Green Card Through Marriage Processing Time

Married to a USA citizen or Permanent Resident holder and you want to process your Green Card? This article is for you.

The US government gives Green cards to the relatives of US citizens and permanent residents and the Marriage Green Card is one of those offered by the USA. Various important aspects influence the time it takes for you to process your Marriage Green Card; these aspects include factors like the citizenship and residential status of your partner, where you filed the application, and when you filed the application. All these affect the time it takes for your Green card to be processed.

On a regular basis, it takes just 10 to 38 months to get a Marriage Green Card. In this article, I would go into detail on the Green Card through processing time and why the time frame of getting a Marriage Green Card defer

How Long Does it Take to Get a Marriage Green Card if You are Married to a US Citizen?

The time it takes to get a Marriage Green Card if married to a US citizen is naturally faster than that of a Green Card holder spouse. Also, if your spouse is living in the USA, the time is fast-paced than a spouse living outside the country. Here, I am going to give a complete rundown of how long the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) generally require for each rung:

If the Immigrant’s Spouse is Staying in the USA (10 – 13 Months)

If your spouse lives in the US, it takes approximately 10 to 13 months to get your Green Card. You are to present an adjustment of status application while filing for Green Card and this normally takes from 10 to 13 months. There are two steps required when applying for a Green Card and they are:

Petition and Marriage Green Card Application

To begin with, you have to show proof of your marriage relationship with a US citizen before you can start your Green Card application. To be considered eligible, your spouse is expected to fill out form 1-130, which is well-known as the “Petition for Alien Relative”. Also, you would fill out a 1-485 form, this is recognized as the ” Adjust Status” form.

You are expected to submit form I-485 and form I-130 to US Citizenship and Immigration Services during the same occasion. You would also need to present supporting documents like your birth certificate and marriage certificate. Also, you are to pay the required fees for file submission. The processing time for the two above-mentioned forms naturally takes from 9 to 11 months.

Also, your spouse is expected to fill out Form I-864, which is recognized as an “Affidavit of Support”. Also, you are to take a medical examination. You are mandated to finalize the medical exam and get a filled-out Form I-693 from the doctor within 60 days before you can present your application.

Biometrics Appointment

You will get a notification to go for your biometrics appointment within 2 to 3 weeks of submitting your Marriage Green Card Application.

Marriage Green Card Interview

As soon as your application has been recognized, you would get a notification to obey a Green Card interview. If it’s an Adjustment of Status Interview, the immigrants and their spouses are expected to make it to the interview. The typical time frame for the interview is from 7 to 15 months after your application.

Get Your Marriage Green Card

Your Marriage Green Card application is generally authorized by the interviewing officer during the interview. If eligible, your Green Card should be issued to you within 2 to 3 weeks after your application was approved.

If the Spouse of the Immigrant is Living Outside of the US (11 to 17 Months)

If your spouse is living outside the US, during the period of your Green Card application, it generally takes 11 to 17 months to get approval. Here are the required four steps to take:

Petition

The first move is to show proof of your marriage relationship. Your partner is expected to fill out the I-130 form. You are to mail a form alongside the required supporting documents to the USCIS address. Processing this form normally takes from 7 to 10 months.

Marriage Green Card Application

Your application would be forwarded to the National Visa Center (NVC) by USCIS. The NVC workers would review the documents and would consider the interview process required at the US consulate. Then NVC issues a particular number to your application and then sends it to the US consulate.

Medical Examination

You would undergo medical examinations to know your health status. The medical exam would be carried out by a State Department-recognized physician.

Marriage Green Card Interview

This is one of the most important parts of the application and your spouse is expected to attend the interview alongside you. You would give a notice of the interview date, time, and location through an email.

Get Your Green Card

You are expected to get your card within a week after the interview. Decisions are reached immediately and the Consulate officer would consider whether you are eligible to get a Green Card.

How Long Does it Take to Get a Marriage Green Card If You are Married to a U.S Green Card Holder?

If the Immigrants Partner Lives in the USA (29 to 38 Months)

If your partner resides in the USA as a Green Card holder, it normally takes 29 to 38 months for the application process to be approved. Here are the needed steps to complete the steps:

Establishing Marriage

To establish your marriage, you fill out Form I-130. The fee for this form is $535. Then you have to send the form as an email to the USCIS address.

Medical Examination

You will have to undergo a medical examination and have the doctor sign Form I-693, not more than 60 days before presenting your application.

Green Card Interview and Approval

You would have to attend a Green Card interview as the final step to have your Green Card approved.

If the Immigrant’s Partner is Living Outside of the US (23 to 32 Months)

It takes 23 to 32 months to process your marriage Green Card if your partner is a Green Card Holder and resides outside the US.

The first step required is to establish your marriage by filling out Form I-130, then submit the form alongside supporting documents like birth certificate and marriage certificate.

You are also to undergo a medical examination once your application is approved by the National Visa Center. You would then go for a Marriage Green Card Interview, if found eligible by the consulate officer, you would be able to get your Green Card a week after the interview.

Final Thoughts

The processing time for Marriage Green Card differs due to various factors and we went into detail on all you need to know about the processing time above.