Green Card Interviews for Married Couples Now Resemble Interrogations, Applicants Say

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has implemented stricter in-person interview requirements for nearly all marriage-based green card applicants, irrespective of marital duration or the strength of supporting documentation.

This marks a significant policy shift that began in early 2025 and was formally reinforced in August. This intensified scrutiny aims to combat marriage fraud, but critics argue it may unduly burden genuine applicants. The revised process mandates interviews previously waived for well-documented couples, particularly those married for over two years. 

Immigration lawyers report that officers now wield greater discretion, demanding exhaustive evidence like joint financial records, travel histories, and communication logs. Applications lacking such documentation face a higher risk of denial, potentially triggering removal proceedings, often without the customary opportunity to provide additional evidence.

Consular interviews abroad have also tightened, placing significant pressure on couples separated geographically or by circumstance. Foreign applicants whose US-citizen spouses cannot attend must rely solely on documentary evidence to prove the marriage's legitimacy.

Applicants describe an increasingly adversarial interview atmosphere, with sessions resembling judicial interrogations. Questions considered intrusive—regarding sleeping arrangements, daily routines, and reproductive choices—are now common, especially in Stokes interviews. These interviews, originally reserved for suspected fraud cases, are now deployed more frequently, often without advance notice.

Immigration lawyers warn that the process can feel punitive, transforming what should be a personal celebration into a high-stakes test. As one attorney noted, "It's no longer about verifying paperwork; it's about testing the emotional and behavioural dynamics of a relationship under pressure."

USCIS maintains that the policy is crucial to safeguarding the integrity of the immigration system.