How Long To Become Us Citizen Through Marriage?

The process of becoming a US citizen through marriage requires no specific period of continuous residence or physical presence in the United States, nor a specific period of marital union. However, you and your U.S. citizen spouse must be in a valid marriage from the time you file your Form N-400 until you can apply for U.S. citizenship. The general answer is that you must be a permanent resident (green card holder) for at least three years and have been living in marital union with your U.S. citizen-spouse.

Special rules in U.S. immigration law allow permanent residents applying for citizenship through marriage to submit the application after just three years. The spouse of a U.S. citizen residing in the United States must have been living in marital union with their citizen spouse for at least 3 years immediately preceding the time. You would be able to apply for U.S. citizenship three years from the original approval date of your conditional residence.

To become a U.S. citizen through marriage, one must first gain legal permanent resident status in the U.S. Marrying a U.S. citizen will not make someone eligible for a U.S. Green Card. Everyone will need to meet the requirements to apply for a Green Card in the U.S. Husbands or wives of U.S. citizens fall under the immediate relative category.

In Ecuador, obtaining a U.S. citizenship through marriage typically takes about 11-17 years. If you are married to a U.S. citizen and are living outside the U.S., the marriage green card application process typically takes about 11-17 years.

How long does it take to get citizenship in US after marriage?

If you have a U.S. spouse, you can become a U.S. citizen in three years instead of five. This shorter timeline can be helpful, but you need to plan to get the right documents and forms. Start planning right away! Boundless offers unlimited support from our immigration experts. Apply with confidence and focus on your life in the U.S. Learn more. Why become a citizen? Many green card holders want to become U.S. citizens because it makes them proud to be American and because it offers real benefits. Some benefits include:

Are you automatically a citizen if you marry an American?

Can I make someone a U.S. citizen if I marry them? Just because you marry a U.S. citizen doesn’t mean you’re a U.S. citizen. But marrying a U.S. citizen can help you get a green card.

Marriage and visa fraud. The U.S. only recognizes civil marriages for immigration purposes. USCIS will not recognize: polygamous relationships; underage marriages; civil unions, domestic partnerships, or other such relationships not recognized as marriages; proxy marriages; and relationships entered into for immigration reasons. USCIS recognizes same-sex marriages, but they must be documented by a marriage certificate from a country where they are legal. USCIS says the law of the place where the marriage was celebrated determines whether the marriage is valid for immigration purposes. LGBTQ couples can get more help with immigration in our guide.

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:

Do you get a green card after I-130 approval?

We will usually approve your Form I-130 if you can prove that your relative is eligible to immigrate to the United States. Once we approve the petition, your relative can apply for a Green Card. If your relative is already in the United States and a visa is available, they can get their Green Card by filing Form I-485. Some relatives must wait for a visa number before they can apply for a visa or Form I-485. If your relative is an immediate relative, they can get an immigrant visa. If your relative is in the United States but can’t get a Green Card because a visa isn’t available or for another reason, they can apply for an immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate in their country. For more on Green Card eligibility and the application process, see our Green Card Eligibility Categories page.

How to get a green card faster than 90 days?

Choose the right green card category. Consult with an experienced Duluth immigration attorney to find the right green card category for you. Make sure you meet all the eligibility requirements. Our immigration team can help you gather all the necessary documents and make sure your application is complete and accurate. If USCIS asks for more information or evidence, respond quickly to avoid delays. USCIS offers premium processing for an additional fee for certain categories and circumstances. This can speed up the process to within 15 days. This option isn’t available for all green card categories and doesn’t guarantee approval. Stay informed and manage expectations. USCIS offers online tools to track your case. An immigration attorney at Barrios Virgüez can help you understand USCIS updates and manage your expectations.

Factors Considered by USCIS for Expedite Requests. You can ask USCIS to speed up your green card application for certain reasons. USCIS looks at each case individually. USCIS may speed up your application in certain cases.

If you or your family are facing eviction, foreclosure, or loss of essential services; if you or a family member are in a medical emergency or severe illness; if you or a family member are in danger; if you or a family member are helping a nonprofit organization. If you have a unique skill, talent, or contribution that benefits the U.S., or if USCIS made a clear error.

How soon can my wife get a green card?

