how long does it take a foreigner to get citizenship once married

I believe that you are referring to permanent residence ("green card") as opposed to U.S. citizenship. The average wait is one year, if the case is processed in the U.S.

A permanent resident is eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship either 3 or 5 years after acquiring permanent residence. If married to a U.S. citizen, it is 3 years; otherwise, it is 5 years.

Could someone help me with a problem? I am a US citizen. My wife and I have been married six years. She has resident alien status. I understand this is good for ten years. We moved to her country for a short while. I returned to US one year ago due to my parent's failing health. Recently, my wife returned to US and was detained.
They took her resident alien card and told her she "broke the rules." Nobody told us any such rules when we applied for resident status. What's going on? What can we do to sttaighten out this mess? Do we need to hire a lawyer?

Dear Anonymous:

As a lawful, permanent resident alien your wife must continue to maintain a permanent residence in the US. If she remained outside of the US for more than 6 consecutive months, there is a presumption that she has abandoned her lawful status. This presumption can be overcome through evidence that she did not intend to abandon her status.

If she remained outside of the US for more than one year, then she is considered to have abandoned her permanent status. However, it can be retained under some circumstances.

You do not state in your e-mail whether she was set up for a hearing with the immigration court, or if she was forced to leave the US. If she is in court proceedings, you should contact an immigration law attorney to see if he/she can assist your wife. If she signed an abandonment of her permanent status and has departed the US, she is therefore no longer a resident, so you will probably have to file a new petition for her and start the process again to have her re-acquire permanent status. Good luck.

Hello,

I have a question. I got married to a US citizen in Feb 98. > Petition and adjustment of status was filed and we recieved our 1st interview in Dec 1999 > No problem at interview and I was granted conditional status in Dec 1999 > Recieved conditional Greencard in mail > I have to apply to remove my conditional status 4 months before Dec 2001> I don't foresee any problems and I will get my Lawful permanent Greencard in Dec 2001.

My question is, after I get my Greencard in Dec 2001, when will I be able to apply for citizenship. From the date I got married ( Feb 1999) to the date I will be approved for my greencard (Dec 2001), THIS will be 3 years being married. Can I apply for citizenship, based on being married for 3 years to a US citizen, OR is it the date I was granted conditional residence and then 3 years after. Please help.

Thanks,

Dear William:

Based upon the facts of your case, you will be able to apply for US citizenship three months before the end of the third year after you acquired conditional permanent residence, (in other words September 2002) provided you are still married to, and living with, your US citizen spouse. Good luck.

Hello Again,

Thank you for your response. I hear that there is a long wait to get an interview to remove conditions. As from my case above, I got my conditional greencard and it expires Dec 2001. When should I apply to remove it, and when would I get an interview date. Will it be before my card expires in Dec 2001 or after. If it is after, am I still allowed to work.

Thanks,
William

Dear William:

You should apply 3 months before your conditional residence will expire. When Immigration receives the petition, they will issue you a receipt extending your residence, (and thus your employment authorization and permission to travel), for a period of one year.

Your interview should be scheduled within the one-year period. Good luck.

By Anonymous on Friday, January 12, 2001 - 05:38 pm:
i got married in 1987,
my first interview that was in 1987,
the immigration officer she stamped pending after the interview and she stamped the alien # on my passport. i recieved work authorization immediately on I94 twice. I applied everything thrrouhg a lawyer, but since 1988 i havent persued my case and since than i have been living in the U.S.
Do i fit in any of the new immigration law?
i have been here for the last 15 years, but i was scared to apply for anything, since last 15 years i have been paying my rents and bills, i also have the SS# since 1987.
we appriciate for this new immigrationlinks.com, it is a GREAT help to me!
thankyou very much you are most sincerely,
muslim

Dear Muslim:

You should speak with an immigration law attorney who can follow-up on your case to see whether you were ever approved for permanent residence.

Even if you were not approved, you could still process your case for residence if you are still married. If not, you would have to pursue your application through some other way, although you would be grandfathered under the new law unless if was determined that your marriage petition was not approvable at the time it was filed (ex. fraudulent marriage, etc.). Good luck.

I am a conditional resident. Who do I contact to, where do I go in order to remove the conditions?

Dear Helen:

Within the 3-month period prior to the expiration of your conditional residence, you and your husband, if you are still married and living together, must jointly file immigration form I-751. If you are divorced, or the marriage is otherwise terminated, you would file form I-751 alone.

The petition, together with the information and documents required in the instructions, is sent to the immigration service center that has jurisdiction over the place where you reside. These addresses can be found on the form or on our web site. Good luck.

