Have you ever heard of “Stokes Interview” before? if No, let me quickly use this medium to explain what “Stokes Interview” is:

A stokes interview is generally used by the immigration officer to determine whether your marriage is legitimate. Its usually done for those who are applying for either adjustment of status or those who are applying to remove condition on their status.

Whichever area you fall, dont be panic, we will discuss few things we have gathered from reliable source and research. Although the specific reasons that the USCIS uses to select couples for a stokes interview is not public knowledge. Of course they wouldn’t want everyone to know the criteria they use but based on some of the questions that are asked, we can determine the reason why most couples are selected for this difficult interview process.

Below are few we have gathered so far!

Financial co-mingling: if you and your spouse do not co-mingle your finances and share bank accounts, credit cards, mortgage loans, car loans etc., you may be selected for a stokes interview. The USCIS believes there is higher chance of marriage fraud when a couple keeps their money separate.

Tax filing status: if you and your spouse do not file jointly or have no reason to avoid filing jointly, you may be forced to show up for a stokes interview. The USCIS uses statistics when it comes to immigration fraud and they have stats that may show that filing separately is used by many scammers.

Living arrangement: you must live with your spouse for most of your marriage or have a really good reason for not living together. This is a red flag for the USCIS because if you don’t live together that shows that you are not sharing a life together like most genuine married couples.

Previous visa approvals/denials: if someone has filed for you in the past and your visa was either approved or denied, this can cause the USCIS to look at your marriage with more scrutiny.

Previous mismatched interview answers: if you and your spouse gave answers in your initial interview that contradicted previous answers, you will likely be asked to attend a stokes interview.

If you fall in any of the above, do not panic, we will only advice to be prepare and understand the interview and possibly prepare with your spouse.

Below Are Questions That Are Asked At A Stokes Interview

Questions about your shared home: these are questions to find out whether you and your spouse live together and are familiar with the home that you share.

How many bedrooms do you have in your home?
Who cleans the house?
What day is the garbage picked up?How many windows do you have in your house?
What type of curtains or window coverings are in your living room? What color?
How many doors are in your house?
How many staircases are in your house?
Is there a carpet in your front hallway? What color?
Describe the entry into your house?
Do you have any pets? Who feeds it? Who walks it?
How many showers, sinks, toilets, and are there in your house?
What kind of sofa do you have in your living room?
Where did you get your furniture?
How many Televisions do you have in your house?
How many telephones are in your house?
Where is the garbage in the kitchen?
What size bed do you have?
What kind of mattress do you have?
Who is your cable/internet/phone provider?
What type of camera do you have?
What kind of appliances do you have in your kitchen?
Do you have lamps next to your bed?
How many windows are in your bedroom?
Where do you keep your toothbrushes?
What kind of toothpaste, shampoo and soap do you use?
Where do you keep your clothes?
Did you have the air conditioner, fan or heater on?
How many computers/laptops do you have?
Who is your cable/internet/phone provider?
Who shops for groceries? How often? Where?
What color is the kitchen curtains?

Questions about your relationship: these are personal questions that most married couples should not have a problem answering. If there are any discrepancies, you will be allowed to explain at the end of the stokes interview.

How did you meet?
Where did you go out on your first date?
Who gets up first? At what time?
Who sets the alarm clock to get up in the morning?
What do you eat for breakfast?
Who makes breakfast?
Do you have an answering machine? Who checks the messages?
Do you have family cell phone plans?
Do you record any Television shows?
What Television shows do you watch?
What music do you listen to? How do you listen to music?
Who shops for groceries? How often? Where?
What is your spouse’s favorite food?
What are your least favorite foods?
How often do you eat out?
Where do you go out to eat?
Where do you put your dirty clothes?
Who does the laundry?
When did you eat dinner last night?
What did you do after dinner last night?
What did you have for breakfast this morning?
Which side of the bed do you sleep on?
Do you read or watch Television before you go to sleep?
Who woke up first this morning?
Did you shower this morning?
What Television shows do you watch?
What music do you listen to? How do you listen to music?
What does your spouse drink in the morning?
What kind of birth control do you use?
When was your wife’s last menstrual period?
How did you get to the interview today?
What time did you go to sleep last night?
Who went to sleep first last night?
Questions on your finances: these are questions about your finances and it determines whether you both share information about bills.

Who pays the bills?
Do you pay bills online or write checks?
How many cars do you have?
Do you have any credit cards?
What are the balances on the cards?
Where do you currently bank?
Do you have life insurance?
Did you file your taxes jointly?

As you can see, the Stokes interview is more invasive and personal. If you are asked to come back for a second interview then it means that they are suspicious of marriage fraud. The best way to avoid a stokes interview is to make sure that you and your spouse are prepared for the initial interview.

Be prepared to answer these questions accurately but more importantly, make sure that you and your spouse are on the same page. It is never a good idea to lie at an immigration interview, not matter how small you may think it is. Honesty is the best route when it comes to the immigration process.