There are great advantages to having an attorney with you at your USCIS green card interview. By working with me both before and during your interview, you increase your chances of success.
Ideally we’ve worked together from the moment you applied for your green card. But if you’ve tried to handle the process on your own and have run into difficulty, you can bring me into your case prior to your interview.
Contact Boston immigration attorney Giselle M. Rodriguez. Giselle helps clients with the full range of immigration challenges, including interview prep. She is bilingual (English & Spanish), and works with clients throughout Greater Boston and Massachusetts. Contact Giselle today to discuss your case, application, and interview, or read on to learn more.
Here are the specific benefits of getting an immigration attorney to help with your green card interview.
Preparing for the green card interview questions
I help my clients prepare for the kinds of questions they will be asked during the interview. This allows them to be confident in their answers and to practice certain skills, such as giving only the information that’s needed without going into too much detail. I also make sure you show up to the interview with the right paperwork.
Preparing for your green card interview has two benefits. First, a well-prepared applicant simply looks more trustworthy to a USCIS officer. Second, when you know you’re prepared you’re less nervous and less likely to make mistakes.
Protecting your rights
One major benefit of bringing an immigration lawyer to a USCIS interview is you gain a witness who can testify, if necessary, as to what was said in the meeting. Without an attorney or other witness present, it’s your word against the officer’s, which can create problems.
In addition, officers tend to ask fewer “gotcha” questions if an attorney is there with you. That is partly because they know a good immigration attorney has already vetted your case and won’t let you go to the interview if the attorney thinks something improper is going on. I’m also there to ensure that you fully understand complex, unclear, or vague questions, which means you don’t panic and give an answer that causes trouble later.
Finally, we can remind USCIS officers of the law, which means we can make sure they follow the letter of the throughout the interview, and make sure they don’t give you bad advice “off the record.” That can prevent you from making major mistakes that would be difficult to fix later.
On the off-chance the interview starts going in a bad direction, we can even ask for the officer’s supervisor. If you tried to do the same thing the officer could simply end the interview and give you a misguided recommendation. Unfortunately, power matters in green card interviews, and if you’re alone in a room with a USCIS officer and don’t have an advocate of your own, you’re powerless.
Get green card interview help today
If your USCIS interview is coming up, you should secure legal counsel ASAP. Even if you think your case is very simple, an attorney’s presence can make a huge difference. It is better to have an attorney and not need one than to need an attorney and not have one.
I’ve helped many immigrants navigate the interview process and secure green cards. You can contact my office to get started today.