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What To Expect At A Green Card Interview

October 25, 2009 by Todays Immigration  
Filed under Green Card

green-card-interview-med2If you or your spouse (or spouse-to-be) is trying to achieve resident status in the United States, you will eventually have to undergo a green card interview. Like so many parts of the bureaucratic processes behind getting a green card, the green card interview has very stringent requirements and you will have to be as prepared as possible if you want things to go smoothly. A huge part of being prepared for this interview is having an idea about what to expect. By doing a bit of research and familiarizing yourself with some of the immigration interview questions you might be asked, you can be better prepared.

What Green Card Interview Questions Might Be Asked?

When preparing for their green card interview, most people naturally wonder what kinds of questions they can expect to be asked. The first thing that has to be noted is that there is no exact set of questions that are asked for every single interview. The green card process generally varies a bit from situation to situation, and your specific circumstances will play a large role in the types of questions that get asked of you. The questioner may ask you about many different things, including:

•  your work history and current work situation
•  what kinds of things you are interested in – i.e., hobbies or pastimes that you enjoy
•  how you met your spouse or fiance
•  what plans you and your spouse or fiance have for the future
•  specific questions regarding the veracity of undergoing the green card process
•  just about any question pertaining to your life and your relationship

Although some of the questions that are posed at the green card interview might not seem relevant, you need to understand that the interviewer’s job is to determine whether or not your marriage is genuine, or whether it has been strictly undertaken to get a green card. The consular officer who will be asking you and your spouse or fiance these questions is doing so in order to get a feel for how honest you are, and will be paying careful attention to whether there are any discrepancies in your story.

If you or your spouse answer questions posed during the green card interview in a contradictory way, the consular officer may become concerned and may ask even more pointed questions. It is critical to answer every question as honestly and openly as possible; being deceptive can backfire in a really big way. When you apply for a green card, you are making a promise that the marriage you’ve entered it to has been done in good faith. The USCIS works to protect its interests – and the interests of the United States government – by weeding out situations where a marriage has been entered in to strictly for the purpose of getting a green card.

How To Be Prepared For Your Green Card Interview

In addition to being willing to answer any and all questions that are posed to you in an open and honest manner, you’ll want to make sure that you bring along the right documentation for the process. When your interview was first arranged, you should have been informed of which documents to bring with you on the day in question. Make sure you go back over the list before heading out for your interview, so that you have everything you’ll need. Failing to bring a single document can seriously delay the green card process – and might even jeopardize your chances for success altogether.

What To Bring To Your Green Card Interview

The following is a general list of the kinds of things you’ll probably be asked to bring to your interview. Make sure that you inquire with your local office, however, to make sure that you have what they specifically require. Some of the most common things required at a green card interview include:

•  birth certificates
•  a marriage certificate, if applicable
•  your green card appointment letter
•  two front view – and recent – photographs
•  a passport that will be valid for at least the next six months
•  any relevant INS documentation
•  alien registration form DS-230 and your application for green card
•  divorce certificates
•  death certificates

Double check your appointment letter for more specifics regarding which types of documentation you need to bring.

Be Ready For Your Green Card Interview

The best idea to ensure that you are completely ready for your interview is to create a checklist. On it, list all of the documents that you must bring and check them off as you compile them. Include some of the sample questions that might be asked, and practice answering them before going to your interview. Be sure to go through the checklist with your spouse or fiancee to ensure that the two of you are completely ready for the big day.

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