Is USCIS Investigating Your Marriage? Here's What You Need to Know

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has ramped up its scrutiny of permanent residencies acquired through marriage. They've introduced separate interviews for spouses, unexpected home visits during nighttime, and inquiries with neighbors and employers to unearth sham marriages.

Liudmila Marcelo, an immigration attorney, shed light on the extent of these measures in an interview with Tania Costa for CiberCuba. She reassured those in legitimate marriages: "Those who are truly married have nothing to fear and should continue their normal lives."

Marcelo cited media reports indicating that authorities intend to summon neighbors as witnesses and reach out to employers to discover inconsistencies indicative of fraudulent marriages.

One of the most dreaded procedures is the Stokes interview, where an officer questions each spouse separately to compare their answers for discrepancies.

"The fact that they separate the couple is a bad omen, as it indicates they want to interrogate them separately to check for contradictions," Marcelo warned.

The officer might ask about mundane details, such as the number of rooms in the house, wall colors, who wakes up first, who makes breakfast, and what car each person drives.

Marcelo pointed out that even seemingly straightforward questions can lead to unintentional mismatched responses: "Simple matters like which side of the bed each sleeps on can vary in perspective between individuals."

Another potential red flag is how the couple arrives at the interview.

"How they arrived here is crucial because often couples come in separate cars, and the officer might question: if they live together, and today being such an important day—the interview day—how is it possible they came in separate cars?" Marcelo explained.

Her advice is clear: "The most natural thing is for the couple to come in a single car, even if they own two."

Surprise Visits and Verification

Beyond the formal interview, USCIS also conducts unannounced home visits to ensure the couple genuinely cohabitates.

"They are indeed making surprise visits to the house at night, as it's assumed the couple should be there during nighttime," confirmed the attorney.

During these visits, officers check for mutual belongings in the bedroom, and according to Marcelo, they even verify "that there are two toothbrushes in the bathroom."

A Broader Crackdown on Immigration Fraud

This tightening is part of a broader trend under the Trump administration to intensify efforts against immigration fraud.

In August 2026, the Department of Justice dismantled a network that orchestrated over 1,000 fake marriages for Chinese nationals over nearly a decade, operating across eight states and generating tens of millions of dollars.

Organizers charged up to $100,000 for a fraudulent residency.

Marcelo shared real-life cases from her practice in West Palm Beach, Florida. A 21-year-old couple—she entered on a tourist visa—filed their petition in February 2026, had their interview the following Monday, and received residency approval and a social security number that same day.

However, the lawyer emphasized that timelines and outcomes can differ: "It always depends on the officer handling the case."

"Fraud is never the solution to anyone's immigration problems, because it complicates your situation for life," Marcelo concluded.

For those curious about how USCIS assesses marriages or wanting to stay updated on immigration process changes, keep an eye on our Immigration section in the U.S.