Helping Married Couples Start a Life Together in the U.S.
If you’re a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident who married someone from another country, you might be thinking about settling down with your new spouse in the U.S. To do so, you’ll need to apply for a marriage visa so they can come to the U.S. and become a lawful permanent resident. Of course, immigration law can be difficult to understand on your own, so you should consult an experienced immigration attorney before you begin the marriage visa process.
When you hire The Chidolue Law Firm, you can rest assured that our legal team understands the immigration laws surrounding marriage visas, so we’ll work hard to make this a seamless process that results in a marriage-based green card for your foreign national spouse. Contact our immigration law office to discuss your case with a knowledgeable marriage visa lawyer.
What Is a Marriage Visa?
The marriage visa available to your foreign spouse depends on your legal status, since citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply for different spouse visas. The main options are the CR-1, IR-1, and F-2A visas, with K visas being available to U.S. citizens who are engaged to foreign nationals and wish to marry them in the U.S.
If you’re a U.S. citizen planning to sponsor your spouse so they can come to the U.S. to live, you can apply for the CR-1 visa as long as you’ve been married for under two years. If you’ve been married longer than two years, you can apply for the IR-1 visa.
If you’re a permanent resident, you can sponsor your foreign national spouse with the F-2A visa. The application process and immigration benefits of this marriage visa are similar to those of a CR-1 visa, except that it can take longer for the F-2A visa to be approved.
If you’re not married yet and you’re a U.S. citizen, you can apply for a K-1 visa to bring your fiance to the U.S. This visa requires you to get married within 90 days of your fiance’s arrival. After that, you can send in an application to adjust their status so they get permanent residency.
Skilled marriage visa attorneys can help you determine which spouse visa you’re eligible for. They can also guide you through the marriage visa application process, so call our law firm to discuss your options.
Who Qualifies for a Marriage Visa in the U.S.?
You and your spouse must meet certain requirements to be approved for a marriage visa. As the person petitioning for your foreign national spouse to immigrate to the U.S. through a CR-1, IR-1, or F-2A spousal visa, you must prove the following:
- You’re a United States citizen or permanent resident
- You’re in a valid marriage
- You’re prepared to financially support your spouse
If you meet these guidelines, your foreign national spouse has a good chance of being approved to enter the U.S. on a spousal visa, assuming certain exceptions aren’t present. For example, if your spouse entered the U.S. illegally, lied to border patrol officials or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or was convicted of a violent crime, they might not be eligible for an immigrant visa.
Experienced marriage visa attorneys can review your details to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria for U.S. marriage visas. We would be happy to help you and your spouse start your life together in the U.S. as soon as possible, so contact our law office to schedule a free initial consultation with a trusted marriage visa lawyer.
What Should You Expect from the Marriage Visa Application Process?
Before you begin the marriage visa process, you should get an idea of how long it will take and what steps you’ll need to complete. These details depend on which spousal visa you’re pursuing, so your marriage visa lawyer will inform you on your specific case.
In general, you need to prove that you’re a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the U.S., which will require you to send in copies of your birth certificate, passport, naturalization certificate, green card, or other documents. Next, prepare to prove that you’re in a valid marriage with your spouse, which could mean presenting copies of your joint bank accounts, credit cards, or insurance policies featuring both your names, as well as your marriage certificate.
You’ll also need to send in tax returns and any other financial documents that show you can support your spouse once their visa application is approved. You may be asked for additional documents, such as proof that any prior marriages were legally terminated and that your spouse has never been accused of lying or breaking the law during the immigration process.
Once you’ve submitted the required documents in the visa application process, the National Visa Center will review them. If approved, your spouse will need to prepare for an interview with a consular officer to answer questions about your marriage. They’ll then need to pass a medical exam before they’re issued a marriage-based green card.
If you’re an American citizen applying for the CR-1 visa, the application process should take about one year. Once your spouse gets their marriage-based visa to come to the U.S., they’ll get a conditional green card. After you prove you have a bona fide marriage valid in the country where you got married, the conditions of the green card will be removed. Note that if you pursue the IR-1 spouse visa, your spouse will get a regular marriage-based green card with no conditions on it.
If you have lawful permanent resident status in the U.S. and pursue the F-2A for your spouse, the immigration process will likely take longer than it does for a CR-1 or IR-1 visa. In many cases, it could take two or more years. Experienced immigration lawyers can tell you more about this process, so contact our office today.
Why Should You Hire a Nationwide Marriage Visa Immigration Lawyer?
Lawful permanent residents and citizens alike can sponsor their spouse before starting a life in this country, but the process is often too complicated to handle alone. Not only do you have to prove you’re legally married to a foreign citizen, but you’ll also have to discuss your financial situation and ensure there’s nothing that makes your spouse ineligible for permanent residency soon after they arrive on a visa. If you’re unsure how to go about proving these details, you should talk to a marriage visa lawyer you can trust.
At The Chidolue Law Firm, we’re committed to helping you get the immigrant visa you need for your spouse to get a green card. This way, they can live and work here long-term and eventually apply for United States citizenship. If you’re ready to learn more about getting an immigration visa for your husband or wife, call us at 407-995-6567 to talk to caring immigration attorneys about marriage-based green cards.
