How Long Does The Marriage Green Card Take?

The average wait time for a marriage-based green card is about 9.3 months, depending on whether you are married to a U.S. citizen or green card holder and where you live. Applying for a marriage green card takes 9–38 months and costs $1,400–$1,960. A spouse green card application currently takes between 10 months and 66 months, depending on your type of application. The entire marriage green card timeline can take 10–38 months.

There is no minimum age for a U.S. sponsor (petitioner) to file a petition for a spouse, but you must be at least 18 years of age and have a residence in the U.S. before you can sign the Affidavit of Support (Form I-864 or I-864EZ). If you are living outside the U.S. and married to a U.S. citizen or green card holder, you may only work in the U.S. after your green card application process is complete. This process typically takes 10-13 months for U.S. citizens and 29-38 months for U.S. green card holders.

The length of time it takes to get a marriage green card depends on three main factors: Whether your spouse lives abroad or in the U.S., and if they have a green card or are a US citizen all affect the timeline. Green card holder spouses take three years, siblings wait 14-16 years, and widows and parents take 10-13 months.

The entire marriage green card timeline can take 10–38 months, with several factors influencing wait times, including processing delays such as the continued backlog. To get a marriage green card through marriage, there are four main requirements:

1. Processing time: 6-12 months.

2. Green card delivery: The foreign spouse will receive their marriage green card within six months after arrival. The entire process usually takes 11-17 months.

Is it faster to get green card through marriage?

If your spouse is a green card holder and you live in the United States, you will wait about 13.5–20.5 months to receive your green card. If your spouse is a green card holder and you live outside the United States, you will wait about 29–40 months to receive your green card.

Widows of U.S. citizens. Widows and widowers of U.S. citizens can apply for a green card within two years of their spouse’s death. The process is similar to the marriage-based green card process for spouses of U.S. citizens, but instead of the I-130, widows and widowers will file Form I-360.

What is the current wait time for a green card?

Green card applications for family members or spouses of U.S. citizens take about 10 months to process. Green card applications for workers take about 7.5 months. (Note: You need an approved Form I-140 to adjust your status.)

For the latest processing times, Boundless analyzes USCIS offices across the country. You can find our Form I-485 timeline estimates here.

Form I-131 (“Travel Document – Advance Parole Application”): It takes 6.1 months to process advance parole applications.

Can I travel while waiting for my green card?

If you need to travel outside the United States while waiting for your Green Card, you can use Advanced Parole. This lets Green Card applicants leave and re-enter the U.S. without affecting their application. It’s important for those facing an emergency or urgent matter abroad.

Note: We don’t always recommend getting this authorization or traveling outside the U.S. while your Green Card is pending. There’s little to no guarantee that immigration officials will let you re-enter the country. If you don’t have to leave the country, don’t!

The Green Card waiting period in the U.S. is important. Applicants must stay in the country legally and avoid crime. You must submit all the right documents on time to avoid problems. Not all visas are eligible for Adjustment of Status. Some may require a return to the applicant’s home country for the final stages.

How long does it take for I-130 to get approved for spouse in 2024?

The fee for Form I-130 is now $675 and it takes about 12 months to be approved. Filing and getting an I-130 approved doesn’t give you an immigration status. This is the first step in getting a green card. This article explains the cost, approval time, and steps to follow after submitting Form I-130.

I-130 processing times; Form I-130 used for; Form I-130 cost; Form I-130 eligibility; Form I-130 required documents; Alternative documents; What happens after the I-130 is approved?; I-130 FAQs; Boundless guides; Common marriage green card forms; Boundless reviews. The time it takes to get your I-130 petition approved in 2024 depends on two things:

What is the processing time for I-130 for wife?

USCIS processes Form I-130 at five centers. USCIS takes 13-54.5 months to process Form I-130 for a spouse. The processing time for legal permanent residents filing Form I-130 for a spouse is 32-67.5 months. The average processing time for Form I-485 across 89 field offices is around 20 months.

Form I-485 Processing Times: 2018-2022;

I-765 Work Authorization Application Processing Times: 2018–2022;

How long does it take to process a green card by marriage?

How long does it take to get a green card through marriage? It takes about nine months to get a green card through marriage. It takes longer if you’re married to a U.S. citizen or green card holder. What is a marriage green card? A marriage-based green card lets a U.S. citizen or green card holder’s spouse live and work anywhere in the United States. A green card holder is a permanent resident until they apply for U.S. citizenship after three years of marriage.

Quick facts. As of January 2024, it takes 9.3 months to get a marriage green card. The cost is $3005 for couples living in the U.S. and $1340 when one or both spouses live outside the U.S. The first step is for the sponsoring spouse to file Form I-130 to prove the marriage is real.How to get a marriage green card Supporting documents for a marriage green card Timeline for a marriage-based green card Cost of a marriage-based green card Process for marriage green card applicants Denial rate for marriage green card applicants What’s next? FAQs for marriage green card applicants Boundless guides Information about marriage green cards Boundless reviews.

