Question on timescales

[tomdowler]

Hi all,

I'm marrying my wonderful fiance in February and we're planning to move to her native Boston as soon as possible after the wedding.

So does anyone have any idea on timescales for applying for a green card on the basis of being spouse of a US citizen?

We both currently live in London so it will all be done through the US Embassy here.

Anyone have any handy hits for expediting the process? Is it worth going through a lawyer? Any in particular?

Thanks for any help.

Tom

[Marco 72]

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding. There are two ways to move to the US when you marry a US citizen: you can either do all the paperwork here, then go to the US as an immigrant, or you can apply for a K3 nonimmigrant visa, which will allow you to continue the process in the US. A K3 visa allows you to work, unlike a K1 fiance visa. From what I understand an immigrant visa takes about a year to get processed, and a K3 visa much less. However, when you travel to the States with an immigrant visa you become a Permanent Resident on arrival. If you have been married for less than two years you will be issued a conditional PR card. Two years later you can apply to have the conditions removed. Then after completing three years as a PR (including the conditional period, and minus 90 days) you can apply for US citizenship, if you wish to do so.

In order to petition for you, your wife will need to have either a job in the US (with a salary above the poverty line) or sufficient funds. If she doesn't, she can still get someone else to co-petition with her. You need to show you have had no convictions (including spent ones) and no medical problems.

See this page for more information.