If you are an immigrant to the United States who is marrying or already wedded to a U.S. citizen, in order to get your green card, you might have to undergo additional scrutiny.
This process is known as a Stokes interview and can take place during your initial interview with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) (although traditionally this is done during a secondary examination). Regardless, couples are strongly urged to be prepared for a Stokes interview to take place at any point in the USCIS green card process.
What can couples expect in these interviews?
Because the point of a Stokes interview is to prevent sham marriages just for a green card, both you and your partner should expect a very granular and personal interview. Below are just a few of the typical questions couples get asked:
- Describe your kitchen appliances.
- Name your spouse’s favorite and least favorite food.
- Which is your side of the bed?
- What brand of mattress is on your bed?
- Name the toothpaste, soap and shampoo brands in your bathroom.
- Do you have a dog? Who walks your dog?
- Do you use birth control? If so, what kind?
- How many laptops or desktop computers are in the home?
As you can see, it would be quite a challenge for people who do not know one another intimately and share a living space to answer those questions accurately and separately.
Get prepared before attempting the green card process
Immigration interviews are nerve-wracking to even legitimately married couples because so much hangs in the balance. If you want to make sure that you get it right, learn as much as possible about the immigration process.