The green card by marriage process is one of the most common process of
applying for a green card in the United States. Foreign spouses of United
States citizens are eligible to submit a green card through marriage
application based on marriage to a U.S. citizen. Unlike other family members, a
spouse of a U.S. citizen is considered an "immediate relative" and
therefore not subject to a backlog for a green card. In addition, an immediate
relative application, such as a green card through marriage application, is one
of the few immigration applications that can "cure" certain
immigration violations, such as overstaying a visa or unlawful presence in the
U.S.. This is very helpful to those who are out of status or who have violated
their status. In fact, the green card through marriage to a U.S. citizen
process is for many foreign nationals the only option in legalizing their
status in the U.S.
There is some amount of risk with
every marriage application.
If the process is not pursued with a high degree of care and caution, the
results can be quite harsh. Negative consequences range from financial loss
from application filing fees and a delay of processing to immigration court and
removal proceedings, and in some rare cases, criminal prosecution for those
whose marriage is deemed to not be "bona fide". For these reasons it
is important to pursue your application with the highest amount of care
possible.
