Applying for a Green Card for a person engaged to a US citizen requires a 4-step procedure.
Applying for Immigration: First, the U.S. citizen must file Form I-129F with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service on behalf of their fiancee. Approval for this application varies according to the density. Sometimes this period can take 3-5 months.
How to apply for a green card
Documents Required for a K-1 Visa
- Form I-485: An application is made to USCIS for ‘Change of Status’ for the person to whom a Green Card application will be made. The I-485 form is filled during the application.
- Form I-765 (Employment Authorization): Work Permit Card application form must be filled.
- Form I-134 (Sworn Statement of Living) A U.S. Citizen must provide a sworn statement that he or she will bear all the expenses of his fiancée.
- Form I-131: (Travel Document) A travel permit Form I-131 must be issued during the waiting period on behalf of the person who will apply for a Green Card.
- G-325-A Form: (Biographic Info) This form, which includes the applicant’s biographical information, must be filled.
- Form I-864: (Affıdavit of Financial Support) Sponsorship oath given by the fiancee of the US citizen.
- Marriage certificate
- Birth Certificates.
- 6 photographs: Photograph of the applicant.
- 2 photos: Photo of fiancé, who is a US citizen
- Passport Copies: Photocopies of the passport of each of the engaged couple
Interview at the consulate: After the immigration application is accepted, the applicant’s file is sent to the National Visa Center, which assists in conducting interviews outside of the United States. After making the necessary investigations, this center sends the applicant’s file to the US Embassy in Turkey or the US Consulate General.
The K-1 visa applicant attends the interview at the U.S. Consulate or Embassy, either alone or with his fiancee, who is a U.S. citizen. Here the consular officer asks questions about the evidence presented and the relationship of the couple. For this reason, the declared information must be provable with documents. If the authority realizes that your answers and documents do not match, or if they believe that your relationship is not real, they may reject your application.
Applicant who is approved for a K-1 US Fiance visa will have the right to stay in the USA for 90 days . During this time, a US citizen must marry his fiancee. If she does not marry, her engagement automatically ends after 90 days and the K-1 Visa holder must leave the United States. This period cannot be extended. If the K-1 Visa holder does not leave the United States at the end of the statutory period, they are in violation of the Immigration Law. This situation negatively affects the immigration applications to be made in the following periods.
Green Card Application is made: The applicant who goes to the USA with a K-1 Visa , marries his fiancee, who is a US citizen. If they do not marry within 90 days, they must leave the United States at the end of this period. After their marriage takes place, it’s time to apply for a Green Card. For this, an application for ‘Change of Engagement Status’ is made with the I-485 Form . Then the applicant for Work Permit Card (Employment Authorization Document “EAD”) and allowing for opportunities to travel during the waiting period (Advance Parole “API”) must apply. Both of these permits will be issued within 2-3 months.
Legal Residence Permit Status is obtained for marriage: the waiting period for affiliated Green Card applications is usually 2 years. After this period has expired, another application has to be made to remove the residence conditions. Within this, the application is made by filling out the I-751 Form 3 months before the end of the 2-year period . After the conditions are lifted, the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) issues a ‘Green Card’ valid for 10 years . Before this card expires, the person can apply for US Citizenship if they wish.