paid?
- What size of bed do you and your spouse have?
- If you had a celebration, what food/beverages were served?
- When did you and your spouse move in together?
- What is your spouse’s work schedule?
- What does your spouse do for a living?
- What are the names of your pets?
- What are the names of your siblings?
- What are the names of your best friends?
- Where did your spouse go to school/college?
As you can see, some questions are broad and general, while others are very specific. It is USCIS’ normal practice to test you and your spouse’s knowledge about each other and your life together.
DO YOU NEED AN IMMIGRATION LAWYER TO PREPARE FOR A MARRIAGE BASED GREEN CARD INTERVIEW?
We recommend at least talking to an immigration lawyer to understand all the risks and prepare for the green card interview to the best of your ability. Even if you choose not to hire an immigration lawyer to accompany you to the green card interview, it will give you a chance to understand better what to expect from the process. If you feel overwhelmed or confused, Victoria Kuzmina can answer your I 485 marriage based interview questions during a flat-fee consultation.
The Law Offices of Victoria V. Kuzmina provide US Immigration services to clients in 50 states and worldwide. If you need help or have questions about an immigration matter, please contact us by phone or email to set up a consultation with our immigration attorney.