Foreign spouses married to U.S. citizens will not automatically receive a green card to live and work in the United States. Spouses must first pass a green card marriage interview among green card application hurdles.
Here is some general information spouses need to know about green card marriage interviews:
U.S. citizens and their foreign spouses must go through an interview with an immigration officer. This interview is supposed to determine whether the spouse of the U.S. resident is fraudulent or not. If the green card marriage interview determines the spouse to be fraudulent, fines, penalties and permanent refusal of entry could result.
During the interview, spouses should be prepared to present evidence to the officer, including photos, letters, emails, shared bills, joint bank account statements, marriage certificates and tax statements. Spouses should also provide their birth certificates, passports and other visas and immigration documents.
If a couple fails their marriage interview, they will usually have the opportunity to undergo a Stokes interview. The stokes interview involves the spouses being separated for individual questioning. The interviewers will later listen to the recorded responses to search for discrepancies. Questions are often detailed and personal and they can last for multiple hours.
If you’re married and you want to bring your spouse to the United States with you, it’s important to learn more about the immigration process for spouses. A better understanding of the laws that apply to foreign spouses will help you navigate your immigration process with greater ease, speed and cost-effectiveness. A lesser understanding could delay the process and cause you stress and financial hardship.
Source: Findlaw, “Green Card Marriage Interview FAQ,” accessed June 13, 2018
