Will I Need an Interview for My I-130 Application?
Whether you will need an interview for your Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, depends on your case and the discretion of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Not all I-130 petitions require an interview, but USCIS may schedule one if it determines it’s necessary to verify the legitimacy of the relationship or clarify information in the petition.
Interviews are more commonly required in certain situations, such as:
- Marriage-based petitions, especially if the couple is newly married or other red flags, need further review
- Cases involving prior immigration violations or criminal history
- Petitions with incomplete or inconsistent documentation
In other cases, such as straightforward petitions for parents or children, USCIS may approve the I-130 without an interview if the evidence submitted is sufficient.
Ultimately, the decision to require an interview is made by a USCIS officer. If an interview is scheduled, both the petitioner and beneficiary may be required to attend and should bring original documents and evidence to support the relationship.
Also, read >> Do We Need a Lawyer for the I-130?
