By: Elizabeth Rosario Law, PLC April 17, 2024

Your Guide to Immigration Interview Questions [2024]

What’s the Purpose of the Interview During the Immigration Process?

Part of preparing for your interview is knowing its purpose when it comes to your immigration journey. In short, it’s a way for the U.S. government to confirm that all the information you provided on your application is true and that you’re eligible for a green card. So, if you know you were honest and accurate on the paperwork, you should go into the interview with confidence that you’ll soon get the green card you applied for.

In fact, the best outcome is that your application will be approved immediately after the interview, since this is typically the last stage of the process. In that case, you’ll get your green card within a few weeks.

However, it’s not uncommon for the government to have additional questions before determining that you’re a good candidate for a green card. In this case, they might request another interview or ask you to send supporting documents for them to review. This will delay the decision by weeks or months, but you will still have a chance of being approved eventually.

If the government determines that your application was inaccurate or you’re not eligible for a green card, you will be informed that your request has been denied. You should get a letter stating why. You can then decide if it’s worth your time to appeal the denial or explore other immigration solutions that might work better for you. Either way, you should hire an immigration attorney for your case.

Who Is Supposed to Attend the Interview?

Your interview notice should specify who must attend the appointment with you. This will depend on what kind of green card you’re seeking. For example, if you applied for an employment-based green card, you can go to the interview alone, as the business owner sponsoring you doesn’t have to attend.

On the other hand, if you’re pursuing a family-based green card , the family member sponsoring you may be required to attend to verify your relationship. The same goes for marriage-based green cards, as having your spouse there can help prove that you’re living together as romantic partners. However, if you live in different countries and traveling for the interview isn’t an option, you can likely get an exception that allows you to attend alone.

Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to bring someone to the interview so you have support. For instance, if you’re not fluent in English, you can ask for an interpreter to ensure you fully understand the questions before answering them. If you’re disabled, you can bring a friend to assist as needed. In addition, you can bring a lawyer to the interview if you need help explaining any legal issues.

If you have questions about who you can bring and whether they need to fill out any forms before going, you should call the USCIS office if you’re in the U.S. If you’re outside of the country, call the U.S. embassy or consulate where you’ll be interviewing to verify who you can bring.

How Should You Prepare for the Immigration Interview?

As the date of the interview approaches, you can reduce any concerns by researching what to expect. First, you should map out the location of the office where the interview will take place so you know how to get there. In fact, it’s recommended that you visit the office before the day of the interview to ensure you know how long it takes to get there, what the building looks like, and where to park.

You should also review the questions the interviewer will likely ask and consider how you will answer. Keep in mind that the point is to verify that the application and supporting documents you sent in are accurate, so you should review that information and avoid changing any details.

As you prepare for the appointment, check your interview notice to learn if you must bring any documents, such as copies of your application or supporting evidence. Organize these into a folder so you can easily access them during the appointment.

On the day of the interview, plan on arriving 30 to 45 minutes early so you don’t feel rushed. You should wear business professional clothing and be prepared to speak clearly and respectfully as you answer questions. If you’re still nervous, ask your lawyer to conduct a practice interview and give you tips on how to improve the delivery of your answers.

What Personal Questions Can You Expect?

Shortly after you arrive, the interviewer will begin asking you personal questions, as well as questions about your physical appearance. These are meant to verify the details about your life that you submitted on your application, so it’s important to answer them truthfully. Examples of personal questions include:

What is your full name?
Do you use any other names?
What is your birthdate?
Where were you born?
What’s your race?
Are you married?
Do you have children?
Where do you currently live?
Who else lives in your household?
What is your height and weight?
What color are your eyes and hair?

These questions should be simple enough for you to answer without issue. They can also serve as a warmup for the next category of interview questions, which may be more complicated to respond to.

What Family-Related Questions Will You Need to Answer?

