The Green Card Interview At the INS

Before your wife is issued a Green Card or given permanent residency, you both will have to attend a Green Card interview by an INS officer.

You will be notified of the date of your interview weeks in advance. Your INS interviewer will have your complete file in front of him or her and will have reviewed it by the time your interview has arrived.

Our interview went very smooth. The INS officer asked similar questions about how we met, how long we've known each other, et cetera, that we had at the US embassy when applying for our fiancé visa.

The purpose of the interview is to determine the legitimacy of our relationship and my wife's claim for permanent residency.

The interview is videotaped. While you may be nervous, just answer the questions. Don't volunteer any information. This is similar to a police investigation in that any information can and will be used against you.

But remember, your relationship is legitimate. You are innocent. You have nothing to hide. Just answer the questions asked in as direct a method as possible.

You Have The Right To Appeal:

I have heard stories of people who have had a difficult time at the interview. According to the couples reporting the stories, the INS officer was rude and condescending and stated that they did not believe that they had a legitimate marriage.

We had the opposite experience. However, be prepared for some tough questioning. Even if the INS officer is not having the best day, maintain your composure and answer the questions that are asked.

If your petition is legitimate, you shouldn't have any problems. Your application will be approved.

If, for some reason, your application is denied, you can appeal. You can get the immigration attorney who filed your Fiancé Visa to help you in the matter.

You will find out whether your application is approved at the interview. Your wife's Green Card may arrive several weeks later or several months later.

Properly Secure Her Green Card:

Do not lose your Green Card. Make copies of it. Whenever your wife leaves the country, make sure she carries her Green Card with her, plus copies of it, in case it gets lost.

She will not be readmitted to the United States without the Green Card in her hands when she arrives.

The Green Card she will receive is a special two-year Green Card. Just in case she got married for the sole purpose of getting a Green Card, the INS issues the two-year card.

At the end of two years, her Green Card expires. If she is not married to you at that time, her Permanent Residency may expire. She has the burden of proof to show why she should get a new Permanent Residency card.

Of course, if she is still married to you at the end of two years, she must re-apply for a new Green Card, which she will automatically be granted. This new Green Card will be for ten years in duration.

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