Is your special someone from another country? If you’re planning on tying the knot, you’ve got a few extra hurdles in your path.
They’re not much to worry about though. People marry their foreign partners all the time (enough so that there are popular television programs about just that) and the process is fairly straightforward. It’s just not as simple as showing up in Vegas and getting hitched.
You’re going to want to look into how to marry someone from another country beforehand (and they might want to look into it on their end as well). Provided you’re moving them into America, this is the guide for you.
Keep reading for a rundown on the steps to marry a foreigner.
Obtain a Visa
The person coming to the United States is going to need to get a visa in order to come over. You’re going to need to apply for a K-1 visa via an application form: the Petition for an Alien Fiancé(e) form.
This form will require a few things alongside it to validate the identity of your partner and the validity of your relationship. They’re going to need a passport, medical information or records, proof of identity (though passports may suffice for this as well), as well as proof of relationship.
Proof of relationship is going to deeply depend on the context of your relationship. For some, if you’ve spent plenty of “real life” time together, this can be photo and video evidence of you two sharing space.
It’s better still if you’ve traveled together or spent time with each other’s friends or families. This will show a strong and supportive base for marriage.
If your relationship was mostly online with only a few real-life meetings, that’s valid too. Call and chat logs as well as any photos may also be appropriate. Gather whatever you can to convince the government that this is a real person arriving to the United States for marriage purposes.
This form, once sent and approved, will grant your fiancé(e) a 90-day term of stay for you to arrange and complete your wedding.
Your marriage needs to take place within this 90-day period or else your fiancé(e) will legally have to return to their country of origin until the process can be repeated. This is the most important step for figuring out how to marry someone from another country.
Have Your Spouse Become a Resident
Obtaining residency isn’t quite as simple as one would think, but it’s a fairly straightforward process.
This is what most people think of when they’re thinking about getting their “green card”.
Presently, straight and gay marriage green cards are the same, and residency should be a similar process provided that you’re doing this in the United States. That said, this can be complicated if your partner has any potential issues back in their home country.
If your partner has a previous marriage, children, or evidence of a different sexuality back home, you might have a harder time trying to help them become a resident. People go through many changes in their lives and this is normal, but the process can be complicated. If you run into complications, it’s best to seek out an immigration lawyer who has experience in this specific area.
Residency is conditional for the first two years of marriage which means that it can be revoked. Your marriage needs to continue for those two years for the residency to remain unless there are certain extenuating circumstances (which can be handled on a case-by-case basis).
After 2 years of marriage, your spouse can become a permanent resident. This residency should be renewed every 10 years, but it can also be revoked if the person in question isn’t paying their taxes or residing within the states.
If Desired, Opt for Citizenship
Not everyone wants to be a citizen of the country that their spouse was born in. This is fine, but if you like, there’s a process involved.
For this, a green card will already need to have been obtained and the conditional residency period will have to have been passed. You should have been married for at least three years.
While going through the naturalization process, you need to remain in the country of residence. You also will need to have been there full-time for the past 18 months. This may put long-term travel plans on hold temporarily, so plan on that if this is important to you.
The state where you’re applying also matters. Wherever you happen to be applying, you need to have been there for the past 3 months. For example, if you’re applying for citizenship in Illinois, you need to have resided full-time in Illinois for three months before beginning the citizenship process.
Your spouse will have to be able to reasonably read and write in English, though this shouldn’t be an issue so long as your marriage is legitimate. The toughest part of the naturalization process is one that many Americans would even have some trouble passing.
Your partner will need some knowledge of U.S. history and civics. There are practice tests and guides that you can study online to prepare for this.
How to Marry Someone from Another Country: It’s a Process
International marriage is a bit of a racket, but when the end result is spending your life with the person you love, it’s totally worth it. The hassle is there to prevent marriage fraud, but if you follow everything correctly and research how to marry someone from another country beforehand, you shouldn’t have any trouble.
Congratulations on your future wedding and good luck with the process.
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