Have immigration officials requested a Stokes interview?

On Behalf of | Jul 14, 2021 | U.s. Immigration Law |

When a married couple in Florida or elsewhere includes a spouse who has immigrated to the United States, problems can arise if officials suspect that the marriage is fraudulent. In such cases, it is not uncommon for immigration officials to send notice to a married couple to appear at a Stokes interview. This can be a stressful experience, and there are several things to keep in mind when the goal is to prove that a marriage is legitimate.

Certain things will happen at the immigration interview

The first thing to remember when attending a Stokes interview is that officials will escort each spouse to a different room in order to ask them questions, then compare their answers. There may be anywhere from 50 to 100 questions to answer during the interview, some of which will be intensely personal. If the answers do not align when they should, officials may flag the case for further investigation.

For instance, if an interviewer asks a spouse what color his or her bedroom is and the answer is different from that of the other spouse, officials will no doubt wonder why, if the couple is married and sleeps in the same room, they have given different answers to the question. Other personal inquiries might include questions such as which side of the bed each spouse sleeps on or what the name of the grocery store is that is closest to a particular couple’s home. If there is only a discrepancy in answer to one question, there is still a good chance that a couple might pass their interview; however, multiple discrepancies would certainly spark suspicion.

It is best to tell the truth rather than guess or lie

If a spouse does not know his or her mother-in-law’s maiden name or some other personal detail about his or her partner, it is never a good idea to fabricate an answer. Immigration officials are looking for evidence of sincerity and authenticity, which means it is always best to tell the truth. A concerned Florida spouse who is nervous about preparing for a Stokes interview may want to request a meeting with an experienced immigration law attorney ahead of time.

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