Marriage based Green Card interview questions

Attending the marriage-based Green Card interview questions for residence by marriage constitutes a crucial stage in the process to obtain the Green Card by marriage.

At Curbelo Law, we extend our congratulations to both you and your spouse for joining in marriage and moving forward on the path to legalization in the United States. Now that you have reached this stage, it is time to prepare for the interview with USCIS officials to avoid making potential mistakes.

What is the Marriage-based Green Card interview questions?

The marriage-based Green Card interview questions is an evaluation conducted by USCIS to verify the authenticity of the marriage. This occurs after the spouses have submitted the following:

1. Form I-130 , petition for alien relative, and
2. Form I-485, Application for Adjustment of Status.

After this, the couple must attend the evaluation at a USCIS office. They will receive a notice that will specify the date and time of the interview, which is usually scheduled three months in advance.

What Happens In The Marriage-based Green Card interview questions?

During these interviews, a USCIS officer will look for evidence that supports the authenticity of the marriage. Therefore, the answers to the questions asked will be carefully analyzed. 

The couple must respond with confidence. Additionally, to identify possible inconsistencies, they can be asked to answer some questions separately.

If you have doubts about your ability to provide satisfactory answers, we advise you to consult with our immigration attorney before the interview, Carolina T. Curbelo.

Frequently Asked Questions In 2024 during the Marriage-Based Green Card Interview 

The following questions will help you prepare and convince the officer of the veracity of your marriage. However, keep in mind that these questions are a very rough example of the possible questions you may be asked; However, these are not the official ones (since there is no “official” list available for aliens). That said, let’s look at the questions divided by their themes.

Remember: DON’T LIE! Lying constitutes fraud. There are serious penalties for committing marriage fraud and therefore, it is essential to tell the truth.

Basic Information

• What is your full legal name?
• Current address?
• Phone number?
• Email?
• What other names have you had before (any aliases, maiden surnames, nicknames and other names that are legal)?
• Did you change your name? What was the previous one? Why did you do it?
• When did you start living at your current physical address?
• Have you ever, as a couple, physically lived together?

Family related

• Where do you currently live? Do you live in their parents’ house?
• Did your parents or friends approve of the marriage? 
• When did you meet each other’s parents?
• What do your parents think about your relationship? 
• How do you get along with your in-laws?
• What was your father’s last name?
• What was your mother’s maiden name?
• Have you given or received gifts?
• How often do you visit or go see your in-laws?
• When was the last time you saw your in-laws?
• With which other family members do you have frequent contact?
• If you have children, who takes care of them?
• Who is the person who takes care of them when the parents are out of the house?
• Who feeds them most of the time or puts them to bed?
• What is your child’s favorite food, toy, or story?
• Do your children go to the toilet alone?
• Do they use an extra seat in the car?
• Does your spouse have siblings? If so, what are their names and ages?
• Where do your spouse’s closest relatives live?
• Have you met your spouse’s family? If so, describe the circumstances under which he met.
• Do you have unmarried children under 18 years of age?

Employment

• Where do you work?
• What kind of work does your spouse do?
• Did you meet at work?
• What is your spouse’s salary?
• Do you want to work on something else?
• Have you visited your spouse’s home or work?
• What were your previous jobs?
• When did you work at each previous job?
• Did you resign or were you fired? Reason?
• When did you start working at your current job?
• Where else have you worked in the last five years?
• Where and when did you last work outside the United States?
• What was your job title at your last job outside the U. S?
• Are you currently unemployed or were you unemployed at any time during the last five years?
• Have you filed an Affidavit of Support (Form I-864) for anyone else before? If so, how many times?

Questions About The Romantic Relationship

• Where did you meet?
  • Where did you meet your spouse?
• When did you fall in love?
  • When did you fall in love with your spouse?
• What do you two have in common?
• How long did it take before you decided to get married?
• Who proposed who?
• Why did you decide to have a long-term commitment?
• Who chose the ring?
• Where did you go on your dates?
• Where was your first date?
• Did you live together before marriage?
• Why did you decide to have a commitment?
• Did you give your spouse a ring when you proposed?
• Where were they when he proposed?
• What attracted you to your spouse?
• Where did you and your spouse go on your second date?
• When was the second time you met?
• Did you make arrangements to meet again?
• Where did you live at that time? 
• Where and with whom did your spouse live when you met your spouse?
• Could you describe the first meeting?
• Who introduced you to your spouse?
• When and where did you get married?
• Were you previously married?
• Besides your current marriage, how many other times have you been married?
• What are the names of your previous spouses?
• When did your marriage to each previous spouse end?
• What activities did you do together when you were dating?
• Do you remember the moment when you went from being friends to being boyfriends?
• Who decided it was a good idea to get married?
• What activities did you do together when you were dating?
• What is your spouse’s date of birth?
• Which is your favorite color? 
• What is your favorite animal?

