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Your Immigrant Visa Interview — This Is It!


A petitioner files a case in the United States, submits documents to the National Visa Center, and finally, the embassy or consulate says it’s time for the interview. This is it — the big day.


The immigration interview is a make-or-break moment for an immigrant visa application, so it’s crucial to be prepared and successfully get through the process.

How to Get Ready for the Immigrant Visa Interview

Preparation is key to successfully navigating the immigrant visa interview and increasing the likelihood of a case getting approved. Here are some preparation tips.


Familiarize Yourself With All the Information on the Application

The applicant or their petitioner needs to read every single document submitted to immigration and make themselves familiar with the information that was provided.


For family-based cases, for example, they should read and study the I-130 petition. For employment-based cases, they will need to check out the employment letter, national interest waiver, table of contents, cover letter, and more.


The key is to become aware of what information was provided to the immigration office in all the forms submitted.


Review All Documents Submitted

Next, the applicant must review all of the documents they submitted to immigration and check them side-by-side with the DS-260. They should look for typos, errors, and other things on the DS-260 that don’t match their petition.


In case a mistake or discrepancy is identified, they should notify the embassy right away to correct the error. This is a very important step — the immigration is looking for problems with the application and will likely notice even the smallest discrepancies. They need to be addressed and handled by the time the interview process takes place.


Be Prepared for the Officer’s Questions

Well before the interview, the applicant must be ready to answer the questions the immigration officer will ask. That entails being aware of what they’re likely to ask in the first place.


For marriage-based petitions, the officer can be expected to ask questions that pertain to the marriage, including how the couple met, where and when they met, how long they dated prior to getting married, when they got engaged, etc.


The answers to these questions should all be correct and accurate. The embassy can easily call the applicant’s spouse in the United States to verify, and if they give different answers, immigration will start to suspect marriage fraud.


This also applies to employment-based cases. The applicant must answer questions about their job duties and responsibilities, roles, the location of the company in the U.S., etc. If they don’t get these questions right, it’s going to be a big red flag for the embassy that leads them to suspect that the employment offer isn’t real.

Avoiding Traps in the Immigrant Visa Interview

There are certain traps during the interview process that, when navigated incorrectly, can cause harm to an immigration petition. Here are the most common ones to avoid.


Identifying Family Members

In the United States, family relationships are very clear. Relationships between family members are clearly delineated, and the applicant must be able to say in American terms how they are related to the person sponsoring them, whether it’s their mother/ father/ grandfather/ grandmother/ cousin/ aunt/ uncle/ etc.


In America, relationships between family members are yes or no — not about the degrees of separation. It’s either they are a relative or they’re not. It doesn’t matter how distantly they’re related or if the applicant has only seen them once in their entire life.


If the applicant has a third, fourth, or fifth cousin, for example, they’re still a cousin and a relative in American terms. The applicant must be very careful about identifying their family members with the proper terminology.


Matching Information Provided

The answers that applicants give during the immigration interview should clearly match the information that they provided in their forms and documents. That’s why prior to the interview, it’s very important to review the application.


Any discrepancy or new information that is provided during the interview can be a red flag for the embassy, making them suspect that the applicant is hiding or withholding information.


Being Familiar With What’s on Social Media

Immigration officers can very well go to an applicant’s social media account and ask questions pertaining to their accounts and posts, as well as those of their loved ones or employers. They can ask about people the applicant is friends with or who they’re engaging with online.


Because of that, it’s also worth being careful and aware of what’s on social media — it’s fair game for the immigration officer to ask the applicant questions about that. 


The Importance of Doing the Immigration Visa Interview Right

The immigration interview is arguably the most important part of the whole immigration process. It’s crucial that the applicant gets it right and answers the questions correctly.


There’s no opportunity for them to go back and change their answers later on. And once the case is decided at the embassy, there is no appeal process. At the very least, they can recommend the case be revoked, which can delay the case for up to a year if the interview goes badly.


