If your wife, husband, or spouse is living outside the United States—or already here but without permanent status—the Marriage Visa process is the most direct path to reunite and start your life together. A Marriage Visa allows a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (LPR) to sponsor their foreign-born husband or wife for a green card, granting the ability to live, work, and build a future in the U.S. as a family.
There are two main ways couples complete this process:
Adjustment of Status (I-130 + I-485)
For a spouse already inside the U.S. This path allows your husband or wife to apply for a green card without leaving the country and includes eligibility for a work permit and travel authorization while the case is pending.
Consular Processing (I-130 + DS-260)
For a spouse living abroad. This involves review by the National Visa Center (NVC) and a visa interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate in your partner’s home country.
There is also the K-3 Marriage Visa, created to help spouses enter the U.S. sooner. While it is still legally available, USCIS processing times have made the K-3 largely unnecessary for most families.
No matter which route applies, the goal is the same: bring your spouse home, keep your family together, and build a secure future in the United States.
To sponsor your spouse for a green card, you must meet the following requirements:
Your marriage must be legally valid in the country or state where it occurred.
The marriage must be genuine, not entered for immigration benefits.
The U.S. sponsor must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Both spouses must be free to marry (all prior marriages ended legally).
The foreign spouse must be eligible for admission to the U.S. under immigration law.
Depending on whether your husband or wife is inside or outside the U.S., the process and requirements change slightly. For example, a spouse who entered the U.S. with a visa may qualify for Adjustment of Status, while a spouse who entered without inspection usually requires consular processing abroad.
A properly prepared marriage-based case includes:
Form I-130
Proof of the U.S. citizen or resident’s identity
Marriage certificate
Evidence that your marriage is real (photos, trips, messages, joint bills, joint accounts, leases, affidavits)
Government IDs
Divorce decrees, if either spouse was previously married
Affidavit of Support (I-864) to show financial ability to support your spouse
Medical exam (I-693) for Adjustment of Status applicants
Passport-style photos and required filing fees
Missing or weak documentation is the #1 reason families receive delays or RFEs (Requests for Evidence). A well-prepared package prevents mistakes that can cost months.
1. File Form I-130
This petition proves your marriage is real and creates the immigration relationship needed for your husband or wife to qualify for a green card.
2. USCIS Reviews the Petition
Once reviewed and approved, your case moves to the next stage depending on where your spouse is located.
3A. If Your Spouse Is Inside the U.S.
You file Form I-485 to apply for a green card from within the country.
Your spouse becomes eligible for a work permit and travel document during the process.
3B. If Your Spouse Is Outside the U.S.
Your case transfers to the National Visa Center (NVC) and then to the U.S. embassy in your spouse’s country for the visa interview.
4. Biometrics
Your spouse attends a biometrics appointment so USCIS can verify their identity.
5. Interview
Couples attend a green card interview—either in the U.S. or abroad—where an officer confirms the marriage is real.
6. Green Card Issued
If the marriage is less than two years old, your spouse receives a two-year conditional green card. If the marriage is more than two years old, a ten-year green card is granted.
How long does a marriage visa take?
Most cases take 10–14 months, depending on the service center and embassy wait times.
Do we need joint accounts?
Not required, but helpful. USCIS is looking for proof that your marriage is real and ongoing.
Can my husband or wife work while the case is pending?
Yes—if applying through Adjustment of Status—with an approved I-765 work permit.
Is the K-3 visa still used?
It exists, but it rarely speeds things up. Most couples go straight through I-130 + consular processing or Adjustment of Status.
We’re newly married. Does that matter?
No, but new marriages result in a conditional green card that must later be converted to a permanent one with Form I-751.
We focus heavily on family-based cases, especially marriage visas.
Bilingual service and WhatsApp-friendly communication.
Transparent fees.
Fast response times.
Automation-assisted case preparation to reduce errors and delays.
Your relationship matters. Your family matters. And your future together shouldn’t be slowed down by paperwork, confusion, or uncertainty. We make the marriage visa process clear, efficient, and reliable, so you can bring your spouse home and start your life together.
