Preparing for a Marriage-Based Green Card Interview Under Updated USCIS Review Standards

USCIS issued updated family-based petition guidance on August 1, 2025, emphasizing careful review of eligibility, supporting documentation, interviews, and indicators of fraud or misrepresentation. For a marriage-based Green Card case, the process generally begins with Form I-130 and proof that the marriage is legally valid and genuine. Depending on whether the foreign national spouse is eligible to apply from within the United States or must complete consular processing abroad, the case may also involve Form I-485, biometrics, medical examination requirements, security checks, and an interview before permanent residence is approved.
Couples should prepare by submitting consistent, well-organized evidence showing that they entered the marriage in good faith rather than primarily for an immigration benefit. Helpful documentation may include joint leases or property records, shared bank or credit accounts, insurance policies, tax returns, photographs over time, travel records, correspondence, and evidence of involvement with each other’s families. USCIS considers the entire record, so the strongest filing usually explains the couple’s history clearly and addresses unusual circumstances—such as periods of living apart, limited joint finances, prior marriages, or differences among forms and supporting documents—before those issues create questions.
At the interview, both spouses should be prepared to answer truthful questions about their relationship, household, and immigration history, and they should review the filing beforehand so they understand what was submitted. If the evidence is incomplete or inconsistent, USCIS may request additional evidence, schedule further questioning, or deny the petition, making early preparation especially important. Every family’s circumstances are different, so if you have questions about a marriage-based Green Card petition, interview, or Request for Evidence, please call our office or email Chuck Berendes at [email protected].