Green Card By Marriage
It is perfectly legal to get married to a US citizen or permanent resident and obtain permanent residency in the United States . This type of marriage is often called a green card by marriage. You must understand, however, that your so called green card marriage will only be valid for immigration purposes if it was not a mere sham to obtain an immigration benefit. To that extent the term “green card marriage is often misunderstood—it is absolutely legal to obtain an immigration benefit by getting married, so long as the main purpose of your marriage was a traditional one, that is, for love and affection It cannot be for the sole purpose of obtaining the immigration benefit.
Read MoreGreen Cards & Family Visas
Overview of Family Visa and Green Card Information Family Visa and Green Card HelpA lawful permanent resident is a foreign national who has been granted the privilege of permanently living and working in the United States. If you want to become a lawful permanent resident based on the fact that you have a relative who is a citizen of the United States or a relative who is a lawful permanent resident, you must go through a multi-step process.First, the USCIS must approve an immigrant visa petition, I-130 Petition for Alien Relative for you. This petition is filed by your relative (sponsor) and must be accompanied by proof of your relationship to the requesting relative.
Read MoreHow to Get a Green Card for a Child
Green Card For a Child – Definition of Child The immigration law defines a “child” as an unmarried person under the age of 21 (a minor) who is A child born to parents who are married to each other (born in wedlock) A stepchild if the marriage creating the step relationship took place before the child reached the age of 18 A child born out of wedlock (the parents were not married at the time the child was born). Note: If the father is filing the petition, proof of a bona fide (real and established) relationship with the father must be supplied. An adopted child if the child was adopted before the age of 16 and has lived with the adoptive parent(s) in their legal custody for at least two years An orphan under the age of 16 when an adoptive or prospective adoptive parent files a visa petition on his or her behalf, who has been adopted abroad by a U.S. citizen or is coming to the U.S. for adoption by a U.S. citizen, or
How to Sponsor Your Brother or Sister for a Green Card
Definition of a Sibling A sibling is a brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, or adopted brother or sister. For the necessary sibling relationship to exist, each person must have been a child of at least one of the same parents. The siblings need not share the same biological parents as long as both became “children” at the appropriate time (before the age of 16 in cases of adoption, and before the age of 18 for stepchildren).Overview of the Immigration Process A legal immigrant (or “lawful permanent resident”) is a foreign national who has been granted the privilege of living and working permanently in the United States. There is a three-step process for your brother or sister to become a legal immigrant:The USCIS must approve an immigrant visa petition that you file for your brother or sister.
How to Sponsor Parents for a Green Card
Overview of the Process to Sponsor Parents for a Green Card A legal immigrant is a foreign national who has been granted the privilege of living and working permanently in the United States. There is a two-step process for your parent to become a legal immigrant. First, the USCIS must approve an immigrant visa petition that you file for your parent. Second, if your parent is outside the United States, your parent will be notified to go to the local U.S. consulate to complete the processing for an immigrant visa. If your parent is legally inside the U.S., he or she may apply to adjust his or her status to that of a lawful permanent resident using the Form I-485.
What is a Travel Document and Who Needs One?
If you are not a U.S. citizen, you may need permission to return to the United States after traveling abroad. This permission is granted through a travel document. Travel documents are also given to people who want to travel, but cannot get a passport from their country of nationality.*Only a US Citizen may file a Petition for Alien Fiancé on behalf of a fiancé. The U.S. citizen filing the petition must provide the following items to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.Let us know if we can help with your K 1 Fiancé Visa.
Read MoreObtaining a Green Card by Marriage
Overview of the K1 Fiance VisaIf your fiancé is not a citizen of the United States and you plan to get married in the United States, then you must file a petition with USCIS on behalf of your fiancé.* After the petition is approved, your fiancé must obtain a visa issued at a U.S. Embassy or consulate abroad. The marriage must take place within 90 days of your fiancé(e) entering the United States. If the marriage does not take place within 90 days or your fiancé marries someone other than you (the U.S. citizen filing USCIS Form I-129F – Petition for Alien Fiancé), your fiancé will be required to leave the United States. Until the marriage takes place, your fiancé is considered a nonimmigrant. A nonimmigrant is a foreign national seeking to temporarily enter the United States for a specific purpose. A fiancé may not obtain an extension of the 90-day original nonimmigrant admission.
Read MoreWhat Is A Green Card
A Permanent Resident Card, commonly known as a Green Card, is evidence of your status as a lawful permanent resident with a right to live and work permanently in the United States. It also is evidence of your registration in accordance with United States immigration laws. The Permanent Resident Card is also called Form I-551.What Does the Law Say About Permanent Resident Cards (Green Cards)? Section 264 of the Immigration and Nationality Act provides that, “Every alien in the United States shall be issued a certificate of alien registration or an alien registration receipt card in such form and manner and at such time as shall be prescribed under regulations.” It also states, “Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him. Any alien who fails to comply with [these] provisions shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.”
New Immigration Law Eliminates the Widow Penalty
Widows and Widowers of U.S. Citizens Married for Less Than Two Years Are Now Eligible to Self Petition and File to Adjust Status to Obtain a Green Card.