How To Answer Tough Questions In Your Immigration Interview
As anyone who has gone through the green card/immigration process for the United States, Citizenship and Immigration Services does not make it easy or quick to obtain your green card. There is a variety of documentation that must be filed with the right people within a particular timeline, tests must be taken and passed, and an interview must be conducted with a USCIS officer to gain immigration status.
When you finally reach the stage at which you will be interviewed for your green card, you will likely have been going through the process for a long time and are more than ready for it to conclude successfully. It is important, then, that you prepare yourself for the interview and be aware of the types of questions you will be asked.
One of the best ways to ensure that you and your family are ready for your citizenship interview is to hire an immigration attorney such as ours at Elliott Immigration Law serving Lawrenceville, GA. Your exceptional immigration lawyer from our law firm will work diligently to ensure all of your paperwork is in order and you feel confident going into your interview after receiving our legal advice.
What Should You Bring To Your Green Card Interview
There are some documents that you must bring to your Green Card interview, and others that would be helpful to have with you, depending on your case type. This section outlines the documents youâll need in two separate checklists: one for interviews inside the U.S. and one for interviews at a U.S. embassy or consulate outside the U.S.
To learn more about the documents you should bring with you to your interview, and about the interview process inside or outside of the U.S., checkout USCIS’ interview guidelines and the National Visa Center interview guidelines, respectively.
Before Being Approved For A Green Card Mostbut Not Allapplicants Must Attend An Interview
Before being approved for a green card , mostbut not allapplicants must attend an interview. Where exactly that interview will be held depends on where you’re applying from.
People coming from overseas will ordinarily attend their interview at a U.S. consulate, while those applying in the U.S. will attend their interview at an office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services .
Regardless of where the interview will be held, however, the following tips will help you to pass and receive approval for a green card.
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Can You Bring Friends Or Family Members Who Are Not Part Of Your Application
In most cases, the only people who should attend the Green Card interview are those whose names are listed on the interview appointment notice that USCIS or NVC sent, interpreters, and lawyers. If you have a disability, you may attend the interview with a legal guardian or friend. or U.S. embassy or consulate where you will be interviewing ahead of time to make these preparations.
Prepare For The Interview
After the National Visa Center schedules your visa interview appointment, they will send you, your petitioner, and your agent/attorney an email noting the appointment date and time.After you receive an interview Appointment Letter from NVC, you must take the following steps BEFORE the interview date.
1. Schedule and Complete a Medical Examination
You are required to schedule a medical appointment with an authorized physician in the country where you will be interviewed.This exam must be with an embassy-approved doctor, also referred to as the Panel Physician. Exams conducted by other physicians will not be accepted. You must complete your medical examination, along with any required vaccinations, before your scheduled visa interview date.Please visit our List of U.S. Embassies and Consulates for country-specific medical examination instructions.
After your exam, the Panel Physician will either send the exam results directly to the embassy or give you a sealed envelope. If the doctor gives you an envelope, do not open it.Instead, bring it to your visa interview and give it to the consular officer.
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Items To Take To Interview
The USCIS appointment notice will include a list of items to take to your I-485 interview. Follow the directions on your appointment notice, but this list will get you prepared for the I-485 interview. You should expect to take the following items:
- A government-issued photo identification such as a passport but can also be any other government-issued photo ID like a drivers license.
- Appointment notice for your I-485 interview.
- A complete copy of your adjustment of status application package. In addition to Form I-485, have available any other forms you may have submitted.
- Originals of any supporting documents that you submitted to USCIS with the adjustment of status application. Especially important examples include birth, marriage and death certificates as well as divorce decrees .
- Your passport .
- Any other travel documents, for example your advance parole permit if you traveled while awaiting your interview.
- Doctors report from your required medical examination on Form I-693 .
- If applying based on employment, an up-to-date employment verification letter from your employer, documenting continued employment at a specified salary.
- If applying based on marriage, copies plus originals of documents showing your shared life, such as a joint lease or mortgage, joint bank account or credit card statements, childrens birth certificates, and so on.
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How To Prepare For The Us Citizenship Interview
The process of becoming a US citizen culminates with an interview. It is one of the most dreaded stages in US immigration process. Everyone tries as much as possible to pass this stage and finally become a US citizen. The key secret to passing the naturalization test is preparing adequately. A lot of immigrants are eligible for US Citizenship by naturalization. However, most of them are afraid to take the next step because they dont know how to prepare for the citizenship interview. Here crucial tips for passing the naturalization interview you need to put into practice to succeed.
