Can you become a U.S. citizen through marriage?

Special rules in U.S. immigration law allow permanent residents applying for citizenship through marriage to submit the application after just three years. Most permanent residents must live in the United States for a minimum of five years before applying for citizenship.
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Can you become a U.S. citizen thru marriage?

Who Qualifies For Citizenship? All green card holders, as long as they meet key conditions, can apply for U.S. citizenship after five years (known as the “five-year rule”) — but those with a U.S. spouse and a green card through marriage can apply after only three years (known as the “three-year rule”).
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How long do I have to stay married to become a U.S. citizen?

Married to the U.S. citizen spouse at the time of filing the naturalization application; Living in marital union with the citizen spouse for at least 3 years at the time of filing the naturalization application; and.
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What happens when you marry an American citizen?

After marrying a US citizen you will not immediately become eligible to apply for US citizenship. However, as the spouse of a US citizen, you will be classed as an “immediate relative” and, accordingly, you will be eligible to apply for permanent residence, or what is commonly known as a green card.
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How long do I have to be married to get a green card?

USCIS will issue you a conditional Marriage Green Card if you have been married for less than 2 years at the time of your interview. You can apply for a permanent Marriage Green Card after two years of marriage. Check out this article for more information on how to apply for a Marriage Green Card.
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Green Card through Marriage to US Citizen Process Explained (2020-2021)



Can I marry a U.S. citizen if I overstay my visa?

If you overstay your visa for less than 180 days, you may leave the U.S. and apply for a Green Card through consular processing. If your overstay has been more than 180 days, the only option is to wait for your spouse to become a U.S. citizen and then apply for I-485 Adjustment of Status inside the U.S.
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What happens when a U.S. citizen marries a non U.S. citizen?

If you are a green card holder and not a U.S. citizen, your spouse must maintain valid immigration status in the United States while waiting for lawful permanent resident status. To maintain proper immigration status, your spouse must have a valid visa until filing their green card application through Form I-485.
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Can I stay in the US after marrying a U.S. citizen?

Once you marry, your spouse can apply for permanent residence and remain in the United States while we process the application. If you choose this method, file a Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e). Filing instructions and forms are available on our Web site at www. uscis.
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What are the benefits of marrying a U.S. citizen?

If you are married to a U.S. citizen, you will enjoy many benefits, but also face a few inconveniences.
  • No Annual Limit on Visas. ...
  • Long Wait for Government Processing of Applications. ...
  • Possibility to Adjust Status After Legal U.S. Entry. ...
  • First Two Years of Residence Are Likely to Be Conditional.
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Can I apply for U.S. citizenship after 3 years of marriage?

Establishing Eligibility to File Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. As a permanent resident who is married to a U.S. citizen, you may be eligible for naturalization after just three years. This is a significant benefit (as it normally requires five years as a permanent resident before applying for citizenship) ...
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What happens if you marry a U.S. citizen and then divorce?

An immigrant who has been married to and living with a U.S. citizen has to wait only three years after getting a green card to become a naturalized citizen. After your divorce, however, you will no longer qualify for this exception, and will have to wait the usual five years before becoming a U.S. citizen.
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Can a deported person come back legally by marrying a citizen?

Can a deported person come back legally by marrying a citizen? Often yes (unless prior marriage fraud) after an immigrant petition approved and waiver(s) granted.
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Can I stay in the US if I marry a green card holder?

A marriage green card allows the spouse of a U.S. citizen or green card holder to live and work anywhere in the United States. A green card holder will have “permanent resident” status until they decide — if they wish — to apply for U.S. citizenship, for which they become eligible after three years.
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Who gets a 10 year green card?

If you got your residency through your employer or your parent or adult child or brother or sister you will be issued the regular 10-year card. Also if you get residency through marriage and have been married more than two years at the time you are granted then you also will get the regular 10-year card.
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What is faster fiancé or marriage visa?

If the goal is for the couple to be together in the U.S. as soon as possible, the K-1 visa is most likely the fast path. From the date of filing to the date of admission to the U.S., it will take approximately 5-10 months on a K-1 fiancé visa. On the other hand, the marriage visa may take 10-16 months.
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Can you go to jail for overstaying your visa?

“[U]under current law, illegal entry into the United States makes an alien subject to a Federal criminal misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of 6 months in prison. However, unlawful presence itself, such as by overstaying a visa, is not a criminal offense, but only a civil ground of inadmissibility…
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What happens if you get married on a tourist visa?

Legally, there is nothing wrong with getting married while you are in the U.S. as a visitor (on a B-2 visa), if you return home at the end of your permitted stay.
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How can I stay in the U.S. legally?

The largest group to enter the U.S. by far comes by way of family-based immigration. U.S. citizens and legal residents can bring foreign spouses or fiances, as well as unmarried children. They may also sponsor siblings 21 or older and parents. Another way is through a work visa.
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Can I divorce after green card?

If you already have a green card and are a permanent resident at the time of the divorce, the divorce should not change your status. However, the divorce may force you to wait longer to apply for naturalization. In this case, you would need to wait five years, rather than three.
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Can I divorce after getting a 10-year green card?

Can I Divorce After Getting a 10-Year Green Card? Yes. Once your conditions have been removed, you will not need to be married to a U.S. citizen in order to maintain your status. However, you will be unable to pursue U.S. citizenship unless you have been married to a citizen for a certain amount of time.
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How long do you have to be married to not get deported?

Failure to Meet Conditions

If you received the two-year conditional permanent residency from your marriage, you could be deported if your marriage terminates before the two years are over or if it turns out your marriage was fraudulent.
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What is the 10-year bar immigration?

A 10-year immigration bar is what happens when someone accrues unlawful presence in the U.S. for over a year. They are not allowed to return to the country for 10 years. Meanwhile, if they stay in the U.S. unlawfully for more than 180 days but less than a year, they will only be barred from re-entering for 3 years.
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Can I revoke my husband green card?

You may apply to remove the conditions on your green card if you entered your marriage in good faith, meaning the marriage was not fraudulent. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) states the four situations regarding a spouse in which you may apply to have the conditions on a 2-year green card removed.
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Can my wife cancel my spouse visa?

The quick answer is that your husband can't cancel your spouse visa. That is because your spouse visa was issued by the Home Office and not by your husband or spouse.
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Can you get deported for adultery?

With respect to adultery, cheating on one's spouse is not only personally reprehensible, but also a rare instance in which moral choices carry immigration ramifications. You certainly won't be deported for it, but you could be denied citizenship.
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