Green Card Interview Questions Guideline
When you are selected for a green card and have sent in the
requested documents to the US State Department, you will receive notification to
attend an interview in the form of a letter. The intention of the interview is
for you to answer the green card interview questions. The green card interview
letter will clearly state the venue, date, and time that your interview will be
conducted.
Most people do not know what to expect at the interview, and of such, get
anxious and stressful. To reduce your anxiety level, we have prepared a list of
topics below that pertains to your green card interview questions, as follows:
Preparation Guidelines for the Green Card Interview
The green card interview usually takes place within 3 months
after you have submitted your online green card application. It is always best
if you start preparing for the interview early so that you feel comfortable on
the day of the interview. Furthermore, failure to prepare and present the proper
answers at the interview could result in your application being denied.
Additionally, you must visit the United States Consular Officer website in your
home country and read the instructions for attending a green card interview
carefully. Doing so, will ensure that you have all supporting documents and
application fees with you on the day of the interview.
Preparation Guideline List:
- Dress formally as if you were attending a job interview
- Be at the interview venue 30 mins before your appointment. Try not to be late
- Listen attentively to the interview questions and keep your answers short and brief
- Do not answer if you do not understand the question or if you do not know the answer. It is quite ok to tell the officer that you do not understand; he/she will rephrase the question
- No need to memorize questions and answers. For example, if you are asked a question pertaining to your first date of entry into the United States and you do not remember you can look for the answer in your documents
Green Card Interview Documents – what should you bring?
You want to ensure that you have all the required documents with you at the interview. Check that you have the following:
- The interview letter that you received from the US State Department
- An original Police clearance record
- An original medical record
- You must bring all application fees – check the US State Consular website for all applicable fees to make sure you are on the right track
- If you have changed anything after you have processed your application, bring supporting evidence of the changes
Green Card Interview Questions
The green card interview questions can be rigorous sometimes. However, if you
tell the truth, there is nothing to worry about.
Here are five sample questions that the US Consulate Officer may ask:
- Can you prove that you are who you say you are? - Show him/her your photo identification
- What is your full name? - This may sound obvious, but chances are, the interviewer may catch someone who is trying to commit a fraud because they will mess up their names and addresses
- Have you ever voted in the United States? - This is to find out if you are inadmissible.
- What has changed in your life since you have submitted your application? - Tell them what has change. For example, you may have change address, change jobs, name change, or have a baby. Make sure you have the supporting documents as proof.
- Have you ever been arrested? - If yes, say yes. Do not lie about any form of criminal activity because they will find out and your visa will be denied.
Marriage-Based Interview Documents
Married couples are expected to provide certain documents to proof that their marriage is valid. Here are some of the documents that you will need:
- Joint bank account statements
- Wedding photographs
- Marriage certificate
- Wedding invitations
- Birth certificates of children
- Property lease with both names
- Insurance policies with both names
- Photographs of special occasion spent together
Make sure that the documents you provided are originals.
Marriage-Based Green Card Interview Questions
Marriage-based green card interview questions tend to be the hardest. This is
because USCIS officers need to make sure that your marriage is real and not a
marriage of convenience. The applicant and the US Citizen spouse may be
questioned together or separately, so having an idea of some of the
marriage-based interview questions that the consular might ask is important.
Here a few questions you can expect at a marriage-based interview:
- What is the full name of your spouse?
- What type of work does your spouse do?
- What is your spouse’s monthly salary?
- What is the name of your spouse’s mother?
- Does your spouse own a car? What model is it?
- How many bedrooms are in your home?
- Are all the bedrooms on the same side of the house?
- What is your spouse’s favourite food?
- Who was your spouse living with when you met?
- Where did you meet the second time?
TIP: Be prepared to answer questions about your
wedding ceremony and reception as well.
Re-scheduling an Interview
Please take note that according to the United States
Immigration law, your application may be denied if you do not turn up for your
interview. You will need to provide valid reason(s) for your nonappearance or
else the USCIS officers will consider that you have abandon your application. If
your application is denied base on abandonment you may not be able to appeal.
Therefore, you will have to file a motion to re-open your case or start all over
with the green card application process.
If you feel that you will not be able to attend your green
card interview, please write a letter to the United States Citizenship
Immigration Services (USCIS) or to the US Consular in your country stating that
you would like to re-schedule your interview appointment and the reason why. Be
sure to include dates that will be available to you and do a follow up to ensure
that the interview was re-scheduled.
Need more Answers?
If you need to know more about green card interview questions, applying for a
green card visa, or obtaining a green card program, do not hesitate to contact
us. Our team is available 24 hrs. to serve you!