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Screen Interviews When You Arrive In Canada
- The officer will request to see your visa and travel documents
- He/she will confirm the validity of these documents
- The officer may raise questions concerning your health
- The immigration officer from the CBSA will ask general questions such as:
Arrive At Least 20 Minutes Early To Your Naturalization Interview
Once you fill your N-400 application form, USCIS will send an email with details regarding where and when the interview will take place. You should attempt to make it to the interview on time. Missing or coming to the interview late can show a wrong impression to the officers. They may think that you are not serious about being a US citizen. Don’t forget that sometimes the traffic or an unexpected event can happen. Planning ahead will allow you being more relaxed.
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If You Are Applying From Inside Of The Us Through Adjustment Of Status
You must bring the following documents to your Green Card interview:
- A government-issued I.D. like your passport or driver’s license
- A copy of your Form I-485 interview appointment notice
- A complete copy of your adjustment of status application packet. In addition to Form I-485, your packet must include any of these forms you may have submitted:
– Form I-130 – Form I-130A – Form I-864 – Form I-131 – Form I-765 – Form I-944
Learn more about applying for a Green Card through Adjustment of Status in our detailed filing guide.
Questions About Your Academic Capability
Not surprisingly, you will need to prove your capability to succeed in a US university during your interview. Yourtest scores, previous GPA, and previous study abroad can all be evaluated to determine your likelihood of successduring your program.
- What are your test scores ?
- What was your previous GPA?
- How will you manage the cultural and educational differences in the US?
- How good is your English?
- Why do you want to pursue a degree in the US?
- Why not study in Canada, Australia or the UK?
- What do you know about US schools?
- Can I see your high school/college diploma?
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How To Prepare For Family Green Card Interview
Before your interview date, ensure that you review all the forms and documents. Many of your interview questions will be asked based on the information given in these documents. Going through them before the interview will help refresh your memory as you want to avoid giving contradicting answers that will affect your application.
When Do I Receive My Green Card After A Consular Interview
If you are interviewed outside the U.S. and the consular officer approves your application, you will also not get your green card immediately. The officer will only stamp your passport to indicate approval of permanent residency until the official green card arrives. You will be given a sealed immigration packet, which will allow you to travel to the U.S. Do not open this packet.
Once you arrive at a U.S. port of entry, a customs officer will collect and check your sealed immigration packet. After checking your packet, the officer may decide to grant or deny you entry. If you are granted entry at the port of entry, then you will be able to enter the U.S. as a permanent resident, and your official green card will be mailed to you some weeks after your arrival.
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What Should I Expect In A Green Card Interview
As with almost everything having to do with immigration into the United States, the green card interview will require you to have necessary paperwork with you and be prepared to answer numerous questions about every aspect of your life and your past.
Not all green card interviews are the same, but they will generally follow the same basic format. To ensure that you feel confident and prepared for your interview, our attorneys at Elliott Immigration Law recommend having a mock interview session set up with your lawyer before the real interview so that you feel more comfortable on the big day.
What Is A Marriage
A spouse can obtain a green card for an immediate relative of a U.S. citizen. A green card for your immigrant spouse is more commonly known as a and has special immigration priority.
This green card grants the immigrant spouse permanent residency in the U.S., which allows them to live, work, and study in the U.S. legally. Additional green card benefits include being able to:
- Travel in and out of the U.S.
- Obtain a drivers license
- Apply for social security
This marriage-based green card, which immigrant spouses should carry at all times, is valid for ten years. However, it can be renewed no less than six months before expiration for the immigrant spouse to maintain their legal residency.
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Reach Out To An Immigration Attorney
If have any more concerns about your interview, reach out to an experienced immigration attorney.
At Monument Immigration, our only focus is on immigration law. We offer free case evaluations, where we can walk you through your application and help you prepare for the interview. Contact us today.
- 1180 N. Town Center Dr.,Suite 100
After The Marriage Green Card Interview
Once youve completed your marriage-based green card interview, youll have to wait for the USCIS to approve your petition. Unfortunately, there isnt a defined time for marriage green card approvals, making the waiting process even more stressful.
A few weeks from the interview date, you may receive the news that USCIS either granted or denied your green card. It can take longer if your file is undergoing an additional security review. If your petition is approved, USCIS will return your passport to you with the conditional green card printed inside, allowing you and your spouse to enter the U.S. as legal permanent residents.
You and your spouse can check the status of your green card case by entering your case number into the USCIS Case Status Search.
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Canada Work Permit Visa Interview Questions And Answers:
- When did you receive a job offer?
- What is the name of the company?
- What will you position be at this company?
- How long is your job offer?
- What is your work experience here in Canada and outside of Canada?
- Why do you want to work for this company in Canada?
