You came to the United States to attend university. Then after graduation, you landed a job as an engineer in the oil industry and eventually became a citizen. However, you now have a fiancée in your home country. You want to bring her to the United States and help her gain permanent residency here. What options do you have to make that happen?
Helping a fiancée gain permanent U.S. residency
You have two options to help your fiancée gain permanent residency in the United States. First, you can apply for a fiancée visa if your fiancée is overseas and you want to marry in the United States. With this visa, fiancée can stay in the United States for 90 days. During that time, you can marry and then your new spouse can apply for permanent residency. Your spouse then can stay in the United States while her residency application is reviewed.
Your second option is to marry your fiancée overseas. Then you can file a petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to bring your spouse to the United States as a permanent resident.
If your fiancée has a child who is under age 21, you can apply for a K-2 visa for that child. If your fiancée wants to work here during the 90-day period before you marry, your fiancée can apply for work authorization in the United States. Once you marry, your spouse could apply to have their work authorization extended while she seeks permanent residency.
Getting help with the immigration process
Before you apply for a fiancée visa or your new spouse to receive permanent residency status, you should consult an experienced immigration attorney. The immigration process is complicated. With an attorney’s help, you can give your fiancée a better chance of having her visa approved or your new spouse to receive a green card.
You don’t want to take chances when you want to marry and allow your loved one to immigrate to the United States. You want to ensure you follow the immigration process correctly to ensure your soon-to-be-spouse can stay in this country for the long-term.
