Marriage Based Green Card Interview Questions – The Complete Guide

Most individuals agree love has no geographic limit. A U.S. citizen often dates a non-citizen. The obstacles of long-distance relationships can be exhausting, and most couples prefer living together. Your immigrant spouse can get a marriage-based green card to live, work, and study in the U.S. This process is most difficult during the USCIS interview. To verify the marriage, immigrant officials will do it. These officials will interview you about marriage-based green cards and evaluate petition forms and evidence.

The entire process is to verify that the marriage isn’t a scam to evade U.S. immigration regulations and receive immigration benefits. Nothing offers your application more credibility than presenting all the essential documentation to prove your marriage.

What is a Marriage-Based Green Card?

A spouse can obtain a green card for an immediate relative of a U.S. citizen. A green card for your immigrant spouse is more commonly known as a marriage-based green card and has special immigration priority.

This green card grants the immigrant spouse permanent residency in the U.S., which allows them to live, work, and study in the U.S. legally. Additional green card benefits include being able to:

• Travel in and out of the U.S. (as long as each trip is less than a year)
• Obtain a driver’s license
• Apply for social security

This marriage-based green card, which immigrant spouses should carry at all times, is valid for ten years. However, it can be renewed no less than six months before expiration for the immigrant spouse to maintain their legal residency. This marriage-based green card timeline breaks down the steps in more detail.

Tips for a Marriage-Based Green Card Interview

We know how stressful the interview process can be, so take a look at these top tips to make the best of your situation.

• Be punctual for your scheduled interview by arriving at least 30 minutes before.
• Wear professional and/or conservative clothing. You want to give the impression that you are taking this interview seriously.
• Be prepared to answer all types of questions.
• Come with a calm and organized demeanor because immigration officials look for red flags that indicate fraud. Looking flustered and nervous looks will raise their suspicion.
• No need to memorize facts. It can make the couple sound rehearsed, which is a red flag. Immigration officials understand that you won’t remember every tiny detail about your marriage. If you’re unsure or don’t know, say it. It is always better to say you don’t know than lie. Not knowing might lead to having your green card denied, but lying or other fraudulent behavior might lead to barred access to the U.S. altogether. However, you should be able to answer simple questions about your marriage.
• Act normally; not overly affectionate or uncomfortable. This in-authenticity is a red flag, so you both should be yourselves and act normal.
• Don’t panic if you are separated. If USCIS moves you and your spouse to separate rooms, remain calm and honestly answer the official’s additional immigration marriage interview questions.
• Remember to bring the necessary paperwork, any necessary forms and any proof of your relationship. This can be wedding or vacation photos or bank statements.
• Confide in your attorney. Your attorney will know your case inside and out and make you feel more prepared by addressing all your or your spouse’s concerns.
• Review additional resources to feel more confident about the marriage-based green card interview.

Marriage-Based Green Card Interview Questions 2023

The USCIS interview process begins when you enter the office. When entering the building, officers will observe both parties’ conduct as individuals and as a couple until they leave.

An officer will seat you in an interview room and ask you questions as individuals or as a couple. The interview lasts 15-20 minutes and has simple questions.

Below are some sample categories and marriage-based green card interview questions that partners should know about each other. Note that immigration officers may ask questions not listed below.

How You Met

These are questions on how your relationship began and progressed before to marriage. It is critical to demonstrate that you and your spouse had a connection and fell in love before becoming engaged and subsequently married. Underneath each question is an example response; do not make the mistake of thinking this is the “correct” answer. These are only speculative responses.

Where did you meet?

• Ex: We met while I was on vacation in Prague in the summer of 2019. We both happened to be dining at the same restaurant in the city and we started talking. From there, we stayed in touch and a romantic relationship blossomed thereafter.

How were you introduced?

• Ex: We were introduced by a mutual friend while I was visiting Mexico in December of 2022.

What did the two of you have in common?

• Ex: There were many things we found to have in common. We initially bonded over our love and health and fitness. She was a certified personal trainer and I was studying to get licensed back home so there was a lot for us to talk about right off the bat.

Where was your first date?

• Ex: Our first date was at a local park in the capital of Ecuador.

When was your first date?

• Ex: Our first date was on October 5th, 2022.

Where was your first kiss?

• Ex: Our first kiss was after our dinner date, by the lake in Central Village.

When did your relationship turn romantic?

• Ex: We were friendly for about 4 months until we decided to make our relationship official and be boyfriend and girlfriend.

How long was it before you decided to get married?

• Ex: I proposed to her 7 months after we started dating.

Who proposed to whom?

• Ex: He proposed to me.

Why did you decide to have a long or short engagement?

• Ex: We decided to have a longer engagement to make sure that we were a good fit for each other.