How long does it take to get I-130 approved for wife?

The number of green cards for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens is unlimited. Most Form I-130 petitions for immediate relatives are approved within a year, but they can take longer. If you are in the United States and filed an application to adjust status, USCIS will review Form I-485. If you are outside the U.S., USCIS will send your case to the NVC to start processing. The NVC will tell you when to submit your visa application and other documents. Immediate relatives are spouses, unmarried children (under 21) and parents of U.S. citizens. This group of immigrants can get unlimited visas. Other relationships are family preference categories and take longer to approve.

3B. Approval for family preference. Approximately 12 months to several years after filing.

Can you stay in the US while waiting for a marriage green card?

Can my wife stay in the US while waiting for a green card? It depends on what you mean by “waiting for a green card.” If she has filed an I-485, she can stay in the US as long as her I-485 is pending.

How much time does it take for a US spouse visa?

How long does a spousal visa take? It takes 13.5–15 months to get a CR1 visa if you’re married to a U.S. citizen and 29–40 months if you’re married to a green card holder. How long is the CR1 visa valid for? The CR1 is a two-year green card.

• CR1 Visa Processing Time 2024
• CR1 / IR1 Requirements
• What is the CR-1 Visa?
• What is the IR-1 Visa?
• Differences Between the CR1 and IR1
• CR1 / IR1 Costs
• The CR1 / IR1 Application Process
• Next Steps
• Frequently Asked Questions about Spousal Visas
• Boundless Reviews
• Related Information

What Are Spousal Visas? A CR1 spouse visa (also called IR1) is a green card that allows someone from another country to live in the U.S. with their spouse. If you’ve been married for less than two years, you might get a CR-1 visa. If you’ve been married for two years or more, you might get an IR1 visa. The latest wait time for a spousal visa is about nine months. It’s much longer for foreign nationals married to green card holders in the U.S. The CR-1 visa is now the common alternative to the K-3 visa.

CR1 Visa Processing Time 2024. The average wait time for a spousal visa is about 9.3 months. It varies depending on whether you are married to a U.S. citizen or green card holder.

How long does a US spouse visa take?

How long does a spousal visa take? It takes 13.5–15 months to get a CR1 visa if you’re married to a U.S. citizen and 29–40 months if you’re married to a green card holder. How long is the CR1 visa valid for? The CR1 is a two-year green card.

• CR1 Visa Processing Time 2024
• CR1 / IR1 Requirements
• What is the CR-1 Visa?
• What is the IR-1 Visa?
• Differences Between the CR1 and IR1
• CR1 / IR1 Costs
• The CR1 / IR1 Application Process
• Next Steps
• Frequently Asked Questions about Spousal Visas
• Boundless Reviews
• Related Information

What Are Spousal Visas? A CR1 spouse visa (also called IR1) is a green card that allows someone from another country to live in the U.S. with their spouse. If you’ve been married for less than two years, you might get a CR-1 visa. If you’ve been married for two years or more, you might get an IR1 visa. The latest wait time for a spousal visa is about nine months. It’s much longer for foreign nationals married to green card holders in the U.S. The CR-1 visa is now the common alternative to the K-3 visa.

CR1 Visa Processing Time 2024. The average wait time for a spousal visa is about 9.3 months. It varies depending on whether you are married to a U.S. citizen or green card holder.

Can I move to America if I marry an American?

If you’re a U.S. citizen, you can bring your foreign spouse to the United States in two ways. They are:

Spouse of a U.S. Citizen (IR1 or CR1) – You need to file an immigrant petition for your spouse. Learn more. Nonimmigrant visa for spouse (K-3) – You must file for this visa in the country where you married your spouse. Once the visa is issued, the spouse can travel to the United States to wait for the immigrant visa case to be processed. Two petitions are needed. Petition for Alien Relative, Form I-130, and Petition for Alien Fiancé(e), Form I-129F. Learn more. If you are a U.S. citizen, you can bring your fiancé(e) to the United States to marry and live here with a nonimmigrant visa for a fiancé(e) (K-1). You need an I-129F fiancé(e) petition. Learn more.

Can you marry someone in another country if you’re already married?

If you are married to someone in the U.S., what happens overseas depends on the country. If polygamy is recognized in another country, you may be able to get married again. However, if you return to the U.S., your foreign marriage won’t be recognized. If you are already married in the U.S., you have to get divorced or widowed before you can remarry. Laws vary by state and country. Contact a local family law attorney before planning a wedding in a foreign country.