A lawful permanent resident is a foreign national who has been granted the privilege of permanently living and working in the United States. If you want to become a lawful permanent resident based on the fact that you have a relative who is a citizen of the United States or is a lawful permanent resident, your relative in the United States will need to sponsor you and prove he/she has enough income or assets to support you, the intending immigrant(s) when in the United States.
Immediate Relative Immigrant Visa
An immediate Relative of a U.S. citizen includes spouses, unmarried children under the age of 21, and parents of U.S. citizen petitioners 21 or older
Family Member Immigrant Visa
A family member of a U.S. citizen includes unmarried sons or daughters over the age of 21, married children of any age, and brothers and sisters of U.S. citizen petitioners 21 or older
Marriage Green Card
Fiancé(e) Visas K-1 / K3
K-1 is a visa issued to a fiancé of a U.S. citizen who is entering the US to marry the US citizen fiancé within 90 days. Once married, permanent residence will be applied for in the US.
K-3 is a visa issued to a foreign born spouse of a U.S. citizen who is entering the US while a petition for an immigrant visa (permanent residence) is pending with the USCIS in the US.
Eligibility Requirements
If you petition for a fiancé(e) visa, you must show that:
- You (the petitioner) are a U.S. citizen.
- You intend to marry within 90 days of your fiancé(e) entering the United States.
- You and your fiancé(e) are both free to marry and any previous marriages must have been legally terminated by divorce, death, or annulment.
- You met each other, in person, at least once within two (2) years of filing your petition. There are two exceptions that require a waiver:
1. If the requirement to meet would violate strict and long-established customs of your or your fiancé(e)’s foreign culture or social practice.
2. If you prove that the requirement to meet would result in extreme hardship to you.