How long can I become an American citizen after marrying an American citizen?

If the marriage takes place in the United States, applicants who are already in the United States can generally apply for a green card as long as they marry American citizens. The key to this application is to prove the authenticity of the marriage.

Immigration law stipulates that if the purpose of marriage is only to get a green card, this marriage will be considered as a fake marriage. Applicants cannot get a green card on this basis. When judging whether a marriage is a fake marriage, whether the two parties intend to spend their lives together when they get married. Of course, the subjective will of both sides should be proved by objective facts. Therefore, when applying for a green card, married couples should show their relevant files before and after marriage to prove the legitimacy and credibility of their marriage.

American citizens need to fill in the I- 130 application form for relative immigration and submit it to the local immigration office together with various marriage documents. These documents include the G-325 form of identity information of both men and women, citizenship certificates, passports, birth documents or naturalization documents, notarized marriage certificates, all divorce certificates, marriage termination certificates and death certificates of former spouses in case of divorce or death of former spouses. In addition, foreign spouses should also submit application form I-485, fingerprints, green card photos, work permit application form, international travel form and other related forms. If the foreign spouse is an illegal immigrant, he must pay a fine of I-245 before he can apply for adjusting his status in the United States.

If the marriage relationship is completed abroad, the procedure for foreign spouses to apply for an immigrant visa is roughly the same as that in the United States. Just waiting for the green card, foreign spouses can't come to the United States yet, so some citizens prefer to let foreign spouses come to the United States first, holding a K visa or a tourist visa for unmarried couples.