If you plan to marry, or are married to, a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you may be able to apply for a Permanent Resident Status, i.e., the Green Card. To apply for Permanent Resident Status, you and your spouse must satisfy a few essential requirements. You should consult an Immigration Attorney to make sure you and your partner are eligible and can begin putting together the evidence needed for your application. 

Obtaining a Green Card through Marriage: What do You Need to Prove to Immigration?

That No Factors Bar You From Applying for a Green Card

Before beginning the immigration process, or gathering the evidence to begin, you should consult with a knowledgeable and experienced Immigration Attorney that can help you analyze if you are eligible to apply for a Green Card through your marriage to your partner. Some people are ineligible to apply for a Green Card through marriage because they have multiple entries, prior deportations, or crimes. Many times there are ways to overcome unlawful entries, unlawful presence, prior deportations, or crimes, but the application process complex. It is important you discuss the facts specific to your case with an Immigration Attorney to evaluate the strategy appropriate for your case.

That You are Legally Married

If you are considering applying for a Green Card through marriage, but have not married your partner yet, first consult with an Immigration Attorney regarding your case to decide when and where you should marry your partner to ensure a smooth and easy application process. 

Once applying for a Green Card, you will need to prove that you are in a legally-binding marriage. A legal marriage is one in which the government,  in the country or state where you wed, officially acknowledges it. Typically, there must be an official record of your marriage in a government office to demonstrate proof. You do not need to have married in the U.S. for it to be deemed legal; however, the ceremony simply must be valid where you were married. Everything from tribal traditions to traditional church weddings may be acceptable, as long as they are recognized in the place where you married.

Your Marriage is “Bona Fide” 

Your marriage must be "bona fide.” Meaning, you and your spouse must genuinely intend to have a life together as a married couple. Immigration receives numerous fraudulent marriage applications, i.e., ones entered into for the sole purpose of obtaining a Green Card. To ensure you and your spouse are not attempting to cheat the system, immigration authorities will examine your case extensively. Evidence demonstrating a bona fide marriage may include pictures and testimonies from loved ones.You will want to discuss the details of your case with an Immigration Attorney regarding what evidence establishes you are in a bona fide marriage. 

To learn more about obtaining a Green Card, consult experienced immigration attorneys. The experts from American Immigration Attorneys Miami can help you and your partner secure the legal outcome you desire. To schedule a consultation, call the immigration law firm at (786) 502-3235.