The marriage-based green card interview is the final step before USCIS decides whether to approve your case. It’s the moment where an officer sits down with you and your spouse to determine whether your marriage is genuine. There is no official public list of questions, but after decades of immigration practice, the categories are well established. Here’s what USCIS officers actually focus on in 2026.
Officers almost always start here. They want to hear a consistent, natural story from both spouses about how the relationship began and developed. Expect questions like: How did you meet? Who introduced you, or did you meet online? When was your first date, and where did you go? When did you decide to get married? Who proposed, and how? Who attended the wedding? Where was it held? Did you go on a honeymoon? The goal is to see whether both spouses tell the same story without sounding rehearsed. Small differences in details are normal and expected. Major contradictions are what raise red flags.
This is where officers dig into the details that only a real couple would know. Questions in this category include: What is your home address? Describe the layout of your home. Who cooks? What did you have for dinner last night? What side of the bed does your spouse sleep on? What time does your spouse leave for work? What do you typically do on weekends? Do you have any pets? These questions might sound trivial, but they are specifically designed to reveal whether you actually share a daily life. Couples who live together have no trouble answering them. Couples in fraudulent marriages often stumble.
USCIS looks at financial integration as strong evidence of a bona fide marriage. Expect questions about whether you share bank accounts, who pays the rent or mortgage, whether you file taxes jointly, and what each spouse does for work. Officers may ask for the name of your spouse’s employer, their approximate income, or whether you have joint credit cards or insurance policies. Bringing documentation like joint bank statements, a shared lease, joint tax returns, and insurance policies helps support your answers.
Officers frequently ask about each spouse’s family. Do you know your in-laws’ names? Have you met them? How often do you see them? Do you celebrate holidays together? They also ask about future plans: Do you plan to have children? Where do you see yourselves in five years? These questions test whether you know each other’s families and whether you’ve built a life with shared goals.
In most straightforward cases, the interview lasts 20 to 30 minutes and both spouses are questioned together. But if the officer suspects the marriage may not be genuine, they can separate the couple and conduct what is called a Stokes interview. In a Stokes interview, each spouse is asked the same detailed questions individually, and the officer compares the answers afterward. Common triggers include living apart, a large age difference, a very short relationship before marriage, or inconsistencies in previous filings. Having an experienced immigration attorney at the interview can make a significant difference if the officer raises concerns.
At Borell Law, we have helped thousands of families through the immigration process, including green card interviews at USCIS field offices across Florida. We prepare our clients for every question, review all documentation, and attend the interview with you. Contact us for a consultation and walk into your interview with confidence.
This is general information, not legal advice. Every case is unique; consult your Florida immigration attorney first.
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