Can I marry a U.S. citizen on a student visa?

If you're an F-1 student who recently married a U.S. citizen or green card holder (permanent resident), you can apply for a marriage-based green card to stay and live with your spouse in the United States. This process is officially known as “adjustment of status.”

What happens if an international student marries a U.S. citizen?

Students who marry U.S. citizens may want to file paperwork to request permanent residency. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has excellent information on its website. We suggest that you read the following pages: Fact Sheet, How Do I Help My Relative Become a U.S. Permanent Resident.

Can you get married on a student visa in the US?

Students with F-1 Visa

Unlike holders of a J-1 Visa, F-1 Visa holders are not subject to the two year residency requirement upon completion of their studies. F1 Visa holders can marry while in school and apply for a Change of Status without seeking a waiver.

Can F-1 students apply for green card through marriage?

Marriage-based Green Card

Timing is important for this process. There is a 90-day rule that must be followed. It means that F-1 visa holders are likely to be denied if they apply for a marriage-based Green Card during the first 90 days of being in the U.S. as there is a presumption of preconceived intent.

Can a spouse of a U.S. citizen get a student visa?

If your spouse and/or children intend to live with you in the United States while you study, they must also enroll in SEVIS, obtain individual Form I-20s from the SEVP-approved school, and apply for a visa (but they do not pay the SEVIS fee).

When an F1 Student Marries a US Citizen

Can I stay in America if I marry an American?

If you decide to get married in the United States, you will be eligible to apply for Adjustment of Status (AOS). This is an internal process that allows you to stay with your spouse in the United States and possibly work while your case is processed.

How long does it take to get residency after marrying a U.S. citizen?

The wait time for a marriage green card is currently 16.5 months. The cost for applying for a marriage-based green card is $1760 for a spouse living in the U.S. and $1200 for a spouse living outside the U.S.

What happens when an F-1 student marries a U.S. citizen?

The USCIS will issue your green card to the address you stated in your application. The type of marriage-based green card will depend on the duration of your marriage. If you are in marriage for less than two years, you will get a conditional resident status with a two-year validity period.

What happens if you get married while on F1 visa?

If you're an F-1 student who recently married a U.S. citizen or green card holder (permanent resident), you can apply for a marriage-based green card to stay and live with your spouse in the United States. This process is officially known as “adjustment of status.”

How do you marry someone on an F1 visa?

You are on a non--immigrant visa (F1), and not a US citizen or green card holder. Only US citizens or green card holders can petition for a fiance to come to the US, get married within three months, then adjust status so that he gets a green card and can live permanently in the US.

Can I stay in the US while waiting for marriage green card?

In most cases, spouses who are eligible to adjust status prefer to do so. It allows the foreign spouse to stay in the United States while waiting for the marriage green card. On the other hand, consular processing can often result in quicker processing times.

Does marrying a U.S. citizen give you citizenship?

First, let's get one important thing straight: Marriage to a U.S. citizen makes someone eligible for U.S. lawful permanent residence (a "green card"), not for U.S. citizenship. (At least, not in the short term.) Having a green card for a certain number of years can make the person eligible for U.S. citizenship.

How to change F1 visa to marriage green card?

You'll need to complete Form I-485, the “Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status,” or the green card application. If USCIS approves your Form I-485, they will mail you your green card. The entire process usually takes USCIS about 29-38 months after they have received your Form I-130.

Do I lose my U.S. citizenship if I marry a foreigner?

Can you lose your US citizenship by marrying a foreigner and moving to his/her country, even though he/she is also an American citizen? No. There is no process for involuntarily revoking the citizenship of a native born US Citizen.

What documents does a foreigner need to get married in the US?

To get married in the U.S., you simply need the proper identification to apply for a marriage license in the county in which you are to be married. In most cases, you'll need to provide a valid passport. You may also need to prove that you are old enough to be legally married and that you are not already married.

What happens if you overstay your visa and get married?

Overstays lasting several years can still lead to obtaining a green card through marriage while inside the U.S., and the overstay can be forgiven. Engaging a skilled U.S. immigration attorney is crucial if you've overstayed your non-immigrant visa and are married to a U.S. citizen.

Can you leave the US after getting married on K-1 visa?

A K1 visa is a NON-immigrant visa that is ONLY for the non-citizen fiance/e of a US citizen to come to the US and marry him/her within 90 days. Once married, the non-citizen must apply to adjust status to green card holder, and may stay in the US, until the green card is approved or denied.

Can two international students marry in us?

The answer is yes, but there is a process to follow if you plan on living together in the United States. Your (future) spouse will need their own green card to come and live with you, and depending on circumstances, the application process will be slightly different.

Can you go from F-1 to green card?

An indirect way is to adjust status from an F1 visa to a dual intent visa. A dual intent visa is a nonimmigrant work visa which allows you to apply for a Green Card. The adjustment can happen after a certain period of time has passed. Dual intent visas are some of the H nonimmigrant visas such as the H-1B visa.

Can I change my F1 visa to work visa?

To change your status from F1 to H-1B work visa, you need to have in mind the following main steps. It doesn't matter whether you are applying for H-1B directly from an F1 visa status or OPT, you have to have an open job offer from an H-1B sponsoring employer who will apply for an H-1B visa on your behalf.

What is the next step after marrying a U.S. citizen?

If your spouse is a U.S. citizen, then you will usually submit your Form I-485 at the same time as your Form I-130. This is called concurrent filing. If your spouse is a green card holder, however, you will have to wait several more months before submitting your Form I-485, known as non-concurrent filing.

How long does it take to get a green card if you are married in 2023?

If you are a U.S. Citizen filing Form I-130 for a spouse, it is taking about 15 to 18 months on average for USCIS to process these petitions as of May of 2023.

Do I need a lawyer to apply for a green card through marriage?

A commonly asked question is whether or not you should get a lawyer when going through the process of getting a green card through marriage. The simple answer is that this is an important process and one for which you probably want to seek professional help.

What visa do you get if you marry an American?

If you are a U.S. citizen, you may bring your fiancé(e) to the United States to marry and live here, with a nonimmigrant visa for a fiancé(e) (K-1). An I-129F fiancé(e) petition is required.

What are the benefits of marrying a U.S. citizen?

Marrying a U.S. citizen allows you to file Form I-130 and I-485 together, a process known as concurrent filing, since there are no visa number limitations for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens. I-485 processing time for family applications in 2023 can take between 12 and 37 months on average.