U.S. Green Card interview

So the wife and I are going soon for the green card interview at the U.S. Consulate. Has anyone else been through this? I'm just curious as to what to expect. It's clear that they're going to review my wife's papers etc. but what else is there to it? The stuff they sent us is not very helpful but does mention that the whole process can take 3 to 6 hours. Any help would be appreciated.

Whatever happens, please let me know what to expect s it may come in useful

Don't, under any circumstances, give them the impression that you had to pay her to marry you. That'll fuck it all right up. Otherwise I'm sure you'll be fine - good luck anyway!

So you're saying I should lie?

@Crawlie

I'll let you know how it turns out. June 27th is the interview.

based purely on having seen the film Green Card, try and remember what her favourite stuff is and things like that

If you don't actually live together, you're in trouble. You get questions like

* What colour is her toothbrush?
* Which side of the bed do you sleep on?
* What does her brother do for a living?
* When you're lying in bed, which direction is the window?

Lots of personal shit that you just can't memorise unless you're really married. The quickie version at the middle and end of the film Green Card is fairly accurate and photos of being together on hols and with each other's families help a lot... so much so that you might avoid the interview.

woof.

and when you give the wrong answer, never say "damn, I always forget that one" (especially if you have a French accent and a bad haircut.)

Thanks for the info. All that should be no problem since we've lived together now for over 4 years. The info they sent us didn't say anything about photos but we'll bring some along. How long did the whole thing take? Do they actually separate you to ask questions and then compare answers?

"What is your wife's name?"

"Hang on, let me check the invoice"

Seriously. I have also heard that photos really really help, especially with the whole family.

Oh, crappity crap crap. Hope hubby never needs a green card. He's got a miserable memory for any kind of peripheral details such as those.

And that's the thing of the interview. They see all types, and if the guy answers the toothbruch colour really fast, they'll be suspicious. Men don't know that sort of shit unless they've prepped. I have no fucking clue what colour BG's toothbrush is.

The pictures are the dealbreaker. The more, the merrier. Send copies of really valuable pics and explain that you don't want to risk their loss or damage but would be happy to bring them in with you.

woof.

i know a german friend who went through this in states and they wanted lots of paperwork (joint bank account, lease, car insurance, etc.) and they did ask them personal things, maybe not the toothbrush question, but family things, etc. and yes. she said they had photos of when they went on vacation together and photos where she was with his family.

Sounds like Mr. & Mrs. to me.

Do you get interviewed by a smarmy geezer in a dodgy suit with a loud tie and very bad puns? Do you have to sit in a soundproof box with fluffy headphones on while yer other half is being interviewed? Are there cash prizes or can you pick between the picnic basket, the car or the holiday cruise?

From what I have been reading, the interview part is not going to take anywhere near 3-6 hours, maybe that included some wait time or even the medical exam if you have not done that yet. And as far as the questions, if you have been living together for 4 years, they probably aren't going to try to trip you up with questions since you obviously have a real relationship. I would worry much more about having your paperwork together & complete than about what they will ask you.

There are a lot of good reports about the green card interviews on Visa Journey and BritishExpats .

I would be interested to hear a bit more about how you filed, etc, as we sent off our I-130 to Frankfurt last week! A PM would be great if you get a chance.

ER's toothbrush is white with a dark-pink handle.

It is?

EDIT: it is indeed

I asked my hubby this morning what color my toothbrush is, and he said grey. His is the grey one! Hm, maybe he's been using my toothbrush...

Ugh!

The toothbrush question is a silly one though. We have 5 or 6 in the holder, no clue why. I know which is mine, that's all that matters.

erm, ugh, gross.

Jebus. I have no clue what colour my toothbrush is, let alone WG's... I brush my teeth when I am either

a ) Totally shit-faced and with a high probability of falling asleep on the loo whilst cleaning my teeth (a good tip mind. You get two things done at once)
b ) Half asleep, with a raging hangover and probably using the wrong end, with the bristles looking a bit manky after I dropped the toothbrush in the aforementioned loo the night before

I'm surprised about the last question. I would have thought that to be a good American you should always tell the truth, wherever you are, and moreso inside of a relationship.

****UPDATE****

We had the Green Card interview yesterday and it was quite simple really. No trick questions and they did the interview at the window in the consulate so the wife and I were not separated at any time. The interview itself only took about 10 minutes (maybe less).

Some interesting points:

-They didn't ask to see any pictures whatsoever.

-No questions about toothbrushes or any other trick questions you would only know if you live together.

