Posted on March 08, 2018 in Immigration

When a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (Green Card holder) plans to get married to someone who is a citizen of a foreign country, they will likely want to bring their loved one to live with them in the United States. However, there are strict procedures that must be followed in order to do so. There are two options available for people who plan to help their future spouse immigrate to the U.S. and become a lawful permanent resident:

Marriage Inside the United States

A U.S. citizen can apply for a fiancé visa (known as a K-1 nonimmigrant visa) that will allow their loved one to come to the United States for the purpose of getting married. To receive this type of visa, both spouses must be free to marry, and they must have met each other in person within the previous two years before applying for the visa.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on February 05, 2018 in Immigration

When a U.S. citizen is married to someone from another country, they may apply for a spouse visa which will allow their partner to live and work in the United States. However, some spouses are only eligible to reside in the country on a conditional basis, and couples should be aware of how to remove the conditions on residence and avoid the possible deportation of an immigrant spouse.

Conditional Residence Visas

A spouse who has been married to a U.S. citizen for less than two years is eligible for a conditional residence (CR1) visa. A citizen can apply for this type of visa for their spouse by filing a Petition for Alien Relative (Form I-130). If the alien spouse has already been lawfully admitted to the United States, they can also file an Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status (Form I-485). A conditional residence visa allows a spouse to live and work in the U.S. for two years, after which they must apply to have the conditions removed.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 29, 2018 in Immigration

When a U.S. citizen plans to marry a foreign national who resides in another country, they are able to apply for a K-1 nonimmigrant visa (also known as a fiancé visa), allowing their future spouse to immigrate to the United States for the purposes of getting married. However, the process of applying for this type of visa can be complex, and it is important to understand the requirements that must be met.

Required Documentation for a Fiancé Visa

To apply for a K-1 nonimmigrant visa, a U.S. citizen must file Form I-129F (Petition for Alien Fiancé(e)). They will be eligible to file this petition if both spouses are legally able to get married and plan to do so within 90 days after the alien fiancé arrives in the United States. After the petition is approved, the National Visa Center (NVC) will assign a case number and send information to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where the fiancé resides, and a visa interview will be scheduled. The foreign national fiancé must provide the following documentation at this interview:

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 23, 2018 in Immigration

Living in the United States provides people with great opportunities, and after someone has immigrated to the country and attained U.S. citizenship, they will likely want to have their family members join them. In these cases, people should be aware of the options available for family members to immigrate to the U.S. and obtain their green card as a lawful permanent resident.

Immediate Relative Green Cards

Immediate relatives of U.S. Citizens are eligible to apply for an immigrant visa and green card if they fall into one of the following categories:

• A spouse of a U.S. citizen
• Children of a U.S. citizen who are under the age of 21 and unmarried
• Parents of a U.S. citizen who is over the age of 21
• A widow or widower of a U.S. citizen

There is no limit on the availability of immigrant visas for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, and once these relatives are living in the United States, they are eligible to apply for a green card. 

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on December 27, 2017 in Immigration

When family members are separated by international borders, they will want to do everything they can to be together. This is especially true for married couples or people who are planning to get married. United States citizens or lawful permanent residents who are planning to have their spouse immigrate to the country should be sure to understand their options for obtaining visas and permanent resident status.

Visas for Spouses of U.S. Citizens

To begin the process of obtaining an immigrant visa, a U.S. Citizen who lives in the U.S. and is legally married to a non-citizen must file a Petition for Alien Relative (Form I-130) with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). If the spouse is already living in the U.S., an Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status (Form I-485) must also be filed.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on December 19, 2017 in Immigration

If a U.S. citizen wishes to bring a foreign national to the U.S. in order to marry him or her, the U.S. citizen may apply for a fiancé visa. A fiancé visa (also called a K-1 nonimmigrant visa) allows a U.S. citizen’s foreign national fiancé to enter and stay in the U.S. for about three months so that the U.S. citizen and foreign fiancé may get married. Once they are married, permanent residence (green card) for the foreign fiancé may be applied for. In addition, if the foreign fiancé has children who are under the age of 21 and are unmarried, the children are eligible for a K-2 nonimmigrant visa. 

If the foreign national fiancé does not marry the petitioner within 90 days of his or her arrival to the U.S., the fiancé status of the visa applicant immediately expires. 

In order to be eligible for a fiancé visa, the petitioner must show that:

1. The petitioner intends to marry his or her foreign national fiancé within 90 days of the fiancé’s entry to the U.S.

   Continue Reading ››