When did you meet each other’s parents?

• Ex: We met each other’s parents about four months after starting to date each other. He met my parents first and then I met his in Mexico.

Wedding

Questions about your wedding are common. Your wedding day is a special day that most couples cherish. You should be able to account for many details of that day.

Did you exchange rings at the wedding ceremony?

• Ex: Yes, we did exchange rings. We went to my favorite jewelry store in Santa Monica to pick out each other’s rings. I loved the princess cut so that’s what he got me.

Who bought the engagement rings?

• Ex: We bought the other partner’s rings.

What kind of ring did your spouse buy you?

• Ex: Mine was a 2 carat, princess-cut diamond with a white gold band. I bought him a yellow gold band and had it engraved with the day we met.

How many people attended your wedding?

• Ex: In all about 55 people attended our wedding.

Did each of your parents attend?

• Ex: Yes, they both were there.

Where was the wedding held?

• It was held at my parent’s lake house in Maryland. I spent all my summers growing up there so it has a special place in my heart.

Who were the bridesmaids/groomsmen?

• Ex: I had 3 bridesmaids – my best friends, Laura, Silvia and Jan. His groomsmen were David and John, his best friends from college.

Did you have a reception?

• Ex: We had a small and intimate reception. There were string lights on the outside porch where the reception and after-party were held. It was really magical having all our friends and family there to celebrate with us.

Where was the reception?

• Ex: It was held at my parent’s house in Maryland.

What kind of cake was served at the reception?

• Ex: We picked a 5-tiered yellow cake with strawberries and blueberries in the center and a chocolate buttercream frosting.

What was the song played during your first dance?

• Ex: They played “Marry You” by Bruno Mars.

Did you have a honeymoon?

• Ex: We did have a honeymoon and we went to Tahiti for 7 days.

Where did you go for your honeymoon?

• Ex: We went to Tahiti and then visit Fiji.

How many days did you spend on your honeymoon?

• Ex: It was a total of 7 days in Tahiti and 3 days in Fiji.

Who picked the honeymoon location?

• Ex: We picked it together because neither one of us had ever been.

What did you do on your honeymoon?

• Ex: We learned to scuba dive, we hiked the mountains, saw a few volcanoes, ate amazing food and got spa treatments.

Where did you live after the wedding?

• Ex: I moved into his apartment after the wedding.

Relationship

These questions usually deal with the intimate details of your marriage. Most married couples discuss these topics at least in the first year.

Who takes care of the finances?

• Ex: We each are responsible for different bills. He handles the mortgage and housing expenses like water bill, light bill and the landscaping bills. I handle the grocery shopping and smaller household necessities.

When is your spouse’s birthday?

• Ex: His birthday is August 5th, 1987.

Have you ever been on vacation together?

• Ex: Yes, we took a trip together a year ago to Italy and Greece.

Do you attend church?

• Ex: No, neither one of us is very religious.

When is your anniversary?

• Ex: Our anniversary is March 7.

Do you plan on having children?

• Ex: Yes, we both want children and that was something we discussed early in our relationship.

Do you have any children from previous marriages?

• Ex: No, neither one of us has been married before or had children.

Do you live together or plan on living together?

• Ex: We currently live together so would continue to do so after the wedding.

Do you spend a lot of time together?

• Ex: Quality time is important to both of us so we make sure to plan it into our schedules. With that being said we also each have our independent hobbies.

What hobbies do you enjoy together?

• Ex: We love playing tennis together and spending time in nature.

What restaurants do you enjoy going to together?

• Ex: Our favorite type of cuisine is Asian so anytime we can find a good Japanese restaurant or Vietnamese restaurant we are all over it.

Where do you live?

• Ex: We live in the city about a half mile from 18th street.

What cars do you drive?

• Ex: He drives a Volvo SUV and I drive a Bronco.

What do you like to do on your days off?

• Ex: On my day off I like to play tennis, read, get errands done and take care of the animals.

Who cooks?

• Ex: We take turns cooking because we both enjoy being creative and making up new recipes.

Who cleans?

• Ex: I handle most of the cleaning day to day.

Who does the laundry?

• Ex: We each do our own laundry to make sure it’s done just how we like it.

What medications does your spouse take?

• Ex: He doesn’t take any medications.

When is garbage day at your home?

• Ex: Monday is garbage day at our house.

Does your spouse drink coffee in the morning?

• Ex: Yes, he loves his coffee in the morning.

Who does the grocery shopping?

• Ex: I normally handle most of the grocery shopping.

What is your spouse’s favorite food?

• Ex: His favorite food is shrimp pad thai.

What size is your bed?

• Ex: We have a California King size bed.

How many rooms are in your house?

• Ex: There are 5 rooms in our house and 4 bathrooms.