Regardless of the type of green card you want, you will be asked about your family. However, more emphasis may be placed on these questions if you’re getting a family-based green card, as you will be expected to know certain details about the relative sponsoring you. Additionally, if you’re pursuing a marriage-based green card, you may be asked about your spouse’s family. Some of the family-related questions to prepare for include:

What is your father’s full name?
What is your mother’s full name?
What is your mother’s maiden name?
Do you have any siblings?
Are your parents U.S. citizens?
How many children do you have?
Where were your children born?
What are the names and birthdates of your children?
Where do they live?
What are their hobbies?
What is your father-in-law’s name?
What is your mother-in-law’s name?
What are the names of your spouse’s siblings?
How often do you see your spouse’s family?
Have you ever traveled or spent holidays with them?
When was the last time you saw your spouse’s family?

Your immigration lawyer can let you know what other family questions to expect based on the type of green card you applied for.

What Relationship Questions Should You Prepare to Answer?

If you’re using a marriage-based green card to come to the U.S., you will need to answer several questions about your relationship with your spouse to show that you’re in a bona fide marriage. The following are common questions:

What is the name of your spouse?
When is their birthday?
What is your spouse’s nationality?
When and where did you get married?
When and where did you meet your spouse?
Where did your first date take place?
How long did you date before getting engaged?
Which of you proposed?
When and where did your proposal take place?
Who were the bridesmaids and groomsmen?
How many people went to your wedding?
What was your wedding theme and color?
Where did you go for your honeymoon?
Do you have pets together?
Where does your spouse work?
What is your daily routine together like?

The questions are meant to find out how much you know about your spouse to ensure it’s a legitimate marriage, so be prepared to discuss details about the life you share as a married couple.

Will You Be Asked About Your Education, Job, and Finances?

Green card applications require details about employment, education, and finances, so it makes sense for the interview to confirm these with related questions. This is especially the case if your green card is employment based. Be prepared to answer the following:

Who is your employer?
What is your position there?
How long have you worked there?
What is your salary?
Where did you work before your current job?
Did you go to college?
If so, where did you attend and when?
What was your area of study?
Do you own any assets?
Do you have money in savings?
Do you currently owe state or federal taxes?
Have you ever neglected to file a tax return despite being legally obligated?

If you would struggle to answer these questions in an interview, you should prepare by reading the answers you gave on your written application. Be sure to consult supporting documents, such as tax returns and bank statements, if you’re unsure of the facts.

Will There Be Questions About Where You’ve Lived or Visited?

Your immigration interview will include questions about locations that you have visited or resided in over the years. Government officials want to ensure that you’re not a threat to national security and don’t have ulterior motives for immigrating to the U.S., so your travel history will be of interest. Some common questions include:

What is your current address?
How long have you lived there?
Did you move since submitting a green card application?
Where else have you lived in the last ten years?
Have you traveled to any foreign countries in recent years?
If so, how long did you stay?
When was the last time you traveled?
What countries did you visit and why?

If you’re concerned about how your answers will affect your green card application, talk to an immigration lawyer to put your mind at ease before the interview.

Will You Be Asked About Your Criminal, Immigration, and Military Records?

Your military, criminal, and immigration background could have a significant effect on your application, so expect the interviewer to spend time verifying details about it with the following questions:

What country were you born in?
What is your current legal status in the U.S.?
What country are you a citizen of?
Have you been to the U.S.?
If so, when did you enter the country?
Have you ever violated your visa conditions?
Have you ever claimed to be a U.S. citizen?
Do you obey the laws in the U.S.?
What are your political beliefs?
What are your religious beliefs?
Have you ever discriminated against someone for protected beliefs?
Do you belong to any organizations?
Have you ever shown support for a banned organization?
Have you ever been arrested?
Do you have any misdemeanors or felonies on your criminal record?
Do you have any traffic tickets on your driving record?
Have you been accused of domestic violence?
Did you ever serve in a military?
If so, which country did you serve and when?
What was your military rank and role?

These are the most common questions to expect during your immigration interview, but they’re not the only ones. U.S. government officials may ask additional questions based on your specific case as they try to confirm anything they’re uncertain about. To learn which questions they will likely ask you, contact Elizabeth Rosario Law, PLC. at 616-229-3401 for legal support from caring, experienced attorneys.