How To Interview For An Immigration Service Officer Job

Obtaining a Green Card is neither quick nor easy. If you are like most people, y'all volition be very excited when your interview notice finally arrives. At the same fourth dimension, yous may experience anxious almost your upcoming interview. While not all Green Card interviews are the same, they usually follow a general format. Beingness well prepared for your interview will requite you peace of heed and increase the likelihood of a successful consequence.

When you receive your interview notice, it is crucial that you read it advisedly as it volition straight y'all exactly WHEN (date and time) and WHERE (location) your interview will take place. The interview notice will often include a general list of documents that might not e'er apply to you completely. It'south recommended to bring the original document of every copy you submitted in your application. You lot will be instructed to bring an interpreter if y'all practise not speak English fluently.

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Preparing for Your Clearing Interview

As we mentioned above, coming prepared for your interview is very important. If you come organized and prepared you will likely feel more than comfortable on the mean solar day of the interview. Here are some general tips:

We ever recommend to our clients to visit the USCIS field office where your interview will take place prior to the day of the interview (preferably at the aforementioned time of day). Make sure you know where the building is, how long it takes to go there, parking, security, and then on.

Wearing apparel business organisation professional. No need for a suit and tie, but information technology is all-time to dress professional, respectful and comfortable.
Get there early (but not that early!)- We always recommend arriving at your interview at least 45 minutes before your scheduled time. Due to Covid-19, nearly USCIS field office will not let you really enter the building more than 15 minutes earlier your scheduled fourth dimension, nonetheless- information technology's better to get there early and wait outside the building than to be late.
Read your applications and exist familiar with all the questions and answers on them- you will be asked questions from your applications, it helps to prepare and review them.
Organize all required documents in a folder with dividers for easy admission during your interview – It reduces stress levels when you can easily find and admission a document you are asked to provide the officeholder with.
Consider scheduling a prep session- If you do non have an attorney representing you- you should consider scheduling an interview prep session with an immigration attorney. An experienced attorney can review your applications and supporting documentation, conduct a mock interview and actually fix you for what to expect at your interview.

Mutual Immigration Interview Questions in 2021

Bated from organizing your documents, knowing what sort of questions you can look to be asked will help you prepare for your interview. Answer all questions fully, succinctly, and truthfully, but practice not volunteer information unless asked. If y'all're unsure of the respond or do not sympathise a question, yous should ever say and so rather than gauge.

Greetings

The interview will first with the USCIS officeholder greeting yous and introducing themselves. You should do too. They might inquire, "How are you?" or something similar. Many will make pocket-sized talk, such as commenting well-nigh the conditions. Most people report that their USCIS interviewer was friendly, but there are exceptions. The officer will explain the purpose of the interview.

The Oath

Before going to your interview, be aware that you will be asked to swear an adjuration. When instructed, raise your right mitt and wait until instructed to say the following: "Exercise you lot swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing just the truth?" Yous might be asked if yous understand what an oath is. It is essential to know that lying under oath is a criminal offence and tin make y'all ineligible to receive a Green Card.

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Personal information

You tin can wait questions asking basic personal information such as:

What is your full proper noun?
When is your altogether?
Where were you built-in?
What is your race?
Are you Hispanic or Latino?
What is your current accost?
What is your phone number?

Should you apply for a wedlock-based Green Card, await to be asked these questions about your spouse, too.

Concrete data

It might seem foreign to be asked questions about your concrete appearance when your interviewer can hands see you. Nonetheless, y'all might be asked questions such equally:

How alpine are you?
What colour are your optics?
What colour is your hair?
What is your weight? (Don't lie, though information technology might be tempting!)

Family history

Exist prepared to answer questions about your family unit. Should you apply for a wedlock-based Light-green Carte, at that place might as well be questions about your spouse'south family unit. Typical questions include:

What is your female parent's maiden proper name?
-in-law or father-in-law's offset name?
Is your female parent or male parent a U.S. denizen?
How many children exercise you have?
Where were your children born?
Is your child your biological, adopted, or your spouse'southward?

Related: Oftentimes Asked Questions

Relationship history

When applying for a marriage-based Green Card await questions, some of which might ask about small details or be quite probing, well-nigh your relationship with your spouse. You and your spouse might even exist questioned separately. Relationship questions for other types of Dark-green Cards are usually more than basic. Officers can ask a vast range of questions, just here are some examples:

How, where, and when did you meet your spouse?
Where did your showtime date take place?
How long did were you with your spouse before getting married?
When and where were you married?
Did you keep a honeymoon? If yep, where did y'all get?
What is your spouse'south current job?
What exercise your parents think well-nigh your spouse?

