What Is A Stokes Interview?
The Stokes Interview is a second opportunity for you and your spouse to demonstrate the authenticity of your marriage. After the initial status interview, if the immigration officer has any doubts, you will be scheduled for a Stokes interview.
Reasons Why You Get A Stokes Interview Notice
Here are the reasons why you receive a stokes interview notice:
- You and your spouse have provided contradictory answers.
- You made a statement that is unrelated to your documents.
- The USCIS officer has doubts about the validity of the marriage.
- You and your partner speak different languages, and communication is difficult.
- Lack or absence of shared finances
- Differences in religion, incompatible lifestyles, and morality.
The Stokes interview will occur four to six weeks following your original interview. The interview requires proof of your marriage’s legitimacy, such as photos and financial records. During this second interview, you and your spouse will be questioned separately for up to eight hours. If there is a discrepancy in your answers, you will be brought together to explain the inconsistency, resulting in a failed interview.
What Are Samples of Stokes Interview Questions
There is no standard list of questions that every USCIS officer will ask during this interview. The following are some of the most commonly asked ones.
- How did you meet?
- Where did you go on your first date?
- How many bedrooms do you have in your home?
- Who cleans the house?
- On what days is the garbage picked up?
- Who pays the bills?
- Do you pay bills online or write checks?
- How many windows do you have in your home?
- What type of curtains or window coverings are in your living room?
- Who gets up first?
- Who sets the alarm clock to get up in the morning?
- What do you eat for breakfast?
- Do you have any pets?
- How many showers, sinks, and toilets are there in your home?
- What kind of sofa do you have in your living room?
Process of Stokes Interview
You will be individually and collectively interrogated during the Stokes interview. It is crucial that you and your partner answer the questions with the utmost honesty. At the beginning of the Stokes interview, the USCIS officer will explain why the initial interview did not go well and then begin the Stokes interview.
During the Stokes interview, the immigration officer will ask extremely intrusive and intimate questions. Typically, the officer will pose identical questions to both spouses. The USCIS officer will bring you and your spouse into a room following the interview and clarify any inconsistencies.
If the USCIS officer believes your marriage is valid, your case will be approved. However, if the immigration officer has cause to believe that the marriage was entered solely for the purpose of obtaining a green card, you will be denied.
The Stokes interview is a stressful and complex interview; thus, you should be well-prepared and seek the assistance of an expert immigration attorney.