Marriage-Based Immigration: What You Need to Know

Marriage-Based Immigration: What You Need To Know

If you are a California resident and have recently married someone from another country, you may be considering applying for a green card for your spouse. This process can seem daunting, but with the right preparation and assistance, it is possible to navigate the marriage-based immigration process successfully. In this blog post, we will explain what marriage-based immigration is and the steps involved in obtaining a green card after getting married.

What Is Marriage-Based Immigration?

Marriage-based immigration is when a foreign citizen marries a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and applies for an immigrant visa that allows them to live and work in the United States permanently. The U.S. citizen or permanent resident must file a petition on behalf of their foreign spouse in order to begin the application process. This petition is then sent to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for approval. Once approved, the foreign spouse can apply for an immigrant visa through consular processing at a U.S consulate abroad.

What Are The Steps Involved?

Once you have filed your petition with USCIS, they will review it to ensure it meets all legal requirements including evidence that your marriage is legally valid and not fraudulent. They will also check to make sure that you meet all financial requirements as well as any other criteria necessary for approval of your petition. After USCIS has approved your petition, they will forward it to the National Visa Center (NVC). The NVC then verifies that all documents have been received correctly before forwarding them on to the embassy or consulate responsible for issuing an immigrant visa abroad.  Once you have received your immigrant visa from the embassy or consulate abroad, you can travel back to the United States with your foreign spouse who will be granted lawful permanent residence upon admission into the United States.

How Long Will I Wait For A Green Card After I Get Married?

The amount of time it takes to obtain a green card after getting married depends on several factors such as how long it takes USCIS and NVC to approve your petition and how quickly they process applications at the appropriate embassy or consulate abroad where your foreign spouse applied for his/her immigrant visa . Generally speaking, however, you can expect most cases take anywhere from 8 months – 1 year from start to finish depending on current processing times at each stage of the application process as well as any delays due to incomplete paperwork or requests for additional evidence from USCIS or NVC during their review of your case.

At Espinoza Law Group we understand how complicated marriage-based immigration can be which is why our experienced attorneys are here ready to help guide you through every step of this complex process so that you don’t have any unnecessary delays in obtaining a green card after getting married! Contact us today if you are considering filing a petition on behalf of your foreign spouse so we can provide more information about what’s involved in this process! We look forward hearing from you soon!