Examples of Green Card Marriage Questions

Obtaining a green card through marriage requires an interview with the United Sates Citizenship and Immigration Service. This branch of the U.S. government controls legal residence and immigration in the United States. Interviewees are asked roughly 20 questions once they arrive at the interview. These green card marriage questions are designed to determine if your marriage is genuine.

There are still many cases of marriage fraud in the United States – at least a quarter, according to a study conducted by the Department of Homeland Security a few years ago [1]. Some of these marriages might have even been created under good intentions, such as to keep a friend in the United States.

Unfortunately, no matter the reason, if a marriage for a green card is fake, it is illegal. The green card marriage questions or the research beforehand will determine just that.

If the marriage is deemed fraudulent or fake, then the non-citizen will likely be arrested by ICE and detained. We recommend filing for an immigration bond with same day release, in which you can appeal your arrest or leave on your own terms.

About the Green Card Marriage Interview

The interview is conducted at a USCIS field office. Most standard tests only take between 20 and 30 minutes.

Tips for the Interview

• Be on time and aim to arrive 30 minutes before your appointment.
• Dress well. Remember: this is a government meeting and you should dress to impress. Also, dressing well is a sign of respect for the institution.
• Eat a light snack, or bring one with you. There are some cases where applicants may wait for a few hours before the interview.
• It’s natural to be nervous. Take a few deep breaths!
• The green card marriage questions are not tricks. They are simple questions that you can answer calmly.

Green Card Marriage Interview Questions

The following are some of the questions that you can expect to be asked in your green card marriage interview:

1. What is your spouse’s birthday?
2. In what city was your spouse born?
3. What are the names of your spouse's parents?
4. Does he/she have any siblings? (Follow up) What are their names?
5. What does your spouse do for a living?
6. Where does your spouse work? (Follow up) Where did they work before that? (Follow up again) And what about before that?
7. What was your spouse's address before his current address?
8. Did you both move in to this new address together?
9. How did you two meet?
10. What was the date of your courthouse wedding? (Follow up) Is this date different from your ceremony? (May need to provide proof of wedding, ceremony, photographs, etc.)
11. Standardized yes/no questions regarding terrorism, etc.

Sources:

1. Department of Homeland Security - U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents: 2013 (pdf)