- Do you plan on returning to your home country after your work permit?
Getting Ready For The Interview
When preparing for your interview, you should assemble copies of the forms and original documents that you included in your application, as well as any documents you need to show changes since you applied.
If you are applying for a Family Green Card, gather everything you need to prove your relationship with your sponsor is real and legitimate. Include any marriage certificates, birth certificates, joint bank account statements, holiday itineraries, phone records between you and your spouse, wedding photos, proposal photos, etc.
If you’re applying for a humanitarian green card, bring any documents that help prove that you need protection and safety in the US. In all cases.
In general. the more documents you bring to prove that your claim to a Green Card is legitimate, the better.
Itâs a good idea to arrange your forms, photos, and documents in chronological order for your easy reference during the interview. You could arrange any photos in a photo album, and any other documents in a folder – whichever works best for you in terms of organization. The more organized you are, the easier it will be for you to answer the interviewing officer’s questions in a way that supports your case.
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What To Bring To The Interview
The applicant is responsible to bring all required original or certified copy civil documents to the visa interview. Failure to bring all required documents to the interview may cause delay or denial of the visa. You must bring the following documents to the interview:
- Appointment LetterThe interview appointment letter you received from NVC.
- Passport For each applicant, an unexpired passport valid for six months beyond the intended date of entry into the United States
- two identical color photograph for each applicant, which must meet the generalRequirements.
- DS-260 Confirmation Page
- Supporting Documentsoriginal or certified copies of all civil documents you uploaded into CEAC.
Your original documents will be returned to you when the interview has been completed. Any photocopies provided may be kept.
- English TranslationsIf documents requiring English translation were not sent to NVC, youmustobtain them and present them on the day of your interview. For more information please review the U.S. Embassy or Consulate interview preparation instructions.
- Visa FeesIf your visa application fees were collected by NVC, you do not need to pay again. However, if you or any family member did not pay all the necessary fees, you will be asked to pay any unpaid fees at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
Need to change the interview date and time -Instructions to reschedule your appointment are available at U.S. Embassy or Consulate interview preparation instructions.
Is There No Set List Of Questions The Officer Will Ask Of A Married Couple
There is no master list of questions at least none that’s available to the public. Besides, USCIS and consular officers seem to like coming up with their own, unique questions to uncover marriage frauds.
That means there’s no guarantee that the U.S. official conducting the interview will ask you all or any of the questions provided in this article, though many are drawn from actual interviews. The below questions should, however, get you and your fiancé or spouse started on the process of testing each other’s memory.
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Common Immigration Interview Questions In 2021
Aside from organizing your documents, knowing what sort of questions you can expect to be asked will help you prepare for your interview. Answer all questions fully, succinctly, and truthfully, but do not volunteer information unless asked. If youre unsure of the answer or do not understand a question, you should always say so rather than guess.
Work With An Experienced Orlando Green Card Attorney
At Colombo & Hurd, many of our attorneys are immigrants themselves, so we understand the USCIS process from both a personal and legal perspective. We work hand -in-hand with our clients to help them achieve their immigration goals, from obtaining a visa through achieving permanent residency. We will stand with you throughout the process, including at your Orlando immigration interview. If you would like to learn more about how we can help you with your immigration matter, contact Colombo & Hurd today at our Orlando office at 478-1111 or our Miami office at 455-0590 to schedule a confidential consultation.
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Development Of Your Relationship
- 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 ?
- Do you and/or your spouse attend regular religious services? Where?
- Where do you keep the spare toilet paper? Who scrubs the toilet?
- Does your spouse take any regular medications?
- What did you do…
Green Card Interview Tips
Follow these tips to help you ace your interview:
Be honest and open. Think of the interview as an opportunity to give the officer a window into your life as a couple, not as an obligation to portray the ideal marriage. Every couple experiences marital difficulties, and you shouldnt be penalized for admitting your own.
Speak your mind. Some interviewing officers will ask very personal questions. If you find a question too offensive, you can let the officer know, and you can decline to answer. Most officers will understand and move on to the next question.
Practice, practice, practice. Its important to rehearse before your interview, especially if one of you tends to be forgetful. Even people in long-term marriages can often find these interviews stressful, but the more you practice, the less anxious youre likely to be. In this situation, its almost always better to be overprepared than under.
Have fun! Its essential to be honest and thorough when documenting and recalling details about your marriage, but dont forget to loosen up. After all, you get to stroll down memory lane and make sure your spouse indeed knows what you like to eat for breakfast!
With Boundless, you get the peace of mind that comes with having an independent immigration attorney who answers your confidential questions and reviews your entire green card application for no additional fee. Ready to start?
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