The Green Card Interview: What USCIS Asks and What to Bring

Written by the Ellis Porter content team. This article has not been reviewed by an attorney. It is general information, not legal advice.

You have an interview notice. Here is what the day looks like.

If an interview notice just arrived, you are close to the end of a long process, and it is normal to feel nervous. The officer is not trying to trick you. The interview exists to confirm, in person and under oath, that what you put on paper is true and still current. Knowing how it works takes most of the fear out of it.

The USCIS Policy Manual says "all adjustment of status applicants must be interviewed by an officer unless the interview is waived by USCIS." During the interview, the officer "verifies that the applicant understood the questions on the application and provides the applicant with an opportunity to revise any answers completed incorrectly or that have changed since filing." If anything is revised, you re-sign and date the application at the end.

This guide covers interviews for adjustment of status, filed on Form I-485 inside the US. If you are processing abroad, a consular officer interviews you at the embassy instead.

Who must attend, and when interviews are waived

The applicant always attends if an interview is scheduled. In family cases, the Policy Manual says USCIS "generally requires the Form I-130 petitioner to appear for the interview with the principal adjustment of status applicant," and derivatives "are also required to appear regardless of the filing category."

Interviews can be waived, case by case. The Policy Manual lists categories where officers may decide to waive, including:

• Applicants who are clearly ineligible;
• Unmarried children under 21 of US citizens;
• Parents of US citizens; and
• Unmarried children under 14 of permanent residents.

USCIS adds that it "is not required to waive the interview, even if an applicant falls within one of the categories." Spouses are not on the list, so marriage cases should plan for an interview. The regulation behind this is 8 CFR 245.6.

Why might USCIS schedule an interview in a case that could have been waived? The Policy Manual lists reasons, such as a need to confirm identity or status, an entry without inspection, criminal or security concerns, fraud concerns, fingerprints rejected twice, or a "Yes" answer on an eligibility question that a Request for Evidence could not resolve.

What to bring

USCIS’s adjustment of status page says you, and the family member who filed the petition if applicable, "must bring originals of all documentation submitted with the Form I-485 application. This includes passports, official travel documents, and Form I-94, whether or not they are expired."

A practical packing list:

1. Your interview notice;
2. Government-issued photo ID for you and the petitioner;
3. All passports, travel documents, and I-94 records, including expired ones;
4. Originals of the civil documents you submitted, such as birth and marriage certificates, divorce decrees, and certified translations;
5. Any EAD card and advance parole document USCIS issued you;
6. Any item your notice specifically lists; and
7. For a marriage case, updated evidence of your life together since you filed.

If you filed online, also bring the original Form I-693 and the civil surgeon’s envelope. The Form I-485 page says USCIS "may review the original Form I-693 and envelope during an interview."

The marriage green card interview

In a marriage case, the officer is answering one question: was the marriage bona fide when it began? The Policy Manual defines that as a marriage "entered into in good faith and not for the purpose of evading immigration laws," where the spouses "intended to build a life together at the time they were married." It also says that "the viability of the marriage or the probability of the parties remaining married for a long time is not relevant."

Expect questions about:

• How and when you met, and how the relationship developed;
• Your wedding and who attended;
• Where you live, who pays which bills, and how you share money;
• Daily routines, work schedules, and family members; and
• Any prior marriages and how they ended.

USCIS "may interview the petitioner, beneficiary, or both parties, either together or separately at any stage in the adjudication," according to the Policy Manual’s family chapter. Since August 2025, that chapter also lists situations where USCIS requires an interview on the I-130, such as when evidence of the marriage is insufficient, there are material inconsistencies, the petitioner previously filed for another spouse, or the marriage took place while the beneficiary was in removal proceedings.

The best preparation is not memorizing answers. It is reviewing your own forms, so your testimony matches what you filed, and bringing real evidence. USCIS lists the kinds that help: joint property, a joint lease, commingled finances, children’s birth certificates, and affidavits from people who know you as a couple. Our guide to documents needed to apply for a green card through marriage goes deeper. If you are worried about how your case reads, see what is marriage fraud for where the legal line actually sits.

Employment-based interviews

Employment cases are interviewed under the same rule: required unless waived. The waiver list in the Policy Manual does not include an employment-based category, so plan for the possibility. The officer’s core job is the same as in any case: confirm your identity and status history, walk through the eligibility questions on your I-485, and resolve anything that changed since filing. If you changed jobs using the INA 204(j) portability rule, the Policy Manual says you can submit the Form I-485 Supplement J request and evidence at the interview, so bring them and proof of the new role.

The 2026 discretion questions

On May 21, 2026, USCIS issued Policy Memorandum PM-602-0199, which tells officers that adjustment is discretionary and that they must "weigh all positive and negative factors, including family ties, immigration status and history, the applicant’s moral character, and any other relevant factor."

The memo names factors officers should consider, including violations of status, "current or previous instances of fraud or false testimony," and conduct "inconsistent with the purpose" of the visa you entered on. In practice, that can mean questions about why you came, what you said when you got your visa, and any time you were out of status or worked without permission.

If any of that applies to you, prepare an honest, documented explanation in advance, ideally with counsel. Evidence of positive equities, such as family in the US, steady work, taxes filed, and community ties, belongs in the file too.

Interpreters

If you are not comfortable in English, you may bring an interpreter. The Policy Manual says the interpreter should present a valid government ID, complete an interpreter’s oath and privacy release, and translate "word-for-word to the best of his or her ability without adding the interpreter’s own opinion, commentary, or answer." A disinterested interpreter is preferred, but the officer may allow a friend or relative. USCIS lists Form G-1256, Declaration for Interpreted USCIS Interview, among the related forms.

Possible outcomes

The memo reminds officers that a denial must explain "in writing the specific reasons," and a discretionary denial must lay out the positive and negative factors considered. In family cases, the Policy Manual also notes that USCIS may issue a Notice to Appear if the beneficiary is removable, because a family petition "accords no immigration status nor does it bar removal."

If you were married less than 24 months when you became a permanent resident, your card is conditional and valid for two years under 8 USC 1186a. You then file to remove conditions during the 90 days before it expires. Our removal of conditions (Form I-751) guide covers that step.

A short preparation plan

• One week before: reread your I-485, I-130, and I-864 so your answers match what you filed.
• Gather originals and updated evidence, organized in the order of your application.
• Write down anything that has changed since filing: address, job, travel, arrests, a new child.
• If you have a criminal record, past status problem, or prior petition, review it with an attorney before the interview, not after.

How an Ellis Porter attorney helps

A licensed Ellis Porter attorney can review your file for issues an officer is likely to raise, prepare you and your spouse or sponsor for the questions, and, where appropriate, attend the interview with you. If your case involves a past overstay or other discretionary concern, preparing that explanation in advance is especially worthwhile. Learn more about our marriage-based green card practice.

This article is general information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Interview requirements depend on your case and current USCIS practice; follow your notice and consult a licensed immigration attorney.

Frequently asked questions