The Fundamentals
If you should be a U.S. Resident hitched to an international nationwide that is residing abroad, this guide is actually for both of you—we’ll get detail by detail through the entire process of getting the wedding green card. This sort of green card application process can also be commonly called “Consular Processing. ”
Should your circumstances are very different, take a good look at our other Start-to-Finish guides, in addition to our basic breakdown of the wedding green card process, all explained in plain language.
Believed time: 11-17 months to acquire card that is greenmore information on timing)
Perhaps maybe Not certain that you be eligible for a marriage-based card that is green? You can examine your eligibility through Boundless without supplying any personal or monetary information. When you’re willing to use, Boundless can show you through every milestone associated with the marriage-based green card procedure, you start with your kind I-130 most of the method to the conclusion line. Today learn more, or get started.
Maybe perhaps Not certain that you be eligible for a marriage-based green card? Start with checking your eligibility.
Step One: Sponsorship
The step that is first the marriage-based green card procedure is filing Form I-130 (technically called the “ Petition for Alien Relative”) with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which can be an element of the U.S. Department of Homeland safety. The principal intent behind this kind would be to establish the presence of a marriage that is valid.
The spouse filing this I-130 kind is named the“petitioner or“sponsor”. ” This is actually the partner that is the present U.S. Citizen. The spouse who’s seeking a green card is called the “beneficiary. ”
National kinds and charges
This task calls for $535 in federal federal government charges, two kinds, and documents that are supporting
You will see government that is additional, types, and supporting papers for the following actions in this procedure, described below.
As soon as your I-130 filing package is complete, you’ll mail it off to the right USCIS target. Next you’ll get an formal receipt notice within the mail from USCIS, often within a fortnight. If USCIS requires more details or papers in order to complete processing your materials, they will deliver you a “Request for Evidence” (RFE) within 2–3 months.
As soon as USCIS has every thing they require, they typically come to a decision on your own sponsorship demand within 7-10 months.
When it comes to flat price of $950, Boundless can help you finish your whole marriage-based green card (spousal visa) application — including all needed kinds and supporting papers, separate lawyer review, and help — through the minute the application is filed before you get your green card. Get the full story, or look at your eligibility without supplying any individual or economic information.
Step Two: Green Card Application
Next, because the partner searching for a green card is residing abroad, USCIS transfers the actual situation to your nationwide Visa Center (NVC), which can be run by the U.S. State Department. The NVC’s work would be to gather the required types and documents and decide whether or not the partner is prepared for a job interview at a U.S. Embassy or consulate abroad (called “consular processing”).
The NVC assigns a unique case number that is then used to identify the case from that point onward after receiving the case from USCIS. For partners of U.S. Residents, the NVC begins processing your situation soon after getting it from USCIS, and after 3-5 months, forwards the scenario up to a U.S. Embassy or consulate within the applicant spouse’s country of residence.
DS-261 and charges
As soon as you get your instance quantity through the NVC, the next thing is to register the DS-261 type. This is certainly a easy kind that|form that is relatively simple informs their state Department talk to you, and there’s no charge to register it. Around three days for the NVC to process the DS-261.
Next, you’ll have to spend a complete of $445 online, addressing both their state Department’s application processing cost ($325) therefore the economic help type charge ($120). As much as a week for the nvc to process your repayment.
Filing the Visa Application
As soon as your repayment happens to be prepared, you’ll be able to file the DS-260 (immigrant visa application). You’ll need your instance number, beneficiary ID quantity, and invoice quantity from the initial welcome observe that the NVC sent you. As soon as you’ve submitted the DS-260 online, you need to printing the verification web page it to your visa interview at the U.S. Consulate so you can bring.
After you distribute your DS-260, the NVC out a notice (again via mail or e-mail) confirming receipt of your DS-260, frequently on a single day.
You’ll then need certainly to submit your supporting papers into the NVC also, that will consist of your economic sponsorship type (technically named an “Affidavit of Support“). Dependent on which consulate is processing the program, you certainly will either upload, e-mail, or mail every one of the documents that are supporting the NVC. Always check right here to determine which associated with the distribution choices affect you.
In the event that NVC requires extra information or papers to accomplish your NVC package, they shall deliver you a list of lacking documents, typically within 1–2 months.
Once more, after the NVC has every thing they require, they shall typically decide within 3-5 months.
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: Pre-Interview Needs
When the NVC has finished its processing of one’s NVC package, the file will be utilized in the U.S. Consulate that processes green card applications into the applicant home country that is spouse’s. But you may still find a few needs before the meeting can occur!
Healthcare Examination
The spouse seeking a green card must have a medical examination performed by a State Department-approved doctor before attending the green card interview. The U.S. Consulate processing the job will deliver you these medical practioners with your meeting notice. This exam differs commonly by country, but $200 just isn’t unusual.
When the exam is complete, a doctor will offer you a sealed envelope containing your exam results and vaccination record, that you has to take to you towards the meeting.
Passport Distribution
Prior to the meeting, the partner searching for a green card must subscribe on line with a target to that your passport may be came back after an authorized visa stamp is positioned within the passport. Directions to register for passport distribution are posted for each consulate’s site.
Fingerprinting visit
The spouse looking for a green card must additionally, in many nations, join a fingerprinting appointment at a visa application help center ( normally a location distinct through the consulate). This visit is actually for the federal government to just take fingerprints regarding the partner, to enable you to conduct history and safety checks. These guidelines will also be posted for each consulate’s internet site.
The fingerprinting visit low-stress and certainly will be looked at as more of a step that is procedural. The partner looking for a green card will never be mail order bride stories expected questions regarding the marriage green card eligibility only at that visit. They shall just be fingerprinted.
Boundless remains you keep on top of interview preparation, follow-on forms, and every other important milestone along your immigration journey with you until the green card finish line, helping. Discover more, or check always your eligibility free of charge.
Step four: Interview and Approval
The Green Card Interview
The meeting could be the last major part of the green card application procedure, function as many stressful and daunting component. Partners can really help relieve this anxiety by once you understand and piecing together a arranged file to try the interview.
A partner residing abroad will attend an meeting at a U.S. Embassy or consulate in their property country, after getting a consultation notice using the time that is exact date, and location. The sponsoring partner will not go to this meeting.
Consider these resources for additional information:
Boundless gives you for you yourself to complete your marriage-based green card application, but we are able to additionally help you to get prepared for the green card interview and react to federal government concerns. Get the full story, or look at your eligibility for the marriage-based card that is green any responsibility.