They say that love is complicated?but until you’ve been engaged to someone who is from outside of the United States, you quite frankly don’t know the half of it. There’s no getting around it: marrying someone who is not a United States citizen (when you are) is complicated. There are more hurdles to jump through and more rules to be aware of, but that doesn’t mean it’s an impossible task! Love certainly knows no boundaries?and that includes the boundaries of a country.
While you should speak to a lawyer or an immigration expert to be certain of the exact and specific steps you need to follow for your situation, here is a short overview of what you need to know when you’re marrying a non-U.S. citizen.
There Are a Few Paths to Getting Permanent Residency for Your Fiancé(e) When you are marrying a non-U.S. citizen who lives outside of the United States, there are essentially two paths to getting permanent residence in the country for your future spouse. You can either file for a fiancé(e) (K-1) visa or get married outside of the country and then file a Form I-130, which is called the Petition for Alien Relative.
If you are marrying a non-U.S. citizen who is currently living in the United States in another legal immigration status (such as a student or a working visa), then they may be able to file what is called an I-485 application (or an Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status) at the same time you file an I-130 rel...