How many bathrooms are in your house?

• Ex: There are 4 bathrooms in our house

What do you have in your backyard?

• Ex: We have a fire pit, some playground equipment for the kids and dog toys in the backyard.

How many cars do you have?

• Ex: We have 3 cars.

What kind of car does your spouse drive?

• Ex: He drives a Jeep Wrangler.

Who does home improvement in the house?

• Ex: My partner does most of the home improvement in our house.

What side of the bed does your spouse sleep on?

• Ex: He sleeps on the right side of the bed.

Who goes to sleep later?

• Ex: He goes to sleep later.

Does your spouse read or watch TV before bed?

• Ex: He watches TV before bed.

Does your spouse take baths or showers?

• Ex: He takes showers normally.

What TV shows do you watch together?

• Ex: We watch some of the trashy reality shows together, we think they’re so funny.

Does your spouse have any scars?

• Ex: He has one scar on his left elbow.

How did you spouse get the scar?

• Ex: He got it playing sports as a kid.

Does your spouse have any tattoos?

• Ex: He does not have any tattoos.

Do you file your taxes separately or together?

• Ex: We file them separately for right now.

What is your spouse’s favorite sport to play?

• Ex: His favorite sport to play is tennis.

What is your spouse’s favorite sports team?

• His favorite sports team is the Dallas Cowboys.

Did you come to the interview together?

• Ex: Yes, we arrived here in the same car today.

What did each of you have for breakfast today?

• Ex: He had an omelette with potatoes and I have yogurt and fruit.

Who woke up first today?

• Ex: He wakes up before me to take care of the dog.

Did your spouse take a shower today?

• Ex: Yes, he showers every morning.

Do you share a closet? On what side of the closet is your spouse’s clothes?

• Ex: We share a closet. His clothes are on the left side and mine are on the right.

What color are the curtains in your house?

• Ex: Our curtains are beige.

Do you have a grill? Is it gas or coal?

• Ex: We have a gas grille outside.

Do you have a gas or electric stove?

• Ex: It is an electric stove.

Do you have a garage? how many cars fit in your garage?

• Ex: Yes, we have a garage and all three of our cars fit in it.

Does your refrigerator make ice, or do you use ice trays?

• Ex: We use ice cube trays.

Does your refrigerator have a water filter, or do you drink tap or bottled water?

• Ex: We have a countertop water filtration system.

Do you regularly attend church, mosque, temple, or other religious location with your spouse?

• Ex: We got to some spiritual events together, not a church but more

Friends and Family

• Have you met each other’s families?
• How often do you see each other’s families?
• When was the last time you saw them?
• How do you typically celebrate holidays? For example, do you spend Thanksgiving with one family and Christmas with another?
• How many brothers and sisters does your spouse have? What are their names?
• Does your spouse have any nieces or nephews?
• Do you have mutual friends?
• What’s your spouse’s best friend’s name?

Education

• Where did your spouse go to school?
• Did they go to college?
• What did your spouse major in?
• What did your spouse get a degree in?
• Was your spouse a good student?
• What extracurricular activities were your spouse involved in?

Employment

• Who is your spouse’s employer?
• How long has your spouse been working there?
• What is your spouse’s position?
• Where did your spouse work prior?
• Where is your spouse’s employer located?
• What is your spouse’s career goal?
• What time does your spouse go to work?
• When does your spouse get home from work?
• What is your spouse’s salary?
• How much money do you have in savings?

For questions we might have missed, check them here

It’s reasonable and expected that you’ll be frightened or stressed out during the marriage-based green card interview. To be a few steps ahead, use the suggestions for immigration marriage interview questions provided above before and during answering immigration marriage interview questions.

Stokes (Marriage Fraud) Interviews

If marriage-based green card interview questions raise suspicion, the officer will request a second interview. Hesitating, having varied replies, or not being able to answer inquiries can increase suspicion. Your original application may raise suspicion if you omitted key information that makes it believable.

A stokes interview, or marital fraud interview, places both spouses in different rooms and interviews them separately. Immigration officials ask both spouses the same questions and compare their answers to see how well they match.

Unfortunately, USCIS will likely dismiss your case if each spouse answers the identical questions differently. If the immigration official asks you for your wedding date and one responds June and the other says July, that will raise suspicions that your marriage is fake. The immigrant spouse in the US will also be placed in removal proceedings for possible deportation.

You will also likely need to provide the following documents if you have not already:

• Marriage certificate
• Passport for the immigrant spouse
• Bank statements
• Receipts for rent/mortgage payments
• Regular bills
• Proof of citizenship for sponsoring spouse
• Photos of the two of you
• Active insurance policies
• Employment evidence and pay stubs

Each case is different, so you may need to provide more or less than the above list. But, again, your marriage visa attorney will be able to help you prepare for a Stokes interview or help you avoid one in the first place.

