April 01, 2025

Marriage Based Green Card Interview Questions

Marriage-Based Green Card Interview Questions

Marriage-based Green Cards comprise a significant portion of the U.S.’s immigration system. A recent 2022 study showed that one in six new legal immigrants gained their immigration status by marrying a U.S. citizen or Green Card holder.

Because marriage-based Green Cards do not have a numerical cap, like other visa categories, they are an attractive way to become a U.S. legal permanent resident (LPR) and eventually path to citizenship.

Although no immigration cap exists, the current wait time for marriage-based Green Cards averages about 9.3 months. Because of this, you want to be prepared for your Green Card application process, especially understanding what to expect during the interview phase.

Keep reading to learn more about marriage-based Green Cards and common interview questions.

What Is a Marriage-Based Green Card?

As a U.S. citizen, you may help an eligible spouse obtain a Green Card (or become a lawful permanent resident). To do this, you’ll need to sponsor your spouse. When you sponsor your eligible spouse, you must provide evidence of your relationship. Additionally, you’ll need to prove that you have enough assets or income to support your spouse when they move to the U.S.

U.S. immigration laws give special consideration to immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, such as a U.S. citizen’s spouse.

For these relatives, there is no waiting list to immigrate to the United States. Instead, your spouse can apply for an immigrant visa as soon as the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approves your Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. If your spouse currently lives in the United States, they may be able to adjust their permanent resident status with the USCIS.

For spouses that are not married to a U.S. citizen, the wait can be long.

The Marriage-Based Green Card Interview

The last step of the marriage-based Green Card process is the interview. The National Visa Center (NVC) schedules this interview if the spouse requesting the Green Card lives abroad, and the USCIS schedules this interview if the spouse seeking the Green Card lives in the United States.

During your interview – whether in the United States or abroad – the interviewer’s primary goal is to determine that your marriage is authentic and not fraudulent. Questions focus on your relationship history, your wedding, your home, your lives together, and your future plans.

Here are some common questions you may be asked:

Your Courtship:

How did you first meet?
Where did you go on your first date?
Where did you go on your second date?
When did you decide to get married?
What was the marriage proposal like?

Your Wedding:

When did you get married?
Where was the marriage held?
Did you exchange wedding rings?
Who in your family attended the wedding?
Describe your wedding reception and honeymoon, if you took one.

Your Marriage:

Where did you live after your wedding?
Can you describe the apartment or house?
How long did you live there, if you no longer live there anymore? Where did you move to next?
How much is your rent or mortgage?
Who are your neighbors?

Your Daily Routines:

What time do you each get up in the morning?
Who cooks?
What side of the bed do you sleep on?
On what side of the closet does your spouse hang their clothes?
Where does your spouse work?

Your Financial Life:

How do you pay your bills?
Do you have a joint bank account?
Did you file your taxes jointly?
Do you have life insurance policies naming the other spouse as the beneficiary?
What is your spouse’s annual salary?

Your Kids (if applicable):

What time do your kids get up in the morning?
What time do your kids go to school?
Name your kids’ teachers.
What are your kids’ favorite foods?
Do your kids play sports? If so, which ones?

Your Celebrations:

When is your spouse’s birthday? Do you celebrate it? How?
When is your wedding anniversary? Do you celebrate it? How?
What holidays do you and your spouse celebrate? How?
Do you buy each other gifts for special occasions?
What food do you cook for the holidays you celebrate?

General Questions About Your Spouse:

What is your spouse’s date of birth?
Who was your spouse’s best childhood friend?
Where did your spouse live before you met?
Has your spouse ever been hospitalized? If so, for what?
What is your spouse’s favorite television show, movie, and/or book?

Questions You May Be Asked on the Day of Your Interview:

What time did you and your spouse get up this morning?
Did you eat breakfast together this morning? If yes, what did you have?
How did you get to the interview today?
If you drove, where did you park your car?
Did you or your spouse go to work today? If yes, at what time?

Marriage-Based Green Card Interview Tips:

Your Green Card interview can be nerve-wracking. What will they ask me? What will they ask my spouse? What if I don’t know the answer?

When you go to your interview, be honest. Practice with your spouse. Ask each other questions and quiz each other on the answers. Prepare with an experienced immigration attorney.

More than ever, preparation for your marriage-based Green Card interview is key. The more you practice and prepare, the less anxious you’ll be on the day of your interview.

Next Steps

As you can see from above, securing a marriage-based Green Card can be time-consuming as they are very fact-specific, demanding different applications and supporting documentation. Having an experienced immigration attorney on your side can guide you through these immigration processes, providing you and your spouse with a positive outcome.

Working with an experienced immigration law firm like Gendelberg Law, PLLC can streamline this process while prioritizing the needs of families in the U.S and abroad. We go above and beyond for our clients. At Gendelberg Law, we are passionate about assisting individuals and families with their immigration needs. Let us help you today.