Hi,

I have the following question.
I am married a US citizen and have a conditional green card. I've got marreid in March 1999, got conditional green card dated June 2000, expiration date June 2002.
unfortunately my marriage seems like not working... Will I have a legal rights to stay in US in case of divorse and what are conditions?

Dear Anonymous:

If you obtain a divorce, you can file immigration form I-751 and request a waiver. You will have to prove that your marriage was entered into in good faith. You should gather all the documentation you have to prove that you lived together in a bona fide husband and wife relationship following the marriage. The petition must be filed prior to the expiration of your conditional residence. Good luck.

Hello Sr.

I have been a permanent residence in California for 8 years, i have been married to an American Citizen for 8 years,he got his Citizenship first and 3 month later i got my residency, how long it would take if I try to get my Citizenship now??
The reason that I'm asking this question is because my parents and brothers are visiting U.S.A they have a B1/B2 visa for 10years (that is my parents) and my brothers have a B1/B2 visa for 5 years, and i would like them to stay and live with us. What it would be the easy way to keep them legal? My mother and brothers are still legal with their I-94 until july 30, 2001, my father's I-94 had expired last month,but we had requested an extension, a letter was send back to us saying that it would take 350 to 365 days to be prosses, please let me what can I do to help them??

Thank You for your Kindness in answering my question. Please send a copy of your answer to my e-mail too. God Bless You!!

Dear Anonymous:

You can apply for US citizenship 3 years after acquiring your permanent residence if you have been married to, and living with, a US citizen for 3 years after obtaining residence.

Once you become a citizen, you could file for permanent residence for your parents and brothers. Your parents could obtain residence rather quickly, but your brothers will not be able to obtain residence for about 12-15 years.

You may want to discuss other ways for your brothers to obtain permanent residence by speaking with an immigration law attorney. Good luck.

what happens if the person got his citizenship and then within that year decided he no no longer wanted to be married but had no reason and now you feel you were used for green card and citizenship can he lose his citizenship?

Dear Anonymous:

If appears from your question that you have been married to this individual for at least 4-5 years, or more. It would be extremely difficult at this time to try to convince the INS that this person married you just to get his residence and then citizenship.

Unless you have some direct, specific, evidence that he married you under false pretenses, the likelihood that Immigration would, or could, do something about this matter is slim. Best wishes.

HELLO,
MARRIED TO A NEW US CITIZEN, I WAS PETIONED BY MY HUSBAND 4 YRS. AGO WHILE HE WAS STILL A GREEN CARD HOLDER. IT WAS APPROVED BUT NOW HE BECAME A US CITIZEN. WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE OLD PETITION AND WHAT PAPERS DO WE NEED TO PRESENT AND FILE TO THE INS? BEEN LIVING HERE IN THE US FOR 5 YRS.
FROM,
ILKE A.

Dear Ilke:

You should now file an application for adjustment of status with the local INS office in the area where you reside. You would attach a copy of the approved I-130 so that you do not have to file it again.

You can check our Immigration Hints & Tips page for more information on the types of forms and documents that you will need to file, or you can get the information from the INS web site. Good luck.

Hi, I have been married to a US citizen for 4 years and been a Green Card holder for 3 years. A year ago I filed my I 751 application but there is no decision yet (application pending). My question is: can I file for naturalization now? To proccess N-400 it takes 1.5-2 years, this way I could start waiting now.
Thank you for your help

Dear Anonymous:

Our initial opinion, without doing additional research, is that you can file an application for naturalization since you meet all of the statutory requirements.

As a basis for our opinion we refer to section 216 of the Immigration Act relating to conditional residence status. One part of said section states as follows: "(e) Treatment of Period for Purposes of Naturalization.—
For purposes of title III, in the case of an alien who is in the United States as a lawful permanent resident on a conditional basis under this section, the alien shall be considered to have been admitted as an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence and to be in the United States as an alien lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence."

Having stated the above, it is likely that INS will not adjudicate your application for naturalization until your I-751 is approved. We would also suggest that you speak with an immigration law attorney who may be able to research your particular issue in greater depth in order to give you a definite answer. Good luck.

hi,
i have applied for citizenship from michigan 2months ago and from looking at the local processing times for detroit it is taking 480-540 days to complete the process where as in minnesotta it is taking only 90-180.As per the ins
they Schedule and transfer the file to the local ins only after getting the clearance from the FBI.since i'm not scheduled for FP and not working as of now will it be a good idea to make change of adress to minnesota? If i do what are the evidences they might ask you for the residency?i'll be staying with my relative.is driving licence from that state good enough?is it necessary that i have to be working at the time of naturalization interview?by the way iam doing all this to bring my wife ASAP.
thank you very much for your time.