Wedding related Questions

• Where was the wedding held?
• How many people attended the wedding?
• Did all your parents attend?
• Was there music or other entertainment?
• What type of cake was served?
• Who was present from each of the families?
• How long did the guests stay?
• How long did the reception last?
• Did someone get drunk? Who?
• Describe the ceremony and banquet. Something out of the ordinary?
• Did you have a moment of embarrassment during the reception?
• Did the bride change her clothes for the reception?
• Who were the bridesmaids or groomsmen?
• Did they serve liquor? What kind of liquor?
• Do you remember what was served to eat and drink?
• How was the menu decided?
• Who chose the menu?
• Who paid for the banquet?
• Did any of your closest guests not show up?
• What time did you and your boyfriend/girlfriend leave the reception?
• Did they go on their honeymoon? When they left? How did they get there? What airline did they use?
• Where was the honeymoon?
• Why did you decide that destination?

Common Life

• Which of the two usually gets up earlier and at what time?
• Who makes breakfast?
• Who makes lunch or dinner?
• Who buys food?
• Who washes the dishes?
• Who irons in the house?
• Where do you keep your winter clothing?
• What is your spouse’s favorite decoration?
• What decoration does your spouse hate?
• How many times a week do you go running outside?
• What was the last movie or series you watched together?
• What color are the curtains on each window in the property?
• What appliances are in the kitchen?
• What color is the double bed?
• Do you have television in the bedroom?
• What is your spouse’s favorite pajamas?
• What side of the bed do they sleep on?
• What type of shampoo or toothpaste does your spouse use?
• What type of contraceptives do they use?
• When did the wife have her last menstruation?
• When is everyone’s birthday?
• What celebrations were recently celebrated in your home?
• What is your spouse’s favorite television show?
• What is your spouse’s favorite station?
• How many cars do you have?
• How many landlines are there in the home?
• What is the internet or cable service you have?
• How many televisions are there in the property and where are they located?
• What magazines do you read?
• What cable subscription do you have?
• Do you live in a flat or house?
• How much do you pay for your home mortgage?
• If there are pets, who walks them or takes them to the vet and what are their names?

Kitchen

• Do you have a barbecue grill? Do you use it?
• Do you have a gas or electric stove?
• How many times a week do you eat out?
• What is your spouse’s favorite restaurant?
• What are your spouse’s favorite foods? 
• What is your spouse’s least favorite food?
• Do you eat a specific food each week?
• Where do you buy food?
• Who does most of the cooking and who does most of the shopping? 

Immigration

• What other nationalities do you have or have you had in the past?
• Do you have a passport or travel document?
• Were you previously in the United States, were any of your U. S. visas lost or stolen?
• Have you ever had a problem with immigration matters?
• Is there a particular place that you visit sometimes?
• What is the name recorded on your I-94 form? 
• What is your immigration status according to I-94? 
• Could you please provide your passport number?
• What is your travel document number?
• What is the expiration date of your passport or travel document?
• Do you have an alien registration number (A-Number)?
• Do you have a United States Social Security Number, if so, what is it?
• What is your ID card number?

Finances

• What is your and your spouse’s current annual income in the U. S?
• Are there other people (siblings, parents, or adult children) who contribute their income to financially support your spouse?
• Do you decide to include your assets with your paycheck to meet the income requirements for a marriage-based Green Card?
• What is the total value of your assets?
• Have you filed any federal tax returns for each of the past years?
• Do any of your children claim anyone else as a dependent on their tax returns? 

About Your Medical History

• Do you have documented proof of the vaccines you have received?
• Do you have a disease that is a public health problem?
• Do you have a mental or physical disorder that could harm you or others?
• Have you ever been addicted to or abused drugs?
• How are you feeling right now?

Education

• What dates did you go to school?
• What was your subject of study at school?
• Have you ever attended a high school or higher education institution? 
• What is the name and address of the school?
• Did you receive a diploma or degree from school? 
• What is your title?

Other Questions Asked By USCIS

USCIS will require certain additional information, which will not affect the outcome of your application. However, this information is intended to better understand your case.

It should be noted that these questions do not seek to discriminate you, as we said, it is to complete the database according to your respective physical attributes. These questions are:

• What is your gender?
• How tall are you?
• How much do you weigh?
• What color are your eyes?
• What is your race? You must specify if it is:
  • White.
  • African American.
  • Asian.
  • Alaska Native.
  • Native of Hawaii. 
  • Native of another Pacific island. 
  • Others.

What Happens After The Marriage based Green Card interview questions?

Generally, there are 5 possible outcomes following the marriage immigration interview. These are:

1. Approval. 
2. Denial. 
3. Request for Evidence (RFE).
4. Additional review.
5. Stokes interview.

The outcome of the interview will depend on the USCIS officer’s criteria to determine that the application is strong enough to:

1. Approve the immigrant visa, or 
2. Lawful permanent residence. 

As if that were not enough, it is possible that USCIS considers the marriage to be fraudulent, which could lead to the immediate denial of the application. However, before issuing an unfavorable result for the spouses, they will generally have an opportunity to submit more evidence or clarify detected problems.

Biometric Services Appointment

8 CFR 103.2 (b)(9) requires applicants to attend a biometric services appointment after applying for a Green Card. This will be for them to provide the following information:

• Fingerprints, 
• Photographs, and 
• Signatures required.

