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. Then it will present an overview of your application process. Conditional Green Card. Refer to the Form I-751 for more information and additional instructions on filing requirements. Struggling with marital issues is something that many real couples go through. This special immigrant category is reserved for the immediate relatives of American citizens. The green card interview usually takes place from 3 months after your marriage green card is filed with USCIS. 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. If you are a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident (Green Card holder) of the U.S. and you want to sponsor an eligible relative for a Green Card, you need to file Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative.. Form I-751 Required Documents. However, USCIS generally also requires additional information that confirms the validity of the marriage and a bona fide relationship between the partners. The next steps will include a personalized post-filing timeline, case tracking instructions, green card interview tips, and things to do after receiving your green card. The U.S. Citizen Files an Immigrant Petition. Alternatively, you can call to get a paper form mailed to you, and fill that out. Take Free Eligibility Quiz. Green Card through marriage to US permanent residents. 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. This allows them to legally work in the U.S., as well as receive other benefits. Take Free Eligibility Quiz . That is not a good idea. With this application, the foreign national can request to remove any conditional requirements from his or her status. How long does it take to get a green card through marriage? You must be able to authenticate the document via the instructions in RM 10210.210. Despite this persistent fantasy, a green card through marriage often proves to be difficult path. If your adjustment of status application is approved you will receive a conditional green card. Then it will walk you through the forms, the documents, how to submit, and finally the next steps after submission. 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 Note: You may file this petition even if the marriage has ended or the spouse has subsequently died. The U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services allows certain immigrants to apply for a green card before their I-130 is approved. 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. 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. 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. 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. Some people get married on paper first (through a registered marriage or court marriage) for visa purposes and then later get married traditionally. This can include a citizen's spouse, parents and unmarried children under 21 years of age. You must prove that your marriage is bona fide and not a sham for the sole intent of getting a green card. The IR-1 visa which is also known as a marriage green card, therefore the processing time is also much shorter than the Family Preference Visas. Collect and photocopy as many of the following items below as possible. For certain people, applying for a green card through marriage can create significant, long-term immigration problems. Wedding invitations, church certificates, or other reliable documents that … 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. Family Preference visas. These cards last two years and grant the same rights and privileges of a regular green card. 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. But make sure they're more recent than the documents you presented with your green card application. Green Cards and Permanent Residence in the U.S. 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. There are no annual limits on K-1 visas for fiancés. 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. 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. Even letters from marriage counselors and the like can help prove that it was the real thing. For starters, it can be extraordinarily hard to convince U.S. That is not a good idea. The first step is to file a Petition for Alien Relative, Form I-130, with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. This form demonstrates that the two partners are married and starts the process for a green card. 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. If you're already living in the US, then getting your green card is a matter of adjusting your status to permanent resident. This petition establishes your relationship to the eligible relative who’s intending to become a … Do not send originals. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at the Boston District Office that your marriage is truly based on a real and bona fide relationship. In addition, both spouses must not be married to any other people at the same time. The time it takes to get a Green Card through marriage is from 10 to 13 months. Other Documents to Mail in With Form N-400. There are several paths to obtaining a green card through marriage. 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 need to select the correct reason for filing, of which there are 17. 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. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.. Form I-485 is the application to adjust your status to a permanent resident of the United States. 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. Any other document you are required to send will be … Marriage is required for a foreign-born citizen to apply for a green card for permanent resident status by way of the post K-1 visa “adjustment of status” process. Green card holders are formally known as lawful permanent residents (LPRs). 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. The next question is how and where you can apply for the green card. One of the most common ways an immigrant will get a green card is through marriage to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. 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. Photocopies of documents from previous marriages. This is the required form for conditional residents who obtained green card through marriage to apply to remove conditions on their green card. 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. 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. If you have a marriage-based conditional green card, you need to submit the USCIS application I-751. You will have to present the official documents to prove that the marriage ended, such as a death or divorce certificate. Some reasons are very similar and you will need to read through entire I-90 instructions to ensure you select the appropriate one. 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. Eligibility for a green card based on marriage to a U.S. citizen requires that the spouses be legally married in any country. Realize also that you're not trying to prove you had a good marriage! Conditional green cards are another measure to prevent fraud from individuals who obtained permanent resident status through marriage. The most important other document that everyone must include is a copy of the front and back of your current permanent resident card (green card). The First Step Toward an Immigrant Visa: Filing the Petition. 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