Dear Mathew:

The law requires that you file for naturalization in the area in which you are a resident. In addition, you must be a resident of that area for at least 90 days before you can file.

What constitutes residence is determined on a case by case basis. This can include items such as a driver's license, residence (home or apt), employment, family, school, bills and receipts, etc. If you truly intend to move to Minnesota and live there permanently, then go ahead and file for naturalization from there. However, if you are doing this just to speed up the process, and INS is ultimately not satisfied with your proof of residence, your case may end up taking a lot longer than if you just wait and do it through Detroit. Good luck.

hei immigration help,
I already filed (N400)from my current residence (detroit)and i have the NOA from the service center.so if i move at this point of time do i have to file again from minnesota to be processed in minnesota or i have to call the ins and ask for change of adress.and once the file is in local ins(stpaul MN)AND if they call for interview do i have to be resident of that place for atleast 90 days apart from being satisfied all requirements at the time of filing(detroit michigan)?.thanks

Dear Mathew:

You can either file again from Minnesota after you have resided there for 90 days, or you can move to Minnesota, and after 90 days, file a request for a transfer of your file from Detroit to St. Paul. Good luck.

i have 2 DUI convictions in the last 3 years.first
time the licence was suspended for 90 days and no jail and community service and the second time 1 year probation which i completed last month. what are the chances if i apply for naturalization now.
please help.

Dear Emami:

You will have to take a copy of the tickets you received, a copy of the court disposition, and a copy of the pertinent law under which you were convicted to an immigration law attorney. He or she will review these documents and be able to advise whether you would be eligible for naturalization. Good luck.

My husband's brother just married a foreigner and she needs a sponsor to get her citizinship. We agreed to sponsor her, what are our respinsibilities as a sponsor?

Dear Anonymous:

Rather than trying to explain all of your responsibilities in the limited space of this Bulletin Board, we would suggest that you go to our Home page, click on Free Immigration Forms, and download immigration form I-864. Read the form and instructions carefully. It will explain all of your obligations and responsibilities. Good luck.

when can i apply for citizenship how many years after being married or how many years after green card? and i am married 3 years and my green card came it said permanent not conditional is that i a mistake?
hopeful

Dear Anonymous:

If you were already married more than 2 years when approved for residence, then your residence is permanent, not conditional.

You can apply for naturalization 3 years after acquiring your permanent residence, assuming you are still married to, and living with, your US citizen spouse. Good luck.

i have been a permanent resident for a 1year and 1/2, but me and my husband are separated for 6 months now and doesn't seem we are going to be getting back together, we are still legally married. Can I get a citizenship based on the fact that i am legaally married? do we need to be living together?
thank you

Dear Maria:

To obtain US citizenship based on marriage to a US citizen, you must be married to, and living with, your husband for 3 years following receipt of your green card. Otherwise, you will have to wait 5 years. Good luck.

I came to the US as a three month visitor from the UK.That expired Aug 27 2001, then Oct 2001 i got married to a permanent resident.We have taken no legal procedures to legalise my status, what should we do?I would appreciate any help!!!Thanks!!

Dear Anonymous:

Being married to a permanent resident alien gives you no special right to remain in the US. Only when your spouse becomes a US citizen can you file an application for permanent residence. In the meantime, you remain in the US at your own risk. Good luck.

I filed form N400 in Nov 5 2001, as it was 3 months prior to Feb 5 2002 which completed my 3 years as a permanent resident (married to US Citizen).
Unfortunately my wife and I have decided to separate(in May) but I have not had my interview for citizenship yet. How will this effect my application considering that I was married and living with a US Citizen in Feb but will not be during my interview in few months??
Thanks for you help

Dear Anonymous:

Unfortunately, you must still be living with your wife at the time of your interview, and up to the time that you become a US citizen.

If you do not reconcile, you will have to withdraw your application, and then file again when you have 5 years. Good luck.

Hello, any insight to this matter will be appreciated. I applied for Permanent residency last year. Had my interview this week. I have run into the law one cand got 3yrs probation, community service and restitution. They asked me about this at interview. He said he has approved petition however, I must provide to them documents showing case, cout disposition etc b/4 passport is stamped. Do you think I will still be able to get my residency or will this constitue a problem.

Thanks

Dear Sir,

I am a married canadian citizen.I need to know how long it is going to take me to get green card if my sister sponsors me (who is American citizen)? Would you also let me know the time period, if my parents who have green card, soponsor me? Which is the shortest way for me?
Please let me know thanks.

