Marriage Based Petition – Interview Questions

During a marriage based green-card interview, you and your spouse or fiancé(e) will be asked a series of questions by the United States immigration authority. For an adjustment of status or visa interview, typically you will only be asked a few questions. However, a “stokes interview,” where you and your spouse or fiancé(e) may be interviewed separately to compare answers, could occur if the immigration authority is suspicious that your marriage is a fraud.[1]

The following is a list of sample questions asked during your interview. These questions are written by NOLO, an organization which offers online legal resources. Many of these questions are drawn from actual interviews:

Development of Your Relationship

• Where did you meet?
• What did the two of you have in common?
• Where did you go for dates?
• When did your relationship turn romantic?
• How long was it before you decided to get married?
• Who proposed to whom?
• Why did you decide to have a [long, short] engagement?
• Did your parents approve of the match? Why or why not?

The Wedding

• How many people attended your wedding?
• Did each of your parents attend?
• Where was the wedding held?
• Was there music or other entertainment?
• What kind of cake (or other food) did you serve?
• Who were the bridesmaids/groomsmen?
• How late did the guests stay?
• Did the bride change clothes for the reception?
• Did you serve liquor? What kind?
• Did anyone get drunk or otherwise embarrass themselves at the reception? Who? Describe.
• What time did you and the [bride or groom] leave the reception?
• Did you go on a honeymoon? When did you leave? How did you get there? What airlines?

Regular Routines

• Who gets up first? At what time?
• How many alarm clocks do you set in the morning?
• Who makes breakfast?
• What do each of you eat for breakfast?
• Does your spouse drink coffee in the morning?
• Who is your spouse’s employer? What is the location of your spouse’s workplace? What is the name of your spouse’s boss?
• How much does your spouse earn every month or year? How often is your spouse paid?
• What time does your spouse arrive home from work?
• Who cleans the house?
• What day is your garbage picked up?
• Who takes care of paying the bills?
• Do you have a joint bank account? Where?
• Do you have a cat, dog, or other pet? Who feeds it? Who walks it (or cleans its kitty litter box, cage, etc.)?
• Do you and/or your spouse attend regular religious services? Where?
• Where do you keep the spare toilet paper?
• Does your spouse take any regular medications?

The Kids

• Who picks up the children at school?
• Who packs lunches for the kids?
• What are their favorite toys/activities?
• What are their least favorite foods?
• Which children (if any) still use a car seat?
• What is your usual babysitter’s name?

The Cooking

• How many times a week on average do you eat out?
• What is your favorite restaurant for special occasions? For weekly outings?
• Who does most of the cooking?
• Who does the grocery shopping? Where?
• Is there a particular food that you eat every week?
• What is your spouse’s favorite/least favorite food?
• What color are the kitchen curtains?
• Do you have a barbecue grill? Do you use it?
• Is your stove gas or electric?

Other Family Members

• Have you met each other’s parents?
• How often do you see each other’s parents? Where do they live?
• When was the last time you saw them? Where? For how long?
• On important holidays, do you buy individual gifts for your parents-in-law? Do they buy individual gifts for you?
• How do each of you get along with your parents-in-law?
• How many brothers and sisters does your spouse have? What are their names?
• Which other members of your spouse’s family do you see frequently? When was the last time you saw them? What did you do together?

Home Technology

• How many land-line telephones are in your house? Where are they?
• What type of mobile phone does your spouse have? What’s the phone number?
• How many televisions are in the house? In which rooms? Do you watch shows together, or separately? Name one show you always watch together.
• Do you record any television shows?
• Do you subscribe to a DVD rental or streaming video service?
• What company provides your cable service? Internet service?
• How many computers, laptops, or tablets are in the house? What kind are they?
• Does your spouse listen to the radio? What station?
• What kind of car does your spouse drive?

In the Bedroom

• What size is your bed (Twin, Queen, or King)?
• Do you have a regular mattress, futon, or waterbed?
• How many windows are there in your bedroom?
• What color are your spouse’s pajamas?
• Who sleeps on each side of the bed?
• What form of contraception (birth control) do you use?
• When was your wife’s last menstrual period?
• Where do you keep your toothbrushes? What kind of toothpaste, soap, and shampoo does each of you use?
• Do either of you read or watch TV before going to sleep? Do you have lamps next to your bed?
• Have you ever had an argument that resulted in one of you sleeping in another room? Who, and which room?
• The Rest of the House
• Do you live in a home or apartment? Who pays the mortgage or rent? How much is it?
• Do you have a garage? Who parks in it? Do you use a garage door opener?
• Is there a carpet in your front hallway? What color? Is your sofa a regular one or does it have a pull-out bed?
• Have you ever had houseguests sleep there?
• What type of curtains or window coverings are in your living room? What color?
• How many staircases are in your house?
• How many sinks, toilets, and showers are there in your house or apartment in total?
• Do you leave any lights on when you go to sleep at night?

Celebrations

• When is your spouse’s birthday?
• What did you do for your spouse’s last birthday?
• What did your spouse give you as a present for your last birthday?
• How did you celebrate your most recent wedding anniversary?
• What religious holidays do you celebrate together?
• What’s the most important holiday of the year in your household? Where do you typically celebrate it?
• Have you and your spouse gone to see a movie or other form of entertainment lately? When, and what did you see?
• What did the two of you do last New Year’s Eve? Fourth of July?
• Who takes pictures at important family occasions?
• If you were an immigration officer, what would you ask? Try to imagine possible questions and ask them of each other as you prepare for your visa or green card interview.

[1] https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/free-books/fiance-marriage-visa-book/chapter13-20.html