Stokes Interview Questions

You want to avoid an interview with Stokes. If you are in one and your relationship is legitimate, stick to the facts and stay calm. Making up facts is the quickest method to undermine your efforts.

Here are some of the questions you might be asked during a Stokes interview. Take note that these are specific and in-depth inquiries designed to discover bogus weddings. If your marriage is valid, you should have no trouble answering these questions, while newer relationships may struggle. Just keep your cool and be truthful throughout the interview.

• When and where did you meet?
• What types of vehicles do you drive?
• Which one typically rises earlier in the morning?
• Who sleeps on which side of the bed?
• Who does most of the cooking?
• What kind of pets do you own, if any?
• How often do you eat out?
• How is your living room arranged?
• Which one is in charge of the finances?
• What do you both typically eat for breakfast?
• What is your spouse’s favorite food?
• What is your nightly routine before going to bed?
• What cell phone provider does your spouse use?
• What types of entertainment do you both enjoy?
• What are some of the brands you use? (e.g., toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, etc.)

This list is not exhaustive. Your immigration officer may ask you some, all, or none of these questions. They only serve to provide an idea of the level of depth USCIS may subject to you during your Stokes interview.

A qualified immigration official conducts marriage-based green card interviews at USCIS. The USCIS interview normally occurs three to four months after petition filing. Therefore, you may want to obtain any more documentation proving the relationship for your interview now. Attending an immigration interview is different from ensuring that your application advances to the interview stage.

Remember that this interview is about validating your connection. Therefore, thoroughly review your marriage. You may forget things about your marriage, but you can work together to refresh your memories before the interview.

The U.S. citizen’s support of the immigrant spouse is also being examined. Your spouse must submit an affidavit of support to prove they can sustain themselves and won’t rely on the U.S. government.

A tedious green card interview should not be done alone. Ask your immigration attorney before the interview if you have questions.

How Can You Obtain a Marriage-Based Green Card?

Here is a comprehensive list of the items required to apply for a green card:

• Petition for Alien Relative (USCIS Form I-130)
• Application to Register Permanent Residence (USCIS Form I-485)
• Affidavit of Support (USCIS Form I-864)
• Permission for Work Authorization (Optional) (USCIS Form I-765)
• Medical Examination Results (USCIS Form I-693)
• Request for Travel Documents (Optional) (USCIS Form I-131)
• The appropriate supporting documents

If you are a U.S. citizen within the country through lawful admission/parole, you will need the following:

• File Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative
• Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust status

If you are a citizen outside the U.S.:

• File Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative

Conditional Marriage-Based Green Card

Your green card petition was successful. The only issue is the conditional marriage-based green card. No need to worry—you didn’t answer your marriage-based green card interview questions wrong.

USCIS will issue a conditional green card if your marriage is less than two years old.

A two-year conditional marriage-based green card cannot be renewed. The immigrant spouse must verify they did not marry falsely to enter the US or violate immigration laws in those two years.

You can seek to remove constraints from your marriage-based green card 90 days before it expires.

Form I-751, Petition to Remove the criteria of Residence, is needed to remove marriage-based green card criteria.

If USCIS doesn’t remove these conditions, you’ll lose your permanent residency after two years. If you stay in the U.S. after your green card expires, you risk deportation.

Biometrics Services Appointment

After filing a marriage-based green card petition, you must supply fingerprints, photos, and signatures at a biometric services appointment.

Form I-797C will notify you of your appointment. I-797Cs provide the date, location, and appointment time at a local Application Support Center.

A biometric services appointment verifies your identity and does background and security checks.

USCIS asks the petitioner to provide a digital signature at the appointment to affirm that the petition was complete, accurate, and correct.

After the Marriage Green Card Interview

After your marriage-based green card interview, the USCIS will approve your petition. Unfortunately, marriage green card approvals have no set deadline, making waiting even more unpleasant.

A few weeks after the interview, USCIS may approve or deny your green card. Additionally security reviewing your file can slow it down. USCIS will return your passport with the conditional green card inside if your petition is approved, allowing you and your spouse to become lawful permanent residents.

Enter your case number into the USCIS Case Status Search to verify your green card case status with your spouse.

Marriage-Based Green Card Cost

Like most green cards and visas, the marriage-based green card has certain unavoidable filing costs associated with it. Here is the breakdown:

Beneficiary Out of the U.S.

• I-130: $535
• I-864: $120
• DS-260: $220
• DS-261: $325
• Total: $1,200

Beneficiary In the U.S.

• I-130: $535
• I-485: $1,140
• Biometrics: $85
• Total: $1,760