Marriage Immigration Lawyer in Houston, Texas

A Marriage Visa is a document that permits a foreign spouse of a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident to go to the U.S. for permanent residency.

Marriage visas are obtainable by the spouses of U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are green card holders.

You and your spouse need to qualify for the following criteria to get a marriage visa:

• The sponsor should be a bona fide citizen of the United States or a permanent resident.
• Both parties must be legally married. The marriage should be in good faith and is not fraudulent.
• U.S. citizens or permanent residents must prove that they can financially support their spouse by meeting the federal poverty guidelines. If you fail to meet the required financial capacity, you may ask a co-sponsor and show other resources.
• Your spouse must be eligible for an immigrant visa. An issue with your spouse’s eligibility may pose a problem when seeking marriage visas.

A marriage-based green card has several legal requirements that must be met, including being legally married, the petitioner being a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, the foreign national spouse being eligible for a green card, providing evidence of the marriage and relationship, submitting an affidavit of support, and going through either consular processing or adjustment of status.

Again, working with an immigration attorney can help ensure a complete and accurate application.

The average processing time for a marriage visa can vary depending on factors such as the USCIS workload, the foreign spouse’s country of origin, and the application’s completeness. However, on average, it can take 8 to 12 months for the USCIS to process a marriage visa application.

A conditional permanent residency is a status granted to you if you immigrated to the U.S. due to marriage with a U.S. citizen in less than two years at the time of approval.

It is only valid for two years. To get permanent residency status, you need to petition before the USCIS. You will have full permanent residency status if your marriage is still valid at the time of petition. Otherwise, you lose your conditional residency status, which may lead to deportation.

There is no age requirement to be a sponsor for a green card by marriage. However, under U.S. laws, you must be at least 18 years old and a resident of the U.S. before you can sign an Affidavit of Support Form. This form is a vital document for the marriage-based green card process.

There is no required holding period before you can apply for a marriage visa for your spouse. You can start with a green card application when you marry legally. 

You can travel to the U.S. and be with your spouse while you process your green card through marriage. You need to obtain a K-3 visa to enter the U.S.

Yes, same-sex couples can apply for a marriage visa as long as they are qualified.

There are several reasons why a petition for a marriage visa is denied. Some reasons include health issues and failure to prove that the marriage is genuine and not a sham. 

If you encounter such a problem, appealing is possible, but you need the help of a marriage immigration lawyer to seek a reopening of the case.

Your marriage based green card lawyer can also advocate on your behalf, guide you in submitting additional information, and ensure that the USCIS does not miss any information required to prove that your marriage is legitimate. 

We at the Law Offices of Fadel A. Ibrahim, PLLC can help you with this dilemma. Talk to us today to discuss your concern.