Regards,
Mike

Dear Anonymous:

Any attorney reviewing your case would need a copy of the arrest report, the court disposition, and the criminal statute under which you were charged.

Only after reviewing this information could he or she give you a detailed analysis of the chances of obtaining permanent residence status. Good luck.

Dear Mike:

If your US sister petitions for you, the entire process will take about 12-15 years.

Since you are married, your permanent resident parents may not file a petition for you. They have to be US citizens to file for a married son or daughter. Good luck.

i am married to a us-citizen since 9/2000.i am still waiting for an interview.unfortunately we
are seperated and i want to go back to my country.
what steps do i have to do,in order to avoid any unlawful acts?how long does it take to get divorced and how can i withdraw my application for adjustment of status and what are the consequences?can i still enter the usa with a regular tourist visa in the future and can i ever apply for a greencard again?
thanks for your help

My husband and I have been married two years. He applied for a green card for me just recently. However, he has met someone else and has filed for divorce. Is there any chance for me to get my green card by the time my interview comes up maybe we're divorced? What if it's not final yet? What if he agrees to come to the interview?

I JUST GOT MARRIED TO A US CITISEN
WHAT DO I NEED TO APPLY FOR
- THE SOCIAL SECURITY CARD
- THE WORKING PERMIT
THANKS ,

Dear Anonymous:

The answer to your question partially depends on what your status was before you filed for adjustment of status. If you were in unlawful status for more than 6 months before you filed, you may be subject to the 3 or 10 year bars on re-entry to the US. Also, if you later wish to enter with a B-2 visa, you will have to apply for it through a US consulate abroad and you must disclose the fact that you previously applied for permanent residence in the US. This may lead to a presumption that you are not a bona fide visitor for pleasure, but rather are an intending immigrant.

We would suggest that before you do anything regarding a divorce or a withdrawal of your pending application, that you consult with an immigration law attorney who can review your case in greater detail. Good luck.

Dear Anonymous:

The only way that you can get your green card is if your husband accompanies you to the interview, and you are still married, and you both establish that you have no intention of getting a divorce at any time in the near future.

Immigration law provides that you can still get your permanent residence even if you are separated, as long as there is some reasonable chance that you can patch up your differences and stay together. However, if your husband states that he plans on divorcing you, then INS is precluded from approving the petition. Good luck.

Hi, we are from peru and we have visa to usa for ten years. i came here 6 months ago and in agust we are gonna be ilegals because our permission to be in usa is over. my husband has social security and he can work, but i can not because i dont have social security. my two daughters are in the school. one of my daughters is fifteen years old and she is gonna be a sophmore. she is smart , she doesnt speak english very well because she has been in the school just 3 months. however she tried to study in english, it was hard but she got 3.8 in her school average. my question is if there is some opportunities for her to be a resident and then a citizen . maybe she can take a test to be a schoolar resident here in usa. i want to know if that test exist in usa. a knowledge test to be a usa resident.

== my husband and I are not english speakers. my daughter is helping us to write this , please help us , we really need it. we are living in california right now. THanks, send me your answer here or in my mail.

Dear Anonymous:

If you entered the US lawfully, your husband should file an I-130 petition for you, and you should simultaneously file an application for adjustment of status with your local INS office.

For more information on the filing procedure, please go to our Hints & Tips page and click on Marriage Petitions. Good luck.

i have a green card and my wife is a US citizen. i wish to take a job in Bermuda. If i do so what will happen to my permanent residence status? do i have to keep coming back to the US every 6 mos. to maintain it?

i got a green card thru marriage to my wife who is a US citizen. I got the green card on sept. of 1996. In jan. of 2000 i got a DUI for driving while intoxicated. How will this affect my naturalization if i apply now (aug.2002)?

Dear Jacqueline M.:

There is no way to obtain a permanent visa to the US based on an entrance exam. The best option for your daughter is for her to seek entrance to school based on a student visa. This will permit her to remain and study in the US.

However, you will not be able to stay with her, and someone will have to guarantee her support in the US.

We would suggest that you contact an immigration lawyer as soon as possible to see if there is some way for you to extend your stay and find some way to remain in the United States legally. Good luck.

Dear Bermuda:

Taking a permanent job in a foreign country while you only have US permanent residence may jeopardize your immigration status.

As a permanent resident, you must indicate an intent to reside permanently in the US. The fact that you have a permanent job outside of the US is an indication that you do not intend to reside permanently in the US.

Even if you enter once every 6 months, INS could still make a finding that you have abandoned your permanent residence. However, even if you lose your residence, you can gain it back rather quickly if your wife files another visa petition for you. Good luck.

