If you are a recent immigrant to the United States who is facing a Stokes interview, it’s understandable that you may be very nervous facing a volley of incredibly personal questions about your living arrangements with your spouse.
The interview can be quite intrusive, as it is designed to ferret out those who took part in illegitimate marriages in order for one partner to gain citizenship status. As such, you can expect the questions to be quite granular and specific. Some common questions include:
Do you have carpet in your hallway? What color is it?
What day does the trash get picked up in your neighborhood?
Do you have pets? What kind? What are their names/breeds? Who cares for them?
What kind of shampoo do you use? What toothpaste do you use? Where do you keep your toothbrushes?
Where did your first date take place?
Where did you get your living room furniture?
Which spouse sets the alarm clock each morning?
When did your wife have her last menstrual period?
Do you use birth control? What type?
If these questions seem invasive, that’s the intent. As one can imagine, it would not be possible for both spouses to provide similar answers unless they were actually living as husband and wife.
Of course, it is entirely possible for two spouses not to be able to dovetail all of their answers to questions on a Stokes interview. That alone does not necessarily indicate that marriage fraud has been committed — but it could be a red flag to immigration officials.
This is one reason why it is always a good idea to retain a knowledgeable Miami immigration attorney who can offer advice about any proceedings you may need to attend in your quest for citizenship.