As a part of your U.S. immigration process, you may need to appear for an interview. It can be stressful going into the Bureau of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for one of these interviews. You may be unfamiliar about how to act and whether you’re giving the best responses.
To help you stay on the right track regarding how to comport yourself and answer USCIS officers’ questions, here is a vital “do not do” list:
Avoid joking around
Sarcasm and joking around is never recommended with a USCIS officer. You just don’t know whether the officer will have the same sense of humor as you. You’ll want to be especially careful to avoid joking or speaking lightheartedly about diseases, drugs, human smuggling and bigamy.
Avoid getting into arguments with family
If you appear for your interview with a family member or spouse, do not get into an argument with them in front of the officer. Make a plan ahead of time how you will resolve the issue if an argument starts to erupt in the midst of the interview.
Avoid arguing with your officer
It should go without saying, but you should never directly challenge or argue with the USCIS officer. Instead, ask politely for more information so you can better navigate the potential point of conflict. Stay calm and patient with the officer at all times.
Avoid lying or misrepresenting information
Be as truthful as possible with the USCIS officer, and if you’re worried how your truth could affect your case, discuss the matter with an attorney who can advise you how to address the topic without lying. In many cases, you can explain the truth in a way that will not damage your immigration application.
Learn more about U.S. immigration law
The more you know about U.S. immigration law going into a USCIS interview, the better you’ll know what kind of information the officer requires in order to achieve the result you’re looking for. An immigration interview is one instance in which knowing the law is half the battle.