Dear Concerned:

As a general rule, DUI is not considered a crime involving moral turpitude and, as a consequence, should not affect your ability to become naturalized. However, there are some instances when the particular state statute includes some aggravating conditions which may raise the offense to one involving moral turpitude. For that reason, we suggest that before you file, you take a copy of the arrest report, court disposition, and state statute under which you were charged, and speak with an immigration law attorney. Good luck.

Dear Sir or madam!
I came to USA in 1995 having a fiancee visa. I married an USA citizen in Feb 1996. Unfortunattely our marriage didn't work , my husband filed for divorce and in october 1999 we got divorced. In july 1996 I got my permanent green card and now i filed for citiezenship. My questen is - will i get my citizenship, because i divorced and american citizen? I have a good record, pay my bills and taxes.
Thank you so much. Natalie.

I got married to a USC in 1999 in a foreign country and did my interview (alone) to come to the states. I am married 3yrs and still havent received my green card. I wrote to INS and they told me to send $130 to replace the "permanent" greencard. I sent in the form with the cheque for the amount. they sent me another letter in the mail which told me to come to federal plaza to pick up the GC and when i went all they did was fingerprint me again and told me i would receive it in the mail in about 9months. which one will i get though, the conditional or the permanent. until i get the actual card i wont know if i am to file the get the conditons(if any) removed, right? i am soooo confused right now!! please help me.

can somebody please answer the ?, I need to know what to do.

I am a Canadian citizen living in the States while my husband is working. We both have one year visas which expire in the Spring. My Great Grandfather was an American citizen as he was born here. However, his son, my Grandfather, was born in Canada. My Grandfather never filed for American Citizenship. Would it be possible for him to file for citizenship now, even after my Great Grandfather passed away years ago? If so, my Mother and then myself would like to file for Citizenship. Is this possible?

I am a Canadian citizen living in the States while my husband is working. We both have one year visas which expire in the Spring. My Great Grandfather was an American citizen as he was born here. However, his son, my Grandfather, was born in Canada. My Grandfather never filed for American Citizenship. Would it be possible for him to file for citizenship now, even if he resides in Canada and if my Great Grandfather passed away years ago? If so, my Mother and then myself would like to file for Citizenship. Is this possible?

In sept i wrote about some burning issues i am having with the ins procedure,and to date you have not replied to the question, i didnt know it would take this long to get a response, can someone please answer the question.

Hi!

I'm a little confused about which steps to take, so if somebody could help me..

Here's the situation.
I got married this year (2002) to a greencardholder.He has been living in the united states most of his life.(he is 32).
I entered the USA in january 2002 from Europe on a 6 month travel visa.
My visa expired august 2002, since then I have been overstaying.
In September 2002 my Husband and me had a baby, who is a US citizen.
My husband recently applied for his citizenship.

I hear diffrent oppinions from all sides, and lately, I've been hearing that it is possible to apply for a greencard when your child is a citizen.
Also, I don't know what the next step will be for me once my husband is a citizen, since I am overstaying.

Thanks!

Sylke

Dear Sir or Ma'am @ Immigration Help,

I am a conditional resident, and my husband (US Citizen) and I are now beginning to prepare for petitioning for the condition removal. We understand that, in addition to the completed I-751 form, we have to file some documents to prove that our marriage is still lasting -- and one of them is "affidavits sworn to or affirmed by at least two people who have known both of you since your conditional residence was granted (quoted from the form instruction)."

Our question is, what exactly is this "affidavit"? We were thinking about asking a few friends of ours to do this for us, but since it's also mentioned on the instruction that "such persons may be required to testify before an immigration officer as to the information contained in the affidavit," we've been hesitating. (One of these friends live far away from us, and we wouldn�ft be able to ask him to come all the way just to �gtestify.�h) By submitting this "affidavit�h for us, what kind of responsibility would our friends owe to INS?

And, most importantly, what exactly has to be mentioned on the affidavit? Does it have to be approved by notary public?

I�fve been looking for this information all over the web, but I can�ft seem to find it. I would appreciate it very much if you could help us with this matter. Thank you.

Hi i am marreid to an amreican citizen i have been for more than two years how long does the process take once we have filed with ins.

Ok, this is a real question.
I married in 1993, i got permanent residency in 1994, made the huge mistake of getting an annulment (not a divorce) in 1996 due to some personal reasons. In 1999 i applied for citizenship based on 5-year residency. This was rejected stating that since i had annulled the marriage, i technically didnt even have basis for residency. Said letter however did not ask me to leave or anything. I have married to US citizen since 02/01. INS shows me still with a valid "residency". I talked to an atty and he said, INS has 5 year statute period to correct mistakes or they have to let it go.

