Sample Questions for Marriage I130 and I485 Green Card Interviews

The final step in the marriage-based green card process, the I-130 and I-485 based on marriage to a U.S. Citizen, is the interview. Having represented numerous clients in these cases and also having accompanied clients in these interviews in cities such as:

• Baltimore
• Chicago
• Cleveland
• Columbus
• Cincinnati
• Hartford
• Houston
• Los Angeles
• Newark
• New York
• Seattle

… we thought of compiling a list of questions that may be asked in the future, and to write an informative post about the interview itself.

Please note that these questions are simply guidelines on which topics officers usually focus on, and is not exactly what they ask or a guarantee that these would be asked. They could ask more, and they could ask less. Each case is different.

In terms of how long the interview is, it also depends on the facts of the case and the officer you have. I’ve had some that lasted less than ten minutes, while I’ve also had some that lasted about two and half hours. I’ve had some that were interviewed together, and I’ve had some that were interviewed separately. It depends on several factors – the length of marriage, age difference, etc.

Basic Steps

• Check In: Each office has their own procedure, but typically, you first bring your interview notice to the check-in counter, the officer would ask you to take a seat, and they will call your name. Some offices like Arlington and Chicago have those buzzers (like those you get while waiting for a seat in chain restaurants) that vibrate once your turn is up.

• Oath: The officer administers an oath. “Raise your right hand… do you swear or affirm… truth, whole truth… etc.”

• Identification and Basic Documents: The officer would then ask for identification and basic immigration documents – driver’s licenses, passport for the beneficiary, naturalization certificate or birth certificate for the petitioner, birth certificate for beneficiary, marriage certificate, divorce decrees.

• Forms: The interview itself usually starts with the forms I-130, G-325, and I-485. This is pretty informative. Name, birthday, address, divorce information, entry and visa information, parents’ names, and the yes / no inadmissibility questions on Form I-485 (criminal record, fraud, J-1 waiver, public charge etc.) will be asked.

• Bona Fide Marriage: From there, the officer would then proceed with the relationship itself. The sample questions are below. After the questions are asked, the officer would then ask for any supporting documents you have about your relationship. Joint tax, returns, joint bank statements, joint lease, joint insurance documents, utility bills with both names and a common address, pictures taken in different places with friends or family in it, affidavits, are some examples of documents they typically ask. Note that some offices now require that copies of these be made beforehand, as these documents are to be submitted to the officer.

Sample Bona Fide Marriage Questions

1. When did you meet?
2. Where did you meet?
3. When did you first meet in person?
4. Who introduced you to each other?
5. How did you meet?
6. How long did you talk?
7. What happened after?
8. How often did you talk to each other over the phone after you initially met?
9. How often did you see each other after you met?

Courtship and Dating Questions

10. How soon after you met did you start dating?
11. How often did you go out?
12. How often did you talk on the phone?
13. Give us examples of restaurants you went to?
14. Give us examples of some movies you watched together?
15. Did you ever travel out of town while you were dating?
16. Where did you go?

Proposal

17. How did you decide on getting married?
18. When did he propose?
19. Where did he propose?
20. Did he give you a ring?
21. Where did you buy the ring?
22. How did he propose?

Wedding

23. Did you get married in Court or in Church or both?
24. Which Court did you go to?
25. Around what time was the Court wedding?
26. How many people where with you in Court?
27. What did you do after you got married in Court?
28. Did you eat out after you got married in Court?
29. Where did you eat?
30. Who were with you at the restaurant?
31. Which Church did you go to?
32. Around what time was the Church wedding?
33. How did you get to the Church?
34. How many people attended the Church wedding?
35. Did you have a reception?
36. Where was the reception?
37. Around what time was the reception?
38. Around how many people were in the reception?

Family

39. Have you met your spouse’s parents?
40. What are their names parents?
41. When did you first meet your spouse’s parents?
42. Where did you first meet them?
43. How many brothers and sisters does your spouse have?
44. Have you met your spouse’s brothers and sisters?
45. When did you first meet your spouse’s brothers and sisters?
46. Where did you first meet your spouse’s brothers and sisters?
47. Does your spouse have any kids?
48. What are their names?
49. Where do they live?
50. Where do they go to school?
51. Who takes them to school?
52. How do they go to school?
53. How old are the kids?
54. When was the last time you saw her parents?
55. What was the occasion?
56. When was the last time you saw her brothers and sisters?
57. What was the occasion?

Employment

58. Where does your spouse work?
59. What does your spouse do?
60. What are your spouse’s hours at work?
61. What is your spouse’s salary?
62. How does your spouse get to work?
63. What is your spouse’s position at work?
64. Does your spouse drive, take the subway, bus, or walk to work?
65. Which bus does your spouse take?
66. Which subway does your spouse take?
67. Which subway station does your spouse go to for work?
68. Which subway station does your spouse get off at?
69. How long does it take for your spouse to get to work?
70. How many days per week does your spouse work?
71. What days are they?

Residence

72. Do you live in a house or apartment?
73. How may bedrooms in the apartment?
74. How many bathrooms in the apartment?

Special Occasions

75. What did you do for Christmas, or Thanksgiving, or 4^th of July Weekend, Labor Day Weekend, Memorial Day Weekend etc.?
76. What did you do for her (or his) birthday)
77. Did you give her a gift for her birthday?
78. What gift did you give her?
79. Did you give her a gift for Christmas?
80. What gift did you give her?

Recent Events

81. Did you eat together last night?
82. What time did you eat?
83. What did you eat?
84. Did you sleep together last night?
85. What time did you sleep?

Other

86. Was there any point in your marriage where you did not live together?
87. How long a period was this?
88. What was the reason for not living together for that period?
89. Where did your spouse live during that period?
90. What address?
91. Does your spouse have tattoos?
92. How many tattoos?
93. Where are they located?
94. Does your spouse have criminal records that you know of?
95. What are they?
96. When did they occur?
97. Where did they occur?
98. Did your spouse get hospitalized over the past year?
99. When?
100. Which hospital did he go to?

As mentioned, the answers to these questions or inconsistencies in your answers can lead to more questions. But typically, as to the areas or topics the officers asks, your meeting, courtship, proposal, wedding, family, employment, and residence are going to be questioned.

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