Being called for a fraud interview is not part of the usual application process and is definitely not a good sign. It means that your application has been singled out because you haven’t given enough evidence to prove a real marriage, your application contains some inconsistencies, or something about you and your spouse looks suspicious.

DETECTING MARRIAGE FRAUD IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR USCIS.

USCIS officers still quote a survey from the 1980s which found that up to 30% of marriages between aliens and U.S. citizens are suspect. That survey has since been shown to be deeply flawed, but its legacy lives on.

The U.S. government will not normally follow a couple around or investigate their life beyond the required paperwork and the interviews it always conducts. But it has the power to do so if it sees grounds for suspicion. Inspectors of the Department of Homeland Security can visit your home, talk to your friends, interview your employers, and so on.

If you get notice of a second fraud (Stokes) interview you should schedule a consultation with an attorney experienced in attending these types of interviews.

In the classic Fraud Interview, and sometimes during an initial Green Card Interview, a USCIS officer places you and your spouse in separate rooms and asks each of you an identical set of questions. Later, the officer compares your answers to see if there are inconsistencies.

ATTENDING FRAUD INTERVIEWS WITH OUR CLIENTS

We attend Fraud Interviews at the San Francisco, Santa Clara and Sacramento USCIS offices regularly. We will review your application to determine why your application was singled out, prepare you for the interview and attend with you the day of. If there are follow up issues to address after your Stokes interview our firm will also be able to respond to any further questions USCIS has since we have been present in both of your separate interviews.