Can i apply after the five year statute for citizenship, but this time based on marriage to US citizen for over three years, even though my current spouse is not the same from which i got my residency with..?

I have been married to a USC for almost 2 years now. I have my temporary GC for now. He is mentally and physically abusive and I would like to seperate, but he would not let me go and threatens to divorce me before our 2nd anniversary. I really need to know what are the chances to obtain my green card despite a divorce. Can he get a divorce without my presence and consentment?

Thanks so much.

I was issued my permanent resident (green card) in April of this year. I had been married over 2 years so I was not given a conditional status. My husband and I divorced in Septmeber (after I caught him cheating). I was trying to find out how my divorce would affect me tryin to renew my green card when it expired, as the green card was issued because of my marriage? Also, will it affect me trying to become a citizen if I apply?

I got an unconditional green card through my husband (he got his green card through his work). A year later we got divorced in Russia. A month ago i married an american citizen. I know that i have to wait 5 years before i can apply for citizenship. Can i do it earlier since i married an american citizen? Do i need let INS know about my new marriage? I haven't changed my last name yet, but am planning to do it. What should i do to become a citizen?

My greencard is being processed along with my husbands. I would like to know once i enter 485 stage.

1) can i apply for my parents greencard
2) do i have to be a citizen to apply for parents greencard

3) average time it takes for processing greencard for parents.

My wife applied for citizenship (N-400) last November. We're still waiting for an interview date, however, in the meantime her green card might expire! Do we need to renew the green card (I90 and $130) or is it automatically extended pending the N400 application/approval?

My wife is here on a k3 visa. I want to get her citizenship. She has a work permit and is working. can you tell me what I need to do for her to stay here? If I file the N-400 is her K3 visa automatically extended pending the N400 application/approval?

Hi,
I got married to US citizen on sept. 13, 2002.
I was asked to apply for permanent residency 3 months prior to the completion of 2 years of marriage which will be june of this year. My questions are:
- When can I travel?
- Can I travel before I get my permanent green card in case of an emergency?
- When can I apply for the citizenship?
- How long will it take for me to get the citizenship under normal circumstances?

Thank you.

Hi,

I am a UK citizen and have been a US permanent resident for 9 years.

If I apply for US citizenship then leave immediately for a new job in the UK, how can I maintain my US citizenship application? For example, do I need to :
* be in the US every 6 months
* find some sort of nominal part time work in the US
* maintain a residence in the US

Can I apply for US citizenship at an office with the shortest wait time

Thanks in advance

hi
I am a permanent resident since 7/2000 and I came here as a unmarried child ,been filed by my father .
recently ( 10/2003) i went home , and I got married.
I did not filed for my husband because the ambasy from my country said it takes 7-8 years to get approved if I filed as a permanent resident.
My questions are:
1.How soon can I apply for citiezen ship, because I am here for 4 years, can I apply few month before of the 5-th year, and how long it takes until i get my citiezenship? can I apply for my husband at that moment or I have to wait a while ?
2.Is any other way to bring my husband here beside my naturalization status?

Dear,

I won greencard from the lottery 6 months ago. Now i've a greencard. we've both applied to get greencard with my wife. Then we've decided to marry, but our marriage is too bad and i've decided to divorced. So, i don't want to my wife keep her greencard. My question is how many time do we need to keep this marriage? Does she has right to keep her greencard officially? I need this info urgently. Who can help me, this is great.

I am from Peru.I came to the USA in november 2000
with a J1 visa. It is an exchange visa just to work for 4
months given to students. I stayed illegaly and I just got
married this year with a US citizen. He works for the Air
Force. I want to know if my case is different depending
on the type of visa I came and if because of his military
status is there any special treatment?

hi there,my brother has got his greencard and me his sister is 22 years old right now but i am not staying with him at present in u.s.a. i dont have much idea about the processing stuff but i would like to know how can i easily get a greencard. will it be more good if he applies for my greencard or is there some other way and will my being over 21 years of age affect this. please advice me.

