As a foreign-born person in the United States, you may be seeking to get permanent residency status. One of the most common ways to get this immigration benefit is through marriage to a U. S. A citizen or permanent resident. However, this immigration path is prone to fraud. Therefore, the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officials scrutinize a marital relationship thoroughly. To get a Tucson marriage green card, you must prove the validity of your marriage and the intention to stay together.

One step you should take to get a green card through marriage is submitting a Petition for Alien Relative or Form I-130 to the USCIS. The purpose of the 1-130 form and the supporting documents is establishing that your marriage is valid. The spouse who files the I-130 is called the sponsor or petitioner and it is the person who is a permanent resident or U. S. Citizen. The spouse who is seeking permanent residency is called the green card applicant or beneficiary.

The other step is to establish the eligibility of a spouse to get a green card. The United States government follows two unique processes to decide if a spouse is eligible for permanent residency through marriage. The appropriate process depends on the location where a spouse resides.

If the spouse seeking permanent residency lives in the U. S. A, he or she needs to file the Form 1-485, which is officially known as the Adjustment of Status application. If an applicant is living abroad, he or she should file an application package with the National Visa Center (NCV). The NCV collects the requisite documents and forms and decides if the spouse can attend an interview at the United States embassy or consulate in his or her country.

You also need to attend the green card interview and await approval. The interviewing officer assesses if the marital relationship is authentic. The questions may concentrate on your relationship history as a couple, your daily activities and the plans you have for your future together. If you convince the interviewing officer that your marital relationship is genuine, he or she will approve your spouse for permanent resident status.

You should submit evidence showing that your marriage is genuine. They include documents to show that you co-mingle financial resources, like a joint bank account, insurance policies, tax returns, credit card statements, and home mortgages. You can also submit documents that show joint ownership of property like an auto title, a lease showing that you lease a common residence, and birth certificates of your children.

After you become a lawful permanent resident, you can be considered for citizenship if you can prove that you have been a permanent resident for three or more years, have lived with the same U. S. Citizen for the said period and you can meet other requirements relating to eligibility. Being able to write, read, and speak simple English is a must. The USCIS official determines this during the eligibility interview.

It is important to look for an immigration lawyer to help you begin the process of becoming a U. S. A citizen. Immigration laws are specific, detailed and constantly change. Therefore, hiring an expert who is knowledgeable about immigration laws and can advise you about the steps to take is vital.