Does the immigrant becomes legal if they get married with someone born in the U.S.?

Answer 1

It used to be very simple and straightforward: you got married and the immigrant became a naturalized citizen in short effect.

Over the past 15 years (especially since 9/11), becoming a legal immigrant has become more difficult, even if you're married to a citizen.

I had a roommate who'd travelled back and forth to Canada for years to renew his visa who eventually married an American and became a dual citizen. Even though he'd lived and worked in the US for a decade, he had to jump through some hoops.

I also have a co-worker who married a Mexican woman who'd gone to college in the US. They've been going through the paperwork for a couple of years and it's most definitely not pretty. Some of it can be done through the mail, but a lot of it requires actually showing up to the Immigration offices, getting stamps, signatures, and paying fees.

"To become a naturalized United States citizen, one must be at least eighteen years of age at the time of filing, a legal permanent resident of the United States, and have resided as a legal permanent resident in the United States for three years less 90 days if they (a) acquired legal permanent resident status , and (b) have been married to and living with a citizen for the past three years. They must have been physically present for at least 30 months of 60 months prior to the date of filing their application. Also during those 60 months if the LPR was outside of the U.S. for a continuous period of 6 months or more they are disqualified from naturalizing."

Conversely, children born in the US are automatically citizens.

Hope that answers your question!

Answer 2

The answer is yes. The couple must be married 5 years before the immigrant can become legal.

Answer 3

I wish it were that easy. I'm married to a Mexican native. It's been 3 years and he's not even a premanent resident yet. He's always having to renew his VISA. The wait shouldn't be much longer. Probably 4 more months. He got the I-130 petition approved and we're waiting for the USCIS (formerly INS) to schedule an interview. There's a long wait list. Go to www.visacentral.net for info on immigration.

Answer 4

Yes, even if you were illegal for years, once you marry a US citizen you both need to apply so you can become a resident, first you will get a temporary residence card, after 2 years of having the temporary residence you need to re-apply to remove that conditional residence and become a permanent resident. If you marry a permanent resident the laws are different and it takes longer time for this process to ocurr.

Answer 5

by the way you said, "become legal" it sounds like you mean they are NOT legal right now.

there is NO WAY to become "legal" if you are already illegal and you marry. you are only proving that you were here illegally. don't do that!! you have to marry legally first. meaning, they must be here on a tourist visa, or the person from the US enters their country legally and they marry there. sometimes it's as easy as taking a bus/plane home, and then coming right back, sometimes it's not. but don't marry someone hoping that will "save" them and they'll be legal, they won't.

there is lots of paperwork and it's expensive, like many people here have already said. do it the legal way the first time! get a lawyer!!!

Answer 6

My son married a Brazilian woman. It took 7 years and over 15 thousand dollars in fees for paper work to get her green card. Her daughter was born here and a citizen for 3 years before my daughter-in-law was approved.

Answer 7

Only if the person born here was not an "anchor" baby.

News Flash:

I heard on CNN last night that Iran and Venezuela is threatening oil producing nations to sell no oil to the US. They are also hiring mercenary/terrorists from Venezuela and Nicaragua to travel up through Mexico and pass through our non-secured southern boarder to target civilian targets in the US. I guess the pro-illegals will still think that this is OK until it's their family that gets killed. Then they will be howling that the "government" didn't do enough to protect them. You can't win.

Answer 8

i do no longer believe you extremely understand his status. i have by no ability heard of a 10 3 hundred and sixty 5 days "employment visa." If he got here the following illegally then the percentages are he continues to be unlawful. perchance the ten 3 hundred and sixty 5 days visa he has is a 10 3 hundred and sixty 5 days vacationer visa and he's overstayed his visit a mess of those years. you somewhat, somewhat want to make certain precisely what his status is. If he says he has a visa you want to make certain precisely what type of visa that is (there are one of those sorts of visas).

Answer 9

Depending on the circumstances, usually the answer is yes. Once they are married they can apply to get permanent residence.

Answer 10

Yes, in most cases, but they need to prove that they really live together, go through a process of verifying that - like visits from immigration for example. It takes about 2 years.