Many people love to travel internationally, and some individuals have even been lucky enough to fall in love with someone during those travels. Foreign nationals who have met a United States citizen or legal permanent resident and decided to get married may be able to become lawful U.S. citizens as a result of that marriage.
The process is complicated, and many legal issues must be addressed before the immigrant visa can be changed to an adjustment status. At Elliott Immigration Law in Atlanta, GA, our law firm is here to help those who want to get married to U.S. citizens and become citizens themselves.
Our legal team will inform you of everything you need to know to avoid visa fraud, get through your visa interview successfully, and work through the entire process. When your goal is permanent residence and citizenship, our attorneys at Elliott Immigration Law are here to be your allies.
What Type of Visitor Visa Do You Have?
The first thing to be aware of is what type of visitor visa you currently hold. Different visas are given depending on the reason for your visit to the United States. For example, a business visa (B-1 visa) will be allotted to those conducting business in the country, while tourists will be given a B-2 tourist visa. If you are here for a combination of the two, you can hold a B-1/B-2 visa. These fall under the nonimmigrant visa category, meaning you do not intend to remain in the U.S. permanently.
Your visa status will depend on your activities in the country. You will likely be given a visitor visa for medical treatment, event participation, a short recreational course, or short-term classes such as a two-day cooking class.
Intentions for your visit to the U.S.
When you enter the country with a visitor visa, the immigration officer will ask about your intentions to stay here. Declaring why you have entered the country is a necessity to be admitted. Nonimmigrant visas imply that you intend to stay only a short time (less than 90 days) and return to your home country.
If you decide to marry while in the U.S. but have declared nonimmigrant visa status, then there might be some problems applying for a green card. A United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officer may reject your application due to your declared intention to leave the U.S. and consider it a lie.
There is also the possibility of applying for a fiancé visa (K-1) which would eliminate this problem, but this takes longer than a visitor visa and can be more challenging. This assumes that you have already met your spouse-to-be and decided to get married in the U.S. rather than having met in the United States.
Adjustment of Status with Citizenship and Immigration Services
The next step following the marriage is to apply for an adjustment status to obtain the marriage green card. This procedure will be different depending on whether you married a United States citizen or a U.S. permanent resident. It is important to note that the process will take quite a long time, even for marriage to a U.S. citizen, so do not be surprised by your wait time.
Contact a Top-Notch Immigration Lawyer in Atlanta, GA
If you’re considering getting married in the United States or already have and need help with your citizenship status application, contact Elliott Immigration Law in Atlanta, GA. Our legal team is here to help immigrants get through the green card process and guide them throughout the entire time.
At Elliott Immigration Law, we pride ourselves on providing the most comprehensive information concerning all aspects of the immigration process, and we have experience with various issues. We can handle everything from the visa waiver program to multiple entry visas to the interview and final paperwork.
One of the best benefits of hiring a law firm to discuss these immigration issues is that our team will create a solid attorney-client relationship with you so that you feel confident at every stage. You can feel confident that your sensitive or confidential information will stay secure, and our team works tirelessly to help you get the best outcome for any situation.
Contact Elliott Immigration Law in Atlanta, GA, today to discuss your adjustment of status or how to obtain a marriage green card in the United States. Call us at (404) 890-0372 to make an appointment today!
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