Those who are not citizens of the United States sometimes use marriage as a reason to get a green card. This allows them to be a permanent resident. For instance, someone who came to the United States to go to college may get married to a person who is already a citizen. They need to become a permanent resident so that they don’t have to leave when their education visa expires.
When couples decide to do this, they may be subject to a green card marriage interview. What is the point of this interview and can you study for it so that you are prepared?
Exposing fraudulent relationships
The general point of a green card marriage interview is to determine if the relationship is authentic or fraudulent. There have been cases where people pretend to be in love and act as if they’re in a romantic relationship. They may even get married, but the goal is just to defraud the immigration system to get someone a green card. The couple is not actually romantically involved and doesn’t want to be married. They just know that marriage can help with the green card process.
As such, you can’t study for this type of interview. The interviewer may ask about your daily habits, where the two of you met, if you want to have children, when you each met the other person’s parents, what daily routines you have and things like this. They are going to be looking for information about your daily life to see if you provide similar answers that indicate you’re actually a couple. If there are major discrepancies in your answers, they may determine that the marriage is fraudulent.
This process can be complicated and is very important when trying to adjust your status. Be sure you understand exactly what legal steps to take.