Have either of you been married before?

“Have either of you been married before?” is a practice question about earlier marriages for a marriage-based green card interview at a USCIS field office. A real officer may ask it in other words, ask something else, or skip it. Practice can help you explain your own facts. It cannot tell you what USCIS will decide.

What is the officer checking with this question?

The officer may be checking the marriage history of both spouses against the information in the case. An earlier marriage can lead to questions about how it ended before the current marriage began. This is a review of civil status, not a request to judge the earlier relationship or compare the two spouses.

What might the officer ask next?

• Which of you had an earlier marriage?
• How did that marriage end?
• Which record shows that it ended?

The next question usually comes from the words in your answer. If you name a person, a place, or a month, expect a question about it. The guide to green card interview follow-up questions explains how to practice past the first answer.

How do you prepare to answer it?

Review whether either spouse had an earlier marriage and how each one ended. Keep a separation date distinct from the date a marriage legally ended. Check the relevant records rather than relying on a remembered family conversation. If you cannot recall a date, identify what you do remember without guessing the missing part. Ask your lawyer about divorce records or any concern about the legal end of an earlier marriage.

Answer from your own memory, in your own words. Do not learn a script or a sample answer. If your spouse remembers a detail differently, first check whether you mean the same event. Ask your lawyer about any concern with your forms or documents.

Can you practice this question out loud for free?

Yes. Choose "Answer it now, free". The officer asks this question first. You answer out loud, and the officer follows up on what you said. You can try 3 questions free, and you do not need documents. Feedback comes after the session, not while you speak.

More earlier marriages questions

• When and where did your previous marriage end, and do you have the divorce or death certificate?
• How long were you married previously, and when did that relationship end relative to this marriage?
• Has your spouse been married to anyone else before this marriage?
• Are there any ongoing financial or custody obligations from a prior marriage?
• When did your current spouse's prior marriage legally end?

Read the earlier marriages topic guide, or see all 91 interview questions.