What Immigration Officers Look for During Adjustment Interviews
The adjustment interview is a critical moment in your journey to a green card. Applicants should prepare accordingly and hire a seasoned immigration lawyer who knows what immigration officers are looking for. Call The Law Office of Jason M. Sullivan, PLLC. Our legal philosophy focuses on anticipating legal problems on the horizon and planning accordingly.
1. Identity & Eligibility
The officer will first need to confirm that you are who you claim to be. That means looking at government-issued ID, such as a passport or driver’s license. You might also use a birth certificate or another document.
Further, the officer must confirm that you qualify under an immigration category. For example, let’s say you apply for a marriage based green card. The officer needs to confirm you are a lawful permanent resident and entered a valid marriage.
2. Truthfulness
We cannot emphasize enough that applicants are put under the microscope in an interview. Officers use their judgment to determine whether to grant discretionary benefit to an applicant, so appearing honest is important.
Obviously, providing truthful information on your application is a necessity. After all, it’s a crime to lie intentionally to obtain an immigration benefit. Even innocent errors can look suspicious to an immigration officer.
Honesty is especially important because of the recent emphasis from USCIS that adjustment of status is an act of grace. Being dishonest reflects poorly on your moral character, which is one ground to refuse adjustment of status. By contrast, being truthful can strengthen an application, even if you have some negative information, such as a criminal arrest or periods of unlawful employment.
To judge truthfulness, an officer will:
- Compare your answers in the interview to information provided in your petition and other documents.
- Check whether your online presence (such as social media accounts) contradict information in your application.
- Identify inconsistencies and ask you to explain.
Work with an attorney to address any gaps or contradictory information. For example, we can discuss how to handle your social media accounts as you prepare for the interview.
3. Credibility
Applicants must also appear credible in an interview. That means:
- Answering questions directly and not trying to avoid an uncomfortable question or offering a vague answer.
- Being consistent. Not telling one story and then changing the story halfway through the interview.
- Correcting a mistake honestly and not offering implausible excuses for any mistakes in the application.
- Not getting offended if the officer challenges your version of events.
- Appearing calm and in control of your emotions. Feeling nervous is natural, but excessive nervousness can raise questions about your honesty.
Credibility is especially important if you are seeking a green card based on marriage. The officer will need to judge whether your marriage is bona fide, meaning you did not enter it to obtain an immigration benefit.
We Solve Immigration Problems
Our legal team is ready to help with discretionary adjustment of status and other immigration issues. Contact The Law Office of Jason M. Sullivan, PLLC to speak with a Portsmouth, New Hampshire or Miami, Florida immigration lawyer today.