Military information

Yous could be asked questions near whatsoever war machine service, either in the U.S. war machine or another land:

Have you always served in the United States military?
When did you register with the Selective Service? (if you are male person)
What rank did y'all agree when you served in the military of [name of your dwelling house country]?

Immigration status

Your interviewer volition want to know your clearing history and if you take maintained legal condition

Are you a legal resident or denizen of a foreign land? If so, which state?
Have you lot ever worked in the U.s. without an authorization?
Accept you ever violated the terms and weather condition of your visa?

Trips

You might be asked about foreign travel. Be aware that travel to certain countries (generally those considered hostile to the U.S., such as Iran) might trigger more scrutiny. Have an explanation fix virtually the purpose of your travel. Possible general questions include:

What foreign countries have yous visited in the past ten years?
When did you last travel outside the U.Due south.?
How long was your last trip outside the U.S.?

Residential history

Make sure you know where y'all lived and when. While it might exist hard to remember every detail, peculiarly if yous take moved around, think and reply thoroughly. Possible questions include:

Where exercise you currently live?
How long take you lived there?
Where else have you lived during the past v years?
Have you moved since y'all submitted your awarding?
What places have you lived in since the historic period of sixteen?

Education and employment

You should expect to reply quite a few questions about your pedagogy and employment if your Green Carte application is employment-based. While people with family-based applications do not usually reply as many employment-related questions, that is not ever the example. Some types of careers and jobs, such every bit those that appear political, might trigger more questions. Typical questions include:

Where do yous work?
Where else have yous worked in the by five years?
What is your salary?
What is the name of the last school you attended?
What did you study at the final schoolhouse y'all attended?

Income tax

USCIS officers oft request to see tax returns, even if that is not listed on your interview notice as i of the documents you lot should bring. You lot might be asked questions about your tax history, such equally

Practise you lot owe whatsoever taxes to a local, state, or federal government?
Take you ever failed to file a tax return when y'all were legally obligated?

Ideals

To be eligible for a Greenish Card, you must be of good moral character and uphold the laws of the U.S. Possible questions you might be asked include:

Have you ever claimed to be a citizen of the United States of America?
Have you ever attacked, discriminated confronting, or denied another person's rights based on their nationality, race, religious beliefs, orientation, or political stance?
Will you obey the laws of the United States?

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Amalgamation with Certain Organizations

Form I-485 asks for a list of any organizations you are affiliated with, and you might exist asked the same questions during your Green Carte du jour interview. Technically, USCIS means whatsoever organization, even very innocuous ones such as the Boy Scouts. Specifically, USCIS is looking to come across if you are a fellow member of an arrangement that could be considered a threat to the U.Due south. Memberships in some groups, such as terrorist organizations or the Communist Party, could make y'all ineligible to receive a Green Card. Typical questions include:

Have you e'er been associated with or a member of whatever organization, association, fund foundation, party, club, or like grouping?
Take you ever been associated with or a fellow member of the Communist Party, the Nazi Party, or a terrorist organization?

Legal issues

You lot are required to disembalm any criminal tape on Grade I-485, and you must bring documentation with you to your interview if you accept any such history. Yous might exist asked questions such as:

Accept you lot always been arrested?
Have yous ever committed a criminal offence without being charged?

Tips for Your Immigration Interview

(Be on time, clothing nice vesture, act normal — not overly nice or uncomfortable –, exist organized with your paperwork, talk to your chaser, etc.)

How can an Immigration Attorney May Help with Your Interview?

An immigration attorney can help you lot prepare for your interview. They suggest you on what to expect, given your circumstances, write a alphabetic character on your behalf to bring to your interview, and fifty-fifty accompany you. You should especially consider consulting an attorney if your case has any complicating factors such as visa overstays, memberships with organizations that might invite scrutiny, or a police record. With marriage-based Greenish card applications, information technology is good to consult an attorney if there are significant differences in your ages, education level, cultures, or faith considering those factors frequently trigger more questioning.

Brudner Law is experienced in many areas of immigration constabulary. Visit us today to see how we tin can assistance y'all.