The immigration interview is a big deal — what the applicant says will make or break their case. So they must be well-prepared for the big day.



Read More

What Applications are Eligible For an Interview Waiver?


Recently, the USCIS has begun waiving some interviews for family-based immigration petitions. This led to a lot of confusion about what types of petitions are eligible for an interview waiver. Ultimately, it depends on the unique factors present in each family-based immigration application.


Family-Based Immigration Petitions Eligible For an Interview Waiver

A family-based immigration case can end up in two different places — either in the USCIS in the United States or in a U.S. embassy abroad under the State Department. In the case of the former where the case is handled by the USCIS, no consular processing is required and the interview may be waived.


Interview waivers can also happen in case the USCIS decides that the case is straightforward and they have no negative facts about the application. For example, in a marriage-based green card, USCIS may be able to waive the interview if they feel that the marriage is real and genuine, warranting approval without the interview process.


Family-Based Immigration Petitions That Require Interviews

More often than not, cases that end up under the State Department in a U.S. embassy abroad will require an interview. An interview waiver is also not possible in case of a complicated application, such as those with issues in the forms, a pending I-601A waiver, or applicants with previous unlawful entry records.


In these cases, the embassy will have to be involved. The USCIS will have no power to waive the interview at the embassy because they are two different departments.


Always Expect an Interview

In general, straightforward and clean I-130 or I-485 cases are eligible for an interview waiver. However, immigration may still decide to ask the applicants to come in for an interview at the local office.


The interview requirement functions on a case-to-case basis, so it’s important that applicants always expect an interview. If immigration later says it’s not required, then it should be treated as a nice surprise. But generally, it’s best to always be prepared for an immigration interview.



Read More

What is the Difference Between an I-130 and an I-485 Interview?


When an applicant files a marriage-based or family-based petition, the immigration officer will be adjudicating both the I-130 and I-485 cases during the interview. Part of it will be focused on questions about the I-130 and another part will primarily be about the I-485.


The set of questions an applicant will be asked for each interview will differ.


I-130 Interview

The I-130 is a family-based immigration petition for a U.S. green card. In order to get approved, the applicant must show that there is a family connection, whether a marriage to a U.S. citizen, a brother, sister, or parent who is a U.S. citizen, etc. That relationship must be proven in the interview. In some instances, the I-130 can also be used for permanent residence applications.

Who Should Attend?

Since an I-130 focuses on a relationship with a U.S. citizen, it’s recommended that the sponsor, i.e. the spouse or family member, attends the interview with the applicant. At the very least, they should sit in the waiting room to accompany the applicant in case they’re called into the interview room.


Interview Questions

In order to establish a relationship, the I-130 interview will be focused on questions about the connection between the applicant and the person who sponsored them.


For family-based petitions where the parent is the sponsor, for example, the immigration officer may ask when and where the child was born, identify some members of the family, etc. For marriage-based petitions, the immigration officer will ask questions geared toward showing the genuineness of the marriage and relationship.


I-485 Interview

The I-485, on the other hand, is an application for adjustment of status in the United States. Unlike the I-130, it does not focus on proving a relationship. Instead, it peruses an applicant’s admissibility to receive a green card.


Interview Questions

To determine the applicant's admissibility, the I-485 interview will dive deep into their history. The immigration officer will refer to the form filled out by the applicant and verify the information during the interview. Some examples of topics include:

  • Engagement of the applicant in spying, espionage, trafficking of controlled substances, guerilla groups, terrorist activities
  • Past denial of the applicant’s admission
  • Failure of the applicant to serve their two-year return home requirement
  • Conviction for a crime that makes the applicant ineligible for a green card
  • Time served in mandatory military service

The most common reasons for ineligibility are criminal-related issues or immigration-related issues, factors that the immigration officer will try to verify during the I-485 part of the interview.