Applicants will receive prior notice of their appointment (Form I-797C). Said notification includes: 

1. Date, 
2. Location, and 
3. Appointment time at a local Application Support Center (ASC).

The purpose of this appointment is to verify the identity of the applicants. In addition, carrying out the necessary background and security checks.

During the appointment, USCIS requires individuals to confirm that the petition submitted is complete, accurate, and correct. This will be done through a digital signature.

How Long Does It Take To Receive The Marriage-Based Green Card?

After the interview for the marriage-based Green Card, all that remains is to wait for approval from USCIS. It should be noted that there is no defined deadline, so the notification may arrive weeks later. 

Once approved, the passport will be received back with the conditional Green Card. This will allow the immigrant spouse to meet the requirements to enter the United States as a lawful permanent resident. 

Either way, applicants can check the status of their case with USCIS on their website .

What Is The Cost Of The Marriage-Based Green Card?

Applying for a Green Card based on marriage has certain filing costs:

• Form I-130: $535.
• Form I-864: May have a fee of $120.
• I-485 application: $1,140.
• Form DS-260: $325.
• Biometric services: $85.
• Form DS-261: $325.

Adding all this data, the total cost of the lawful resident card would be approximately $2,530.  

It is possible that depending on the scenario, it may become even more crucial to hire the services of an immigration lawyer. On our blog, you can find information about how much an immigration lawyer costs. However, you can consult our firm directly for more details.

What Documents Do I Need For Marriage-Based Green Card Interview Questions?

Among the documents required to apply for a Green Card based on marriage are:

• Petition for a foreign relative (U. S. family based-immigration – Form I-130)
• Form I-864, Affidavit of Financial Support.
• Form I-765, application for employment authorization (optional).
• Form I-131, application for travel document.
• Application for permanent residence registration.
• Form I-693, immigration medical examination report and immunization record.

Are you looking for more information about the requirements for petitioning to bring your spouse? Read our blog: “How do I bring my foreign spouse to the U. S.”

How To Pass The Interview To Obtain The Marriage Green Card

1. Arrive on time: We recommend arriving at least 45 minutes to an hour before your scheduled appointment. Take the time to park your vehicle, go through security, and find the interview location.
2. Dress correctly: Approach the marriage based Green Card interview as if you were going to a job interview, be respectful about the way you dress.
3. Prepare carefully the documents you are going to bring: Make sure to organize all your identity documents and all original documents in a folder. Do not put holes in your original documents. All original documents must be placed on protective plastic sheets.
4. Speak up when told by the officer: Otherwise, keep your mouth shut. Don’t speak when it’s not your turn. Do not answer for your spouse if the question is directed at your spouse.
5. Listen carefully: Listen carefully to the questions the USCIS officer asks you before responding.
6. You may need an interpreter: If your interview requires the services of an interpreter, make sure the interpreter has time to translate before responding. If the interpreter is unclear or does not understand the translation, be sure to tell the interpreter or official.
7. Make no assumptions: This is not the SAT test or a standard test. There is no merit in guessing facts or details of life. And don’t make up facts! Stick to reality, if not, you will be in serious trouble.
8. Never memorize things: It is best to never memorize things. If you do not remember a detail or fact by heart, tell the officer that “I do not remember.”
9. Do not argue with the officer: If you think the interview is not going as you would like or that the officer is not understanding you properly, be respectful.
   1. Please note that the officer will not make the decision instantly.
   2. The officer may determine that he/she needs more information or documentation before making a decision.
   3. The officer may need to recheck the file depending on the answers you and your spouse provided during the interview.

What Happens If I Answer The Questions Wrong?

Couples can usually get things wrong when answering the marriage-based Green card interview questions. In fact, it is very common and happens mostly because couples forget the moments they have lived or specific details about those.

Either way, the officer in charge will ask you more questions in case you or your partner makes a mistake. However, you don’t have to be extremely relaxed either. For example, if you get common sense questions wrong, such as how many children you have (if any), the officer might suspect marriage fraud.

Is There An Official List Of Marriage Residency Questions That The Officer Will Ask A Couple?

There is no specific list of questions for residency by marriage. Therefore, these will be completely random, in addition to the fact that they are not available to the public. This does not mean that the ones we show you here are a very real approximation and some may even arise.

This is done in order to avoid marriage fraud and thus ensure that the married couple is in good faith.

How Many Questions About Marriage Will The Officer Ask Me?

Typically the number of questions the officer asks about your marriage depends on the relationship you have with your partner. Therefore, if the officer is suspicious, the number of questions will be greater.

If the marriage is real and well demonstrated, the number of questions may be much less.

Curbelo Law Helps You Understand And Be Prepared For Your Marriage Interview

Our immigration attorneys are experts in marriage-based Green Card interview questions. Therefore, they will be able to provide you with all the advice you need for this process.

The Curbelo Law law firm in Ridgewood, New Jersey, has more than 10 years of experience in all types of immigration procedures for the legalization of immigrants in the U. S. 

Call us today and get a personalized consultation on the requirements to fulfill to marry a citizen, lawful permanent resident in the U. S, or any immigration relief.