How to acquire a US Green Card through marriage?

There are two main ways to obtain a green card: through work or through family ties. Here, we are going to specifically explain how to receive a US green card through marriage.

The prospect of obtaining a US Green Card through marriage, often referred to as a marriage-based green card, can be both exciting and overwhelming. The process is complex but when successfully navigated, it provides invaluable benefits.

What is the significance of a US Green Card?

Being a green card holder means gaining lawful permanent resident status in the United States. This opens opportunities for employment and access to social services. It allows the holder of the green card to travel freely in and out of the United States and to live and work there permanently.

Beyond these immediate benefits lies an even more significant advantage: after obtaining a green card through marriage to a US citizen, the path towards full integration into American society as a US citizen – via naturalization after three years – becomes available.

In essence, securing your own slice of the American Dream via this marriage-based green path becomes an attainable goal. In our next section we’ll delve deeper into eligibility requirements necessary for applying for such opportunity.

How long does it take to get a US Green Card through marriage?

When starting the Green Card process, it’s important to understand the processing time. It is common for applicants to expect immediate results; however, reality paints a different picture.

A typical application can take anywhere from 10 months up to as long as 38 months. The variation in duration largely depends on your specific circumstances and location, along with any potential complications that may arise during the application process.

It’s important to note that marriage to a US citizen sets you on the path to obbtaining a green card and to naturalization, it does not grant you automatic citizenship. USCIS has put into place a thorough verification system to validate the legitimacy of each application.

However, our law office knows how to expedite an application based on employment purposes in the United States. So if the spouse has a job offer that is waiting for themin the United States, we can file a petition to expedite the application and then the process can take about five months and of course we can include the spouse and joint children for an expedited process to obtain a green card.

How to secure a successful US Green Card through a marriage petition?

The journey to acquiring a green card through marriage is a complex process that requires a thorough understanding of the green card application process.

It all begins by filing a Form I-130, also known as the Petition for Alien Relative and a Form I-485 – Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.

In addition to completing the required forms and paying the required fees, the application must include supporting documents, concrete evidence of your marital status. These may include your birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce papers and other relationship evidence.

The couple’s financial stability must also be proven, as the US government doesn’t want the foreign spouse to become a financial burden on the United States.

Attention to detail: filing fees & documents.

The main requirement first is to have a marriage license. You need to hold a marriage certificate that’s valid and official, including an apostille stamp.

Our office assists many clients in obtaining civil marriage certificates, because in Israel there is no civil marriage. Therefore, we assist you how to obtain marriage licenses in countries that allows foreign citizens to marry within their borders without being residents, such as Cyprus, Georgia, the Czech Republic and more. We also assist clients in the process of conducting proxy marriages.

In this intricate process of obtaining a US green card through marriage, overlooking details can be costly, both financially and in terms of the overall outcome. The associated filing fee is not just another bureaucratic requirement; it is a mandatory prerequisite set by US immigration services.

It is essential to stay informed about these costs to avoid any unexpected obstacles on your path to permanent residency.

How to maintain Green Card status after approval?

Reaching the green card milestone is only the beginning of your journey as an American permanent resident. The next phase involves maintaining your status as a resident spouse after becoming an eligible green card holder.

Strict observance of the laws and regulations imposed by the authorities is essential for retaining your green card status as a resident spouse after gaining eligibility.

Contact us if you have any questions!

Our firm represents clients on all issues dealing with immigration and visas to the United States, such as American passports and citizenship, permanent residency, Green Cards, immigration visas for family members, immigration visas for workers in demand in the US, all types of US non-immigrant visas, tourist visas, work visas, representation of winners of the Green Card Lottery, representation of companies and businesses seeking work visas in the United States, visas for investors and start-up companies, legal counsel regarding relocation to the US for workers and employers, denial of visas to the US due to criminal backgrounds or overstaying a visa in the US, waivers of inadmissibility, and any question regarding immigration to the United States.

If you are seeking legal assistance from a US immigration lawyer, please contact us.

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03-3724722

055-9781688

office@lawoffice.org.il