Getting a green card through marriage is a 3-step process: The U.S. citizen spouse establishes the marriage relationship by filing Form I-130. Apply for the green card through adjustment of status (Form I-485) if you're living in the U.S. or Form DS-260 if you're a foreign national living abroad.
For most cases, you may request an expedite by contacting the USCIS Contact Center or by asking Emma. (You can access Emma by clicking on the Ask Emma icon on the top right of this page). You need to explain why you need expedited processing.
Spouse Visa Summary The CR1 visa processing time is an approximate average of 12 months as of December 2024. The IR1 visa processing time is an approximate average of 17 months as of December 2024. The spouse visa application costs $1,220. The main form needed to apply for a CR1 and IR1 visa is the I-130.
If you are married to a US citizen and both of you live in the United States, you can apply for your green card (Lawful Permanent Residency) immediately after your marriage. There is no mandatory waiting period before you can submit your application.
The marriage green card processing time is an approximate average of 10.5 months as of December 2024. The marriage visa application costs $3,005 for couples residing in the United States or $1,120 if the spouse is residing outside the U.S.
Marriage to the U.S. citizen is the most common and fastest way of getting a green card for a foreign national. If a foreign national marries the U.S. citizen abroad, the foreign national becomes an immediate relative of the U.S. spouse regardless of the place where marriage took place.
The average processing time for Form I-130 is around 12 months. This estimate is based on analysis by Boundless partner Track My Visa Now, who tracks wait times in real time, giving the most up-to-date estimates for Form I-130 petitions filed today.
If you are married to a US citizen and both of you live in the United States, you can apply for your green card (Lawful Permanent Residency) immediately after your marriage. There is no mandatory waiting period before you can submit your application.
- The processing time for U.S. citizens filing Form I-130 for a spouse beneficiary ranges from 13-54.5 months. - The processing time for legal permanent residents filing Form I-130 for a spouse beneficiary ranges from 32-67.5 months.