-The questions they did ask were basically related to answers that we had already given on the forms that we had filled out. (i.e. Do you have kids? How long have you lived together? Previous marriages? What do you do for a living? Have you ever been to the United States (to my wife) and where did you go?) Simple stuff really. As long as there are no lies on the forms, it shouldn't be any problem whatsoever.

The whole process took about 5 hours of which is really annoying because at least 4 1/2 of those hours are spent just sitting around. Luckily we had brought something to read because it would have been really boring otherwise.

Glad to hear it went well. One tip I'd give anyone going to the consultate: If they ask you to raise your hand and take an oath don't do what my husband did:

1. He raised both hands as if being held at gunpoint.
2. When asked if the information given on the forms was accurate he said, "I didn't actually read the forms." It all ended in me whispering in a very angry hiss "YES YOU DID. NOW PUT YOUR LEFT HAND DOWN AND JUST SAY YES FFS OR WE'LL BE HERE ALL F-ING DAY."

Does any one know what sort of questions are asked if you go for a Green Card interview on your own? (meaning you are getting a Green Card not because you are getting married to an American).

they will be doing the Voight-Kampff test.Twenty, thirty, cross-referenced questions, here is a very successful example

Holden: You're in a desert, walking along in the sand when all of a sudden you look down...
Leon: What one?
Holden: What?
Leon: What desert?
Holden: It doesn't make any difference what desert, it's completely hypothetical.
Leon: But, how come I'd be there?
Holden: Maybe you're fed up. Maybe you want to be by yourself. Who knows? You look down and see a tortoise, Leon. It's crawling toward you...
Leon: Tortoise? What's that?
Holden: You know what a turtle is?
Leon: Of course!
Holden: Same thing.
Leon: I've never seen a turtle. (pause) But I understand what you mean.
Holden: You reach down and you flip the tortoise over on its back, Leon.
Leon: Do you make up these questions, Mr. Holden? Or do they write 'em down for you?
Holden: The tortoise lays on its back, its belly baking in the hot sun, beating its legs trying to turn itself over but it can't. Not without your help. But you're not helping.
Leon: WHAT DO YOU MEAN, I'M NOT HELPING?
Holden: I mean you're not helping! Why is that, Leon?
[Leon has become visibly shaken]
Holden: They're just questions, Leon. In answer to your query they're written down for me. It's a test, designed to provoke an emotional response. (pause) Shall we continue?
Holden: Describe in single words only the good things that come into your mind about... your mother.
Leon: My mother?
Holden: Yeah.
Leon: Let me tell you about my mother.
[Shoots him]

Yep.

Funny but true. Also if you are to live in the US expect to get a random call in together or surprise visit . I use to live with a couple (her American he Moroccan) and they had to go through the process. Also they brought two statements (one from me) stating they were a couple and how long they lived together and for how long i have known them as a couple. I also stated he was responsible and of good virtue ( are you of good virtue?) blah blah. The roommies took my statements into the interview with them. This was all right after the September incidents so they were extra hard on him question wise.
In fact two months ago he just got his last follow up interview last month so know we will find out if he goes from resident status to citizenship status.

Good luck.

From what I gathered, you speak German fluently, right? Try this forum: http://www.talkaboutusa.com/viewforum.php?f=6
Plenty of reports of experience with the whole K1/K3/DCF process, and also with the various interviews at various stages into the process. All in German though.

It is funny. I had my interview 2 months ago. I got the letter stating what documentation I needed to take with me (the list was endless) and so on. I read up on what to expect and went there expecting the grilling of my life..

What happened? We sat in the room confirming all of the information I originally supplied as well as giving them the additional information I passed on at various times during the application process but they never bothered putting in my file. Did not get asked any of the questions, did not give them any photos or other documentation. They did not want any other information from me to prove the relationship was "real" and the visa was approved.

I guess some of us get lucky

Wasn't your wife pregnant though? I think that would be very convincing. From what I read and heard from others and their interviews (see the link I posted earlier), they are not always thorough, but they can be so it is better to be over-prepared than under-prepared.
When I had my interview for my J-1 visa, I also had all kinds of crap with me (letter from my parents that they would support me along with their tax statement to prove that funding actually exists, letter from my German uni tat I would return after a year, a letter from my town that I have been a resident for so and so long, etc etc). Did they want to see any of that? No. But if they had asked for it, I would have had everything with me.

Indeed. Totally agree there Mariposa. My wife was pregnant so I guess that did help.

The thing that shocked me most about the interview was the state of my information they had in my file. It was a total mess. They did not update my file even though I had records of all updates made regarding address changes and the like. And some of the changes had been made 6 months previously... Scary scary shit