Read More

Your Immigrant Visa Interview — This Is It!


A petitioner files a case in the United States, submits documents to the National Visa Center, and finally, the embassy or consulate says it’s time for the interview. This is it — the big day.


The immigration interview is a make-or-break moment for an immigrant visa application, so it’s crucial to be prepared and successfully get through the process.

How to Get Ready for the Immigrant Visa Interview

Preparation is key to successfully navigating the immigrant visa interview and increasing the likelihood of a case getting approved. Here are some preparation tips.


Familiarize Yourself With All the Information on the Application

The applicant or their petitioner needs to read every single document submitted to immigration and make themselves familiar with the information that was provided.


For family-based cases, for example, they should read and study the I-130 petition. For employment-based cases, they will need to check out the employment letter, national interest waiver, table of contents, cover letter, and more.


The key is to become aware of what information was provided to the immigration office in all the forms submitted.


Review All Documents Submitted

Next, the applicant must review all of the documents they submitted to immigration and check them side-by-side with the DS-260. They should look for typos, errors, and other things on the DS-260 that don’t match their petition.


In case a mistake or discrepancy is identified, they should notify the embassy right away to correct the error. This is a very important step — the immigration is looking for problems with the application and will likely notice even the smallest discrepancies. They need to be addressed and handled by the time the interview process takes place.


Be Prepared for the Officer’s Questions

Well before the interview, the applicant must be ready to answer the questions the immigration officer will ask. That entails being aware of what they’re likely to ask in the first place.


For marriage-based petitions, the officer can be expected to ask questions that pertain to the marriage, including how the couple met, where and when they met, how long they dated prior to getting married, when they got engaged, etc.


The answers to these questions should all be correct and accurate. The embassy can easily call the applicant’s spouse in the United States to verify, and if they give different answers, immigration will start to suspect marriage fraud.


This also applies to employment-based cases. The applicant must answer questions about their job duties and responsibilities, roles, the location of the company in the U.S., etc. If they don’t get these questions right, it’s going to be a big red flag for the embassy that leads them to suspect that the employment offer isn’t real.

Avoiding Traps in the Immigrant Visa Interview

There are certain traps during the interview process that, when navigated incorrectly, can cause harm to an immigration petition. Here are the most common ones to avoid.


Identifying Family Members

In the United States, family relationships are very clear. Relationships between family members are clearly delineated, and the applicant must be able to say in American terms how they are related to the person sponsoring them, whether it’s their mother/ father/ grandfather/ grandmother/ cousin/ aunt/ uncle/ etc.


In America, relationships between family members are yes or no — not about the degrees of separation. It’s either they are a relative or they’re not. It doesn’t matter how distantly they’re related or if the applicant has only seen them once in their entire life.


If the applicant has a third, fourth, or fifth cousin, for example, they’re still a cousin and a relative in American terms. The applicant must be very careful about identifying their family members with the proper terminology.


Matching Information Provided

The answers that applicants give during the immigration interview should clearly match the information that they provided in their forms and documents. That’s why prior to the interview, it’s very important to review the application.


Any discrepancy or new information that is provided during the interview can be a red flag for the embassy, making them suspect that the applicant is hiding or withholding information.


Being Familiar With What’s on Social Media

Immigration officers can very well go to an applicant’s social media account and ask questions pertaining to their accounts and posts, as well as those of their loved ones or employers. They can ask about people the applicant is friends with or who they’re engaging with online.


Because of that, it’s also worth being careful and aware of what’s on social media — it’s fair game for the immigration officer to ask the applicant questions about that. 


The Importance of Doing the Immigration Visa Interview Right

The immigration interview is arguably the most important part of the whole immigration process. It’s crucial that the applicant gets it right and answers the questions correctly.


There’s no opportunity for them to go back and change their answers later on. And once the case is decided at the embassy, there is no appeal process. At the very least, they can recommend the case be revoked, which can delay the case for up to a year if the interview goes badly.