I am a native US citizen. I married a Canadian in Dec. 2001. She obtained her GC in Feb 2002 and permanent residency in March 2004. Since our marriage, she has maintained her pre-marriage residence in Canada, regularly returning there to live with her children for 6 days out of every 14 days, year round (@208 days here each year). She has Canadian income, files Canadian tax returns, has not filed US tax returns (refuses to file with me as Married Filing Joint to hide fact that is not living full-time in Canada to retain Canadian tax and service benefits). Not surprisingly, I see a divorce around the corner. Will she loose any resident rights in a divorce since she had this "unique" residency here and in Canada throughout our marriage? Thank you

Hello,

Quick question. I am a foreigner and married to an american citizen for two years now. We applied for a green card and should get out interview this month. Anyway, I have been undergoing depression and a couple of weeks ago got arrested for shoplifting (under $50), I know I am in the wrong and waiting on my arraignement and sentence. (not sure if i will get an infraction or a misdemenour - depending on the judge i suppose) When this ruling is completed, how will this affect my INS interview for my greencard and later maybe citizenship. Will I get deported? I am currently also on a H1bvisa which is valid for another 3 years and has been approved last month.

Please advise.

Thanks,
OZ

hi

im here as a tourist can you help me? how can i apply for a student visa becasue im planning to study here in the U.S. how long will it take and what are the steps that should be followed for the process. thank you so much!

Hi, I am married to a US citizen for less than a year.The marriage was entered in good faith, however I've suffered emotional abuse from him and have been attending counselling for same. My conditional status is up in 2005,is there anything I can do as we are talking about getting a divorce?

Hello sir,
i got divorced in my country and i got permanent resident card by getting married to a us citizen in 2000. and i am also eligible to apply for citizenship but this marriage does not seem to work. In the mean time my kids (they live with me) have starting missing their biological mom and she also is trying to patch up after almost 4 years. do i have this right to divorce this marriage and get remarried to the ex wife . would immigration mind it or cause trouble for the ex wife to get green card after re marriage?

hello,
my reciept date for conditon removal application was may 21,2003. right now proccessing dates show as may 23,2003. i am assuming that my case has been taken care or is in proccess. can u give me a rough idea by what time i should get approval or green card in mail. since i am waiting to apply for citizenship on the basis of 3 year marriage to usc. thank.

Dear sirs,
Hopefully I will be a USC by the end of this year 2004. Can You tell me how long it takes to get greencard for my mom in India if I sponsor her after getting my citizenship. Right now she has a 10 year B2 visa and she visit me every year for a few months and never overstays I94
thanks in advance.

i am an american citizen enlisted in the army national guard. I was wondering if there are any benefits or anything of the sort i can use to my advantage. I am trying to marry my girlfriend and bring her to the united states, shes a legal resident/natural born citizen of the dominican republic. How long would the wait be? Are there any resources as a soldier out there that would help me out in this situation?

I have a green card since 2 years and have been working since about 2 years. I am getting married to a US citizen. Should I wait for the 5 yrs to apply for a US citizenship ? Am I eligible for a citizenship before 5 yrs from date of getting my green card ?

My fiance came to US from Peru 4 years ago. He got married in
July 2002 and divorced in March 2004 (we had been dating since
May 2003; he separated from the wife.) Now that he has
divorced her he wants to get married again as soon as possible.
How long do we have? In other words, could immigration send
him a letter now and deport him? (He has no criminal record.)
Or could we safely wait a few months?

i am a canadian citizen and my husband is living in New York with our son 1 1-2years now. We never got married legally but we now want to do so.
My question is how long will it take for me to be with them permanently?

Hello I have a quick question. I am an american citizen, my husband was in removal proceedings when we married. We are having problems and I want a divorce. We have not had an interview yet concerning our marriage. Also my husband was seeking asylum when he was denied and was to see a judge concerning removal before we got married. I have petitioned to sponsor him through our marriage but now I think I better withdraw my sponsorship. I would like to know what will happen if I proceed with divorcing him and are there any ramifications for me? thanks!

I am a permanent resident and I want to marry my girlfriend and file a petition for her so she could stay in the country. Am i allowed to do that or do i have to be a US citizen first??? and if i file the petition without waiting to be a US citizen, will the immigration give her a working permit or are they going to send her back to our country and wait there???

Hello. I got married to a USC in 2002. I got my conditional green card last year. Can I apply for citizenship next year after i had the conditions on my green card removed???

Hi, my french finace and I want to get married in Tahiti (A French territory). I am a US citizen.

As I understand it, if we got married under French law, would the marriage be recognized under American law as well? What would we need to do??

Thanks!

Hi,

I'm a US citizen and my fiance is Indian. He has been here in the US since 1998 (5 years). He is currently on an H1 Visa and working full time. We definitely want to get married in India early next year, and also we may have a ceremony here in the US. We plan on still living in the US after marriage.

What do we need to do to make sure our marriage is legal in the US, and what should we do to start processing his green card, once we're married? His work is very willing to start processing it, but we've heard it will be faster and easier if we do it through our marriage.

Any information or resources would be very helpful.
Thanks!

