Is this still possible?
Come to america, marry an american, become an american? Seems too easy. ANyone got the real scoop? The web isn’t of much assistance. thx
No. It’s not automatic. However, spouses of citizens generally don’t have to wait as longs as others to qualify for naturalization.
I am in the middle of trying to bring my fiance here. The whole process sucks. To answer your question, though, when he comes, (on a fiance visa) we have 90 days in which to get married. If we don’t, they deport him. After we marry, he is given permenant residence (green card). During the first two years of our marriage, INS is free to investigate, to whatever degree they feel is appropriate, to determine if the marriage is ‘real’. He will not be eligable for citizenship for 5 years. It’s my understanding that the 5 year rule applies across the board.
“I think it would be a great idea” Mohandas Ghandi’s answer when asked what he thought of Western civilization
BTW, it is not easy. The process is long and complicated. One also cannot come here and marry an American, just like that. In fact, if someone were to come here on a tourist visa and marry an American, they would not be given automatic permission to stay in the US. In fact, the non-US citizen would have to return to their home country, and the couple would then have to begin the process of applying to bring their spouse here. While I haven’t gone through the process myself, I understand that it typically takes a full year to obtain permission to bring your spouse here.
“I think it would be a great idea” Mohandas Ghandi’s answer when asked what he thought of Western civilization
What Lucky says is partially true. Also If the spouse is here on a work visa, they could get married to yoiu, and stay in the US for as long as the work visa is valid, during which time they could apply for citizenship or at the very least a green card.
I know someone who is from Australia who did just that with her husband. She doesn’t plan on becoming a full US citizen.
Just add water, it makes it’s own sauce!
Ah, thanks Lucky, nothing like real experience for an answer.
My friend told me yesterday that he is trying to get his fiance from China to come to america & marry him. First, he paid $125.00 did some paper work. They said, wait 6 weeks. He did, paid some more money, more paper work then they said, wait another 240-250 days.
Which is where is is right now.
Another guy from England came here recently asked my friend to marry him. Guy still married to his wife in England, for now.
Have no idea if they can actually get married & claim citizenship. I don’t really trust what the guy says. But it looks to me like a long wait.
If the US made it easy, people all over the world would flood into the US.