The immigration interview is a big deal — what the applicant says will make or break their case. So they must be well-prepared for the big day.



Read More

What Applications are Eligible For an Interview Waiver?


Recently, the USCIS has begun waiving some interviews for family-based immigration petitions. This led to a lot of confusion about what types of petitions are eligible for an interview waiver. Ultimately, it depends on the unique factors present in each family-based immigration application.


Family-Based Immigration Petitions Eligible For an Interview Waiver

A family-based immigration case can end up in two different places — either in the USCIS in the United States or in a U.S. embassy abroad under the State Department. In the case of the former where the case is handled by the USCIS, no consular processing is required and the interview may be waived.


Interview waivers can also happen in case the USCIS decides that the case is straightforward and they have no negative facts about the application. For example, in a marriage-based green card, USCIS may be able to waive the interview if they feel that the marriage is real and genuine, warranting approval without the interview process.


Family-Based Immigration Petitions That Require Interviews

More often than not, cases that end up under the State Department in a U.S. embassy abroad will require an interview. An interview waiver is also not possible in case of a complicated application, such as those with issues in the forms, a pending I-601A waiver, or applicants with previous unlawful entry records.


In these cases, the embassy will have to be involved. The USCIS will have no power to waive the interview at the embassy because they are two different departments.


Always Expect an Interview

In general, straightforward and clean I-130 or I-485 cases are eligible for an interview waiver. However, immigration may still decide to ask the applicants to come in for an interview at the local office.


The interview requirement functions on a case-to-case basis, so it’s important that applicants always expect an interview. If immigration later says it’s not required, then it should be treated as a nice surprise. But generally, it’s best to always be prepared for an immigration interview.



Read More

What is the Difference Between an I-130 and an I-485 Interview?


When an applicant files a marriage-based or family-based petition, the immigration officer will be adjudicating both the I-130 and I-485 cases during the interview. Part of it will be focused on questions about the I-130 and another part will primarily be about the I-485.


The set of questions an applicant will be asked for each interview will differ.


I-130 Interview

The I-130 is a family-based immigration petition for a U.S. green card. In order to get approved, the applicant must show that there is a family connection, whether a marriage to a U.S. citizen, a brother, sister, or parent who is a U.S. citizen, etc. That relationship must be proven in the interview. In some instances, the I-130 can also be used for permanent residence applications.

Who Should Attend?

Since an I-130 focuses on a relationship with a U.S. citizen, it’s recommended that the sponsor, i.e. the spouse or family member, attends the interview with the applicant. At the very least, they should sit in the waiting room to accompany the applicant in case they’re called into the interview room.


Interview Questions

In order to establish a relationship, the I-130 interview will be focused on questions about the connection between the applicant and the person who sponsored them.


For family-based petitions where the parent is the sponsor, for example, the immigration officer may ask when and where the child was born, identify some members of the family, etc. For marriage-based petitions, the immigration officer will ask questions geared toward showing the genuineness of the marriage and relationship.


I-485 Interview

The I-485, on the other hand, is an application for adjustment of status in the United States. Unlike the I-130, it does not focus on proving a relationship. Instead, it peruses an applicant’s admissibility to receive a green card.


Interview Questions

To determine the applicant's admissibility, the I-485 interview will dive deep into their history. The immigration officer will refer to the form filled out by the applicant and verify the information during the interview. Some examples of topics include:

  • Engagement of the applicant in spying, espionage, trafficking of controlled substances, guerilla groups, terrorist activities
  • Past denial of the applicant’s admission
  • Failure of the applicant to serve their two-year return home requirement
  • Conviction for a crime that makes the applicant ineligible for a green card
  • Time served in mandatory military service

The most common reasons for ineligibility are criminal-related issues or immigration-related issues, factors that the immigration officer will try to verify during the I-485 part of the interview.



Read More

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