Hi, i want to know how bad could be to get married here in usa and still being married in my country (i could not get the divorce because i can not find "my peruvian husband").
I got the usa visa because i was married with him.
Could i get the USA residence by marrying this american guy?, do the usa embassy in peru send my background to the INS here in usa?
Thanks,
Peruvian soul

I got married to US Citizen in Dec. 1999.
Filed for my green card in may 2000.
I didn't recieve any conditional green card but recieved the permanent one in June 2002.
I am confused because If I get conditional and then permanaet than I should be elegible for citizenship when the permanent Green card is 1 year old all togather it 3 years (2yrs conditional+ 1yr Permanent) but in my case where I never had any conditional green so my question when I am going to be eligeble for the citizen ship.

Thanks

To whom it may concern and might be able to
help me,
I m French citizen married to an american
citizen in march 1998, got a little girl in
november 1998, separeted just before the 1st
interview in april 2000, my case for green card
was put then pending. Didn t go to the second
interview because of bad advise. Survived
here renewing my employment authorization
every year. Finalised our divorce last year,
2003. Still take care of our daughter two days
a week. Received a letter in february 2004
saying that all my rights were cancelled and i
was suppose to wait further information for
departure of the country.
What can i do to be with my daughter and
exerce the right of being a father?

immigrationhelp ended on august 10th 2002. it was helpful while it lasted .

I am an American (USA citizen) I am planning on
marrying a woman from South America whom had
enter our country legally with a WAIVER type of visa,
she stayed and remains in the USA after the period
determined by authorities from INS at the airport. She
is a good member of our society, my question is, can I
secure her permanent resident visa without her leaving
the country and are there any penalties for staying over
the stated time of visit.................... Thanking you in
advance for your prompt response,................

I have a question concerning a good freind and there relationship with someone from a different country.
Is there a lenght of time you need to stay married while fifling for a citizenship?

Hi I am a us citizen and married my wife 3.5 years ago, last august we were interviewd for removel of her conditions and she received her ten year card . She moved out shortly after that and now is filling for divorced . Two questions one can she do this easly ? Two she worked illegaly for 4 years in the us with another social # but lied on the aplication can I get in trouble if I turn her in for fraud ?

Hi,
I am a Canadian citizen and I married a US citizen in 1996 when our child was born in Canada. I never lived in the US and we have been seperated now for about 4 years, during this time he has lived in the US and I as a single mother had to collect welfare to make ends meet. We are on good terms and I am considering moving to the US. We are not planning on getting back together, but I would like my son to live closer to his father. My son I believe will have no problem. My question is what are my chances of getting a green card to work in the US. I just want to get permanent residency status.

hi im a 23 years old guy from morocco , looking forward to getting married to an american woman any offers??? contact me youssefben7@hotmail.com

Hi,

I am about to get married with a US citizen after 3 years of relationship. I have an apprehension concerning our situtation; Indeed we intend to hold both our distinct appartments due to work purpose; we will be separated half a week by 100 miles, as many couples do. My worries are the INS officer, during the ultimate interview, would consider such a case as a potential fraud, and consequently deny my conditional status. She is a lawyer and I work in finance, my job requires my presence in 3 differents area, which suggest the need of holding an additional appt.
Could you please advise if this is indeed an issue and how to legally counter it?
Thank you for your assistance on this matter.

I am a U.S. citizen. My fiance and I are going to get married in Chile this January 05. We live here now he is chilean and we want to come back to the US in June 05. We will both attend school. I was wondering if we will get financial aid for our school. Our income will be low enough I´m sure seeing that we will both be going to School. Will he be considered a U.S. citizen if we are married in Chile and he comes with me or should we get married at the U.S. embassy. Anyway the main problem is money. I know i will get financial aid but will he.

Dear sir,

My father was entered in USA on IR5 on 11Dec2002 and he got his green card than he came back at Mumbai on 11Mar2004.
Now can u please tell me how long he can stay here
how the days are calculated for he wants to become citizen after completing the period of 5 years.

Thanks.

Pragnesh.

Hi

Can you advise on.... I have completed serverving the two year rule 212(E) of the J-1 visa since 1995. Do I qualify to apply for permanent residence in the US?

hi very quick question, i am a uk citizen, my husband is a us citizen. i have just been approved for my green card & awaiting it now, although i do have my passport stamped for travel & employment ..... my question is; does my husband need any type of visa when entering the UK ? he is an officer in the navy & has three weeks leave, we intend to return to the US after a three week vacation. will we expect any problems with him gaining entry to the UK as he is married to a UK citizen ? thank you in advance ! erica