How long does it take to get a green card? How long it takes to get a green card depends on the type of application and USCIS processing times. A marriage green card can take 13.5–40 months. Even if you think you qualify for a family-based green card, you probably want to get it. Family-based green cards take time to get. Boundless can help you apply faster. Save 30 hours on your green card application. Start today!

What is the 90-day rule for green card marriage?

Other things to think about. How to count 90 days: If you’re thinking about the 90-day rule, you should know if you’ve spent more than 90 days in the country. To figure this out, take the most recent entry date from your I-94 travel record and add 90 days. If someone entered the country on April 1, 2019, with a single-entry visa, 90 days later would be June 30, 2020. As long as the applicant doesn’t marry or file for a green card before that date, they won’t run into trouble with the 90-day rule. Repeated entries: The 90-day rule only applies to the most recent entry to the United States. If you stay more than 90 days and then leave and come back, the 90-day clock starts over. To avoid breaking the 90-day rule, an applicant must wait 90 days since their most recent entry to the United States before marrying or seeking to adjust their status. Multiple visas: The 90-day rule also applies to the most recent visa. For example, if someone came to the US on a dual-intent H-1B visa and then left and came back using the Visa Waiver Program, only their most recent entry and visa status would be considered for the 90-day rule.

Does marrying an American guarantee a green card?

Yes. USCIS grants two-year conditional permanent residence for marriage. After two years, you must file Form I-751 to remove the conditions of residence and get a permanent green card.

It might be hard to travel after marrying an American. Is that true? Yes. If you marry an American or green card holder, be careful about travel. If you are in F, J, or tourist status, you must have a home abroad and intend to return. When you apply for a visa, you have to prove you have ties to your home country. Marriage to a U.S. citizen makes it hard to prove you have ties to your home country because you are assumed to want to immigrate to the United States. If you need a new visa to return to the United States, your will visa is likely to be denied, even if you plan to continue as a full-time student. What if I have a student visa? Can I travel then? As long as you have a valid visa, are a full-time student, and have your I-20 or DS-2019 signed for travel by OIS, you may be able to re-enter the United States even if you have married a U.S. citizen.

Can my wife stay in the US while waiting for a green card?

Adjustment versus consular processing. Few people can choose between adjustment of status and consular processing. But some U.S. citizen spouses in the United States can choose. Most eligible spouses prefer to adjust their status. It lets the foreign spouse stay in the United States while waiting for the green card. Consular processing often results in quicker processing times. The couple may be separated. Each path has its own pros and cons. Read Adjustment of Status vs. Consular Processing for a detailed breakdown.

Inadmissible grounds. All green card applicants are checked for admissibility before entering the United States. If the applicant is already in the U.S., they are still checked for inadmissibility before becoming a permanent resident. People with a criminal or terrorist history, drug abuse, infectious diseases, or other characteristics will not be allowed to enter the U.S. The following list summarizes some of the major classes of inadmissibility. Sometimes a waiver is available.

How long does it take for I-130 to be approved for spouse?

The USCIS website says it takes about 10.8 months for a U.S. citizen to get a green card for a spouse or child, and about 25 months for a green card holder to get a green card for a spouse or child. These times are updated monthly and based on the previous month’s completed cases. These are only estimates. Actual times can vary. USCIS may take longer to process a case if more evidence is needed or if the application is flawed. If a case is simple and there are no problems, it may be processed faster than expected. Be patient and provide all the evidence and documents to USCIS in a timely and accurate manner. This helps USCIS process the case quickly.

What is the shortest time to get a green card?

Spouses and unmarried children of U.S. permanent residents often have the shortest waits, typically between two and four years. But it depends on how many people apply in the same category. Employment-Based Preference Categories. In the employment-based preference categories, a U.S. employer usually sponsors a foreign national. The employment-based categories are mostly based on the difficulty of the job and the education needed. Two exceptions are the Fourth and Fifth employment-based preference categories. We’ll talk more about this later. The wait times for employment-based visas are short, but the application process is long and complex. The basic eligibility requirements are demanding in terms of applicants’ job skills, education, and experience. The employer does most of the work, but the employee has to wait a long time.

Can I stay in the US after marrying a U.S. citizen?

Your spouse can apply for permanent residence and stay in the United States while we process the application. File Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e). You can find the forms and instructions on our website at www.uscis.gov.