Has anyone gone through the Green Card experience (interview) with their SO?

A bit of background: I'm Canadian, moved here for grad school, met DH, got married and stayed. I'm here legally and all that jazz. We filed our green card app earlier this year and are at the end stages with our interview next week! We are working with an immigration lawyer (and my dad is actually a Canadian-based immigration lawyer) but I'm still nervous and was wondering if anyone had gone through this process and could share a bit of their experience at the interview? If you are more comfortable FMing me, please feel free! Thanks!

Re: Has anyone gone through the Green Card experience (interview) with their SO?

I would try to hire someone to coach you you and get your prepared for the interview. My brother did this for his wife in the Phillipians (sp). They knew what kind of questions would be asked and they coached her to answer them the best way possible.

Re: Has anyone gone through the Green Card experience (interview) with their SO?

My cousins DH had to do it hes from Wales... i can ask them later!

ET: spelling

Message edited 10/5/2011 11:56:32 AM.

Re: Has anyone gone through the Green Card experience (interview) with their SO?

Re: Has anyone gone through the Green Card experience (interview) with their SO?

Re: Has anyone gone through the Green Card experience (interview) with their SO?

I'm not an immigration attorney, but I do handle a lot of immigration matters.

To be quite honest, you don't need any "coaching" at all if you are a 100% legitimate married couple. The personal questions they will ask you will likely be things you would know about your spouse if you married for legitimate reasons vs just a green card.

For the most part what they are looking at are the following:

Do you live together?

Do you share any credit cards? Bank accounts? Is your money mingled?

Do you file your personal income taxes as Married Filing Joint vs Married Separate?

Are you on each other's health insurance?

Do you both have utilities in your name at the address you live at?

Do you have any life insurance policies that show the other as the beneficiary?

Do you own property, and if so, is the deed in both names? Mortgage in both names?

Do you have any children and is your spouse listed as the father on the birth certificate? (This is a big bonus!)

Have you visited your home country together on vacation? Have you done any other travel together?

I think you get the point.

Basically they want to see that you are sharing a LIFE together, as a bona fide marriage. If you are, then do not worry, you will be okay!

Message edited 10/5/2011 12:32:00 PM.

Re: Has anyone gone through the Green Card experience (interview) with their SO?

If it is a bonafide marriage, you'll have nothing to worry about. No outragious questions. Just basic things a married couple would know about eachother.

Re: Has anyone gone through the Green Card experience (interview) with their SO?

We did this. DH is from Ireland and we had to go for the interview as after we got married in order for him to get his green card. We had a lawyer because she helped us with all the paperwork (it was a complicated case) and she came to the interview with us but in hindsight, we didnt really need her for that part of it.
The questions the PP wrote above are basically what we were asked. It was easy but we were super nervous!
We were also asked to bring photographs of our wedding and trips together etc. the officer did look through those and asked some questions about them. The actual interview itself was only about 10 minutes. Good luck!

Re: Has anyone gone through the Green Card experience (interview) with their SO?

From what I understand, the biggest problem for emigrating to the US is the wait, apparently at the moment it can take upwards of a year to get a visa to go live in the states.

Its amazing, when I emigrated to the UK 12 years ago, we had to do very little, pay a free, fill out a few forms and show proof of address. Nowadays you have to jump through all kinds of hoops! Its amazing.

There is a forum called Dive into America that might help you out, its mainly for Brits in America, but the immigration process is probably the same. Good luck!

Re: Has anyone gone through the Green Card experience (interview) with their SO?

I have few friends who did this.
Do you have questions? I might have them somewhere and can mail them to you if you'd like. FM me if interested and I'll look for them . Your lawyer might be able to get them for you too otherwise go online and google it, maybe you'll find it.

Also make sure you both take house keys. My friend had the interview , they asked her if she had the house keys, she said no, my DH does, and the officer told her married couple always carry keys blah, blah, blah. She has to go back a year from now and they've been married for almost 4 years.
If the interview goes well it will only take few minutes, if it doesn't go well then they'll either separate you right there and question each of you separately (it will take a long time) or they will reschedule your interview a year from your date (if you are in NY)

One of the questions they asked my friend was "what is your DH's favorite ice cream flavor"
It also really depends who you get, some officers are not so nice and some are very nice .
But honestly, if you are "really married" than you have nothing to worry about, they look at everything, body language, facial expression..... They know what's real and what's not , know what I mean?

Message edited 10/5/2011 3:31:55 PM.