Collect and photocopy as many of the following items below as possible. A U.S. citizen or entity must file an immigrant petition vouching for your intentions and eligibility in coming to the United States; If the USCIS approves of the petition, you must file a Green Card application with USCIS or a visa application with the U.S. Department of State However, obtaining green cards for your married children can be a lengthy process due to US immigration laws which limit the number persons that are able to immigrate in this category each year. Learn how to get a Green Card to become a permanent resident, check your green card case status, bring a foreign spouse to live in the U.S. and what documents you need when traveling back to the U.S. Also, find out how to enter or check your results for the Diversity Visa Lottery program. How long does it take to get a green card through marriage? Establishing the marriage relationship (Form I-130) The first step in the process of getting a green card through marriage is to submit Form I-130 (officially called the “Petition for Alien Relative”) to U.S. As of 2019, there are an estimated 13.9 million green card holders of whom 9.1 million are eligible to become United States citizens. Eligibility for a green card based on marriage to a U.S. citizen requires that the spouses be legally married in any country. Documents with security features (such as passports, driver's licenses, identification cards and employee identification cards and employee identification cards) cannot be copied and certified by the custodian of record. If you're already living in the US, then getting your green card is a matter of adjusting your status to permanent resident. Do not send originals. Although a green card through marriage to a U.S. citizen is one of the quickest ways to immigrate, there are several steps that include application forms, a medical examination, fingerprinting, and various approvals. If the spouse is outside the US, he/she will have to file for an immigration visa with a US consulate having jurisdiction over their place of residence. Form I-485 is the application to adjust your status to a permanent resident of the United States. In addition, both spouses must not be married to any other people at the same time. This is the required form for conditional residents who obtained green card through marriage to apply to remove conditions on their green card. Other Documents to Mail in With Form N-400. If you or your spouse has been married before, include photocopies of any divorce decrees and death certificates from all previous marriages for both of you. You will need to select the correct reason for filing, of which there are 17. That is not a good idea. Realize also that you're not trying to prove you had a good marriage! Even letters from marriage counselors and the like can help prove that it was the real thing. This can include a citizen's spouse, parents and unmarried children under 21 years of age. Some people get married on paper first (through a registered marriage or court marriage) for visa purposes and then later get married traditionally. This form demonstrates that the two partners are married and starts the process for a green card. Some reasons are very similar and you will need to read through entire I-90 instructions to ensure you select the appropriate one. The first step is to file a Petition for Alien Relative, Form I-130, with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. A green card, known officially as a permanent resident card, is an identity document which shows that a person has permanent residency in the United States. Required Documents for Family Based US Green Card Petition; Required Documents for Immigrant Visa; Required Fees ; Family Based US Green Card FAQs; Family Based US Green Card Overview. The next question is how and where you can apply for the green card. Family Preference visas. Take Free Eligibility Quiz . Photocopies of documents from previous marriages. But make sure they're more recent than the documents you presented with your green card application. If you have been married for less than two years at the time of issuance of the green card, then your spouse will receive a “conditional green card”, which expires in two years. Form G-1145 (if you want notification of receipt) If you want confirmation that the USCIS facility receives your application, file Form G-1145 with your application. However, USCIS generally also requires additional information that confirms the validity of the marriage and a bona fide relationship between the partners. Once the petition is approved, the foreign national can apply for a green card through Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence, or Adjust Status. Otherwise, USCIS will wonder whether your first marriage is still your active and real one — making your new marriage just a sham to get a green card. The U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services allows certain immigrants to apply for a green card before their I-130 is approved. If your adjustment of status application is approved you will receive a conditional green card. Note: You may file this petition even if the marriage has ended or the spouse has subsequently died. Then it will present an overview of your application process. A green card is the physical card that serves as proof to employers and government agencies that an immigrant has legal permanent resident status. You will have to present the official documents to prove that the marriage ended, such as a death or divorce certificate. If you have a marriage-based conditional green card, you need to submit the USCIS application I-751. Any other document you are required to send will be … The time it takes to get a Green Card through marriage is from 10 to 13 months. This special immigrant category is reserved for the immediate relatives of American citizens. For starters, it can be extraordinarily hard to convince U.S. Alternatively, you can call to get a paper form mailed to you, and fill that out. While your application for conditional permanent residency through marriage is pending, you may not travel outside the United States, or work for an employer, without specific permission from USCIS. There are no annual limits on K-1 visas for fiancés. You will need to file for form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence 90 days before the expiration date of the conditional green card. Despite this persistent fantasy, a green card through marriage often proves to be difficult path. There are several paths to obtaining a green card through marriage. That is not a good idea. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at the Boston District Office that your marriage is truly based on a real and bona fide relationship. Wedding invitations, church certificates, or other reliable documents that … Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.. These cards last two years and grant the same rights and privileges of a regular green card. Form I-751 Required Documents. Conditional Green Card. Green Cards and Permanent Residence in the U.S. It is important to properly prepare for your marriage green card interview, or you could experience a delay in the approval of your case, or worse, your application could be denied if you don’t present the proper information at your interview. With this application, the foreign national can request to remove any conditional requirements from his or her status. Due to a perceived prevalence of people marrying U.S. residents fraudulently in order to obtain green cards, however, these marriages are closely scrutinized by the U.S. government to ensure that they are genuine. Then it will walk you through the forms, the documents, how to submit, and finally the next steps after submission. Struggling with marital issues is something that many real couples go through. The First Step Toward an Immigrant Visa: Filing the Petition. A green card marriage is a marriage of convenience between a legal resident of the United States of America and a person who would be ineligible for residency but for being married to the resident. You must be able to authenticate the document via the instructions in RM 10210.210. Make sure that the spouses-to-be are of legal age to get married according to the local rules and that any previous marriages are no longer valid because of divorce, death of spouse, etc. You must prove that your marriage is bona fide and not a sham for the sole intent of getting a green card. To renew your green card, start the process at least 6 months before your card expires by going online to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services website and completing form I-90. Green Card through marriage to US permanent residents. A lawful permanent resident (green card holder) is a foreign national who has been granted the privilege of permanently living and working in the United States. Refer to the Form I-751 for more information and additional instructions on filing requirements. The partners eligible to become United States citizens instructions on filing requirements required form for conditional residents who obtained resident... 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