Information And Guidance For Green Card Marriage Petitions
Filing a green card petition for a spouse may enable your loved one to legally work and reside in the United States. I am Jason Karavias, Esq., an experienced and respected Pittsburgh green card marriage attorney. I have been practicing law for over two decades.
Whether your spouse is in or out of the country, I can assist you. I can answer your family immigration questions and determine whether your spouse is eligible for adjustment of status within the United States. I will apply my knowledge to the process of obtaining a green card for your spouse as efficiently and quickly as possible. I am committed to helping your family remain together.
The process for getting a green card for a spouse depends in part on whether your spouse is currently in the U.S. If they are, they can apply for adjustment of status. If not, the situation calls for consular processing. I can also assist you with petitioning for other qualifying relatives to join you in the U.S.
Call me at 412-223-7924 or contact me online to discuss your situation in a free initial consultation.
Green Card Marriage Processing Inside The United States – Adjustment Of Status
Does your foreign-born spouse in the U.S. qualify for a green card? The answer to the question above is yes in many cases, including the following:
- You may be a U.S. citizen with a noncitizen husband or wife who is already in this country.
- You may be a U.S. citizen hoping or planning to marry someone who is in this country working, studying or visiting.
- You may be a U.S. citizen about to marry a foreign national who entered the country with your cooperation on a fiancé(e) visa – or you may have already gotten married within 90 days of your spouse’s entry into the country under these circumstances. Now he or she is ready to apply for adjustment of status to live and work here with a green card.
- You may be a noncitizen who is married to, or planning to marry, a U.S. citizen in a situation like one of those described above.
Once you are married and both of you are in this country, the non-U.S. citizen spouse may be eligible to apply for a green card as an immediate relative of the U.S. citizen. Your petition applying for adjustment of status should prove that your marriage is bona fide and that the noncitizen meets eligibility requirements.
Green Card Marriage Processing Outside The United States – Consular Processing
If you are a U.S. citizen or a green card holder whose wife or husband is in another country and you want to bring them to live with you here, you will need to “establish a relationship between you and your relative that qualifies them to immigrate to the United States,” according to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
The Process In A Nutshell
USCIS accepts petitions for eligibility for a green card for a noncitizen spouse of a citizen or lawful permanent resident (LPR) who is not yet in the U.S.
Be careful: Your petition might be denied if you submit incomplete or inaccurate information, miss deadlines or submit the wrong fees. The safest approach is to work closely with an immigration lawyer who has a strong track record. Jason Karavias, Esq., has helped many U.S. citizens and green card holders bring their spouses to the U.S. I also advise those whose spouses are already in the U.S.
Once USCIS approves the petition, your spouse may apply for an immigrant visa with the U.S. Department of State at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country by way of Consular Processing.
If you have been married less than two years when your spouse is granted LPR status, he or she will receive that status on a conditional basis. In order to become a U.S. citizen, you must apply for removal of the conditions within 90 days of the conditional green card’s expiration date.
Please note: No statement on this website or any website should be considered legal advice and does not constitute a guarantee of any kind. Unique factors may affect a petition for eligibility or an application for a green card for your spouse who is abroad. For best results, work with an experienced immigration lawyer.
You Deserve Personalized Advice
Please note that every case is unique. Anything that you read on a website, including this one or a U.S. government website, may not apply to your situation. This is why it is essential to work closely with an experienced immigration lawyer as you pursue a goal as important as securing your right to live peacefully and securely with your husband or wife in the U.S.
What If Obstacles Arise?
Is there any reason in your case for which the USCIS might exercise discretion and declare that the foreign spouse is not eligible for permanent residency? When we talk, we can explore this possibility if there are doubts about eligibility.
In my years of experience as an immigration attorney, I have encountered many special cases and have helped many clients overcome obstacles to getting a green card for a non-U.S. citizen spouse. I have also helped many obtain U.S. citizenship three years after marriage to a citizen, with continuous presence in the U.S.
Information And Guidance For Green Card Relative Petitions
Filing a green card petition for a family member may enable your loved one to legally work and reside in the United States. Whether your relative is in or out of the country, I can assist you. I can answer your family immigration questions and determine whether your relative is eligible for adjustment of status within the United States. I will apply my knowledge to the process of obtaining a green card for your relative as efficiently and quickly as possible. I am committed to helping families reunite in the U.S.
Again, the process depends on whether your relative is already in the U.S. or remains abroad. Adjustment of status is the method for those in the U.S., while those abroad will go through consular processing. From there, the process also depends on whether you are a citizen or a permanent resident.
Green Card Parent And Unmarried Child Under The Age Of 21 Processing Inside The United States – Adjustment Of Status
Certain relatives of U.S. citizens, including spouses, parents and unmarried children under the age of 21, may be eligible to apply for a green card while inside the United States. A petition establishing your family relationship must be submitted, along with an application for adjustment of status establishing that your relative meets various eligibility requirements. I will be there for you throughout the entire process, especially helping you prepare for the adjustment of status interview with the immigration officer.
Green Card Parent, Child And Sibling Processing Outside The United States – Consular Processing
In the event that your spouse, parent, child or sibling lives outside the United States, I will work toward helping you petition for your relative to obtain U.S. permanent residence. I will guide you through each step of the process, including filing the visa application and documentation with the National Visa Center and preparing your spouse or relative for their interview at the appropriate U.S. consulate or embassy.
Green Card For Relatives
If you are a U.S. citizen, you can petition for the following relatives to immigrate to the United States:
- Husband or wife
- Son or daughter
- Brother or sister, if you are at least 21 years old
- Parent, if you are at least 21 years old
A lawful permanent resident may petition for a husband or wife, or unmarried son or daughter of any age.
The relative you wish to immigrate must obtain an immigrant visa number based upon the preference category in which they fall. People desiring to be immigrants are classified into categories based on a preference system. The immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, including spouses, parents and unmarried children under the age of 21, do not have to wait for an immigrant visa number to become available once there is approval of the visa petition.
Other relatives must wait for an immigrant visa number to become available according to the following preferences:
- First preference: Unmarried children 21 years of age or older of U.S. citizens
- Second preference: Spouses and unmarried children of permanent residents
- Third preference: Married children of U.S. citizens
- Fourth preference: Sisters and brothers of adult U.S. citizens
I can handle such matters for you in a timely and cost-effective manner. If there is another way to bring your relative to live and work in the U.S., I will inform you of your options and advise you on the most expedient method.
Contact My Law Office Today For A Free Consultation
To discuss your legal needs with a lawyer in greater detail, please call Jason Karavias, Esq., in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at 412-223-7924. You can also contact me online to set up a free initial consultation.