Marriage is a big step, but when you find the right person, you know. The step after marriage is living together in marital bliss, working towards your own ‘happily ever after’. If you married a citizen of the US, but you are not a citizen yourself you need to assess where you want to live. Living permanently in the US with your US citizen spouse requires you to get a Green Card.
A Tedious and Scrutinizing Process
Getting a marriage based Green Card depends on a lot of factors, and you would have to go through many formalities. The whole process would be for determining the validity of your marriage, your presence in the United States as well as your spouse’s citizenship as well. Various laws and amendments that need to be known while filing for a Green Card. Even an experienced Green Card lawyer needs to go through years of study and practice to fully understand these laws.
Forms and Documents which are Needed
On the contrary to what certain websites project, applying for a Green Card is not as easy as downloading some forms, filling and submitting them, and receiving a Green Card. While there are certain forms involved in the process, you would need to prepare them meticulously. Even the slightest suspicion based on the information provided in the forms can lead to your application being rejected and you being deported to your country. An experienced Green Card lawyer helps you to fill these forms properly and get your documents in order before submitting the petition. The forms which need to be attached to your petition for a Green Card are:
- G-325A Biographic Information
- I-130/I-130A Petition for Alien Relative
- I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
- I-131 Application for Travel Document
- I-765 Application for Employment Authorization
- I-864 Affidavit of Support
These forms require various information such as the employment history, past addresses, arrival records, wedding details as well as the previous marital status of the spouses. Along with these forms, you will need to submit some other documents such as birth certificates, passports, marriage certificate, proof of legal entry of the applicant, tax returns as well as medical certificates.
The Last Step
After the submission of your petition, you, and your spouse would be interviewed by a US Citizenship and Immigration Services officer. This interview would be to ascertain that your marriage is not a sham for you to obtain the US Green Card. During the interview, the officer will check your forms and verify your identity, ask you about your relationship and marriage as well as other questions related to national security. Though it is not compulsory, you should be accompanied by an experienced Green Card lawyer to this interview so that they can address any legal question. Moreover, they can also help you prepare for the interview by advising you regarding the anticipated questions.
Hiring an Experienced Green Card Lawyer
The process of getting a marriage based Green Card is very crucial as any wrong step or answer can lead to you being reported and facing other legal consequences. You need to hire an experienced Green Card lawyer to help you throughout the process and ease it for you. Having a lawyer would also ensure that you comply with all the rules and regulations and take all precautionary measures to get a marriage based Green Card.
