If you were married abroad (not in the U.S.), to an American Citizen who is living in the U.S., and you wish to obtain a visa to live and work permanently in the U.S., you may apply to enter the U.S. either on a fiancé or marriage visa. To apply for a marriage visa, the American spouse must file form I-130 petition to sponsor the alien spouse at their local BCIS office. Once the I- 130 is approved, the immigrant spouse must than file documents and attend an interview at the nearest American consulate and will later be approved for a visa to enter the U.S. To apply for a fiancé visa, the American spouse must file form I-129F, a petition for a foreign fiancé, and form I-130 at their local BCIS office. The foreign spouse will be called for an interview at the nearest American consulate and will then be approved for a fiancé visa. After the I-130 is approved, you may file for permanent residency (a green card) while in the U.S. In many cases, filing for a fiancé visa will allow the foreign spouse to legally enter the U.S. sooner than filing for a marriage visa. Do I Need an Immigration Lawyer?
An immigration lawyer can advice you on how best to proceed in obtaining your visa and may speed up the processing of your application. |
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