Under Immigration and Nationality Act, a spouse of a green card holder is classified as a family member and is placed in the family preference list (F2A category). As soon as you start immigration process for your spouse, he/she will be assigned a “priority date” and placed on the waiting list for an immigrant visa.
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.
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. Attend the marriage-based green card interview and await approval.
140, mmigration Petition for Alien Worker: 8 to 22 Months (Dependent on the petition) 485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status: 21.5 to 36.5 Months. 730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition: 22.5 Months. 765, Application for Employment Authorization Document: 6 to 16 Months.
Once you're ready to begin, you'll need to file Form I-130, which is the petition for your spouse, and Form I-485 if you're making an adjustment of status. These forms are usually filed together, which can speed things up a bit. In Texas, the current processing time for the I-130 is about 15.5 months.
- The processing time for legal permanent residents filing Form I-130 for a spouse beneficiary ranges from 32-67.5 months. - The current average processing time for Form I-485 across 89 field offices is around 20 months.
Green Card Processing Time for Spouses of Green Card Holders In most cases, it takes about two years for a green card to become available, and the entire process takes around three years.
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. Attend the marriage-based green card interview and await approval.
How long does it take to get a green card through marriage? The total processing time for a marriage-based green card averages 10 months, depending on whether you're married to a U.S. citizen or a U.S. green card holder (lawful permanent resident).
You can file Form I-130 online even if your relative is in the United States and will file Form I-485 by mail. Once you submit your Form I-130 online, we will send a receipt notice to your USCIS online account. Provide a copy of the receipt notice to your relative to include in their Form I-485 packet.
 
                    