Couples we help with marriage-based green cards
Some of our clients married a U.S. citizen after entering on a tourist or student visa and staying past the date on their I-94. Others are married to a green card holder and are unsure whether they have to wait. Some entered without a visa years ago and have heard conflicting advice about whether marriage can help them at all.
We also work with couples where one partner is abroad, including fiancés who need a K-1 visa before marrying in the United States, and spouses who will finish the case at a U.S. consulate. Each of these situations follows a different route, and choosing the wrong one costs time and money.
How a green card through marriage works
Marriage cases are decided by USCIS under federal immigration law. Here is the basic sequence for a spouse who is already in the United States.
- Step 1: The citizen or resident spouse files Form I-130 to establish the marriage. The immigrant spouse files Form I-130A with personal history.
- Step 2: If the immigrant spouse entered lawfully and a visa is available, Form I-485 (adjustment of status) can usually be filed at the same time, often with Form I-765 for a work permit and Form I-131 for travel permission.
- Step 3: The couple submits bona fide marriage evidence: proof that the marriage is real and not for immigration purposes.
- Step 4: USCIS schedules biometrics and, in most cases, an interview with both spouses.
- Step 5: If approved, the immigrant spouse receives a green card. If the marriage is under two years old on the approval date, the card is conditional and valid for two years.
Proving your marriage is real
The heart of every marriage case is evidence that you share a life. USCIS officers see fraudulent marriages, so they look for a record that builds over time, not a folder assembled the week before filing. Strong files usually include joint lease or mortgage documents, joint bank accounts and insurance, tax returns filed together, photos across different dates and places, and birth certificates of children you have together.
At the interview, the officer asks about how you met, your daily routine, your families, and your home. If something does not add up, the officer may separate you and ask the same questions to each spouse. We prepare you for this well before the appointment and can attend the interview with you.
What USG Law Group does for your marriage case
First, we confirm which route applies: adjustment of status inside the country, consular processing abroad, or a K-1 fiancé visa. We check how you entered, whether a waiver may be needed, and whether anything in either spouse's past could cause trouble. Then we build the evidence file with you, prepare and review every form, and submit the package.
After filing, we track the case, respond to any Request for Evidence, and rehearse the interview with both of you. Our USCIS Practice Manager Gigi Mejia handles the USCIS petition side and is the person you will hear from most often between milestones.
Situations that make a marriage case harder
Several issues come up often. A spouse who entered without inspection generally cannot adjust status inside the U.S. and may need consular processing with an I-601A provisional waiver first. A prior divorce that was never finalized makes the current marriage invalid for immigration purposes. A short marriage, a large age gap, or spouses who do not live together are not disqualifying, but they draw closer review.
Marriage to a permanent resident, rather than a citizen, may mean waiting for a visa number under the Visa Bulletin before the I-485 can be filed. Every one of these situations has a path forward in many cases. The free consultation is where we tell you honestly which path is yours.
Why couples choose USG Law Group
Lead attorney Marianela Uribe went through the immigration system herself after moving to the United States from Bolivia. She is licensed in Maryland and Virginia and serves clients in Washington DC. Couples tell us she explains everything in detail and that their cases moved faster than other offices had estimated.
We meet in person in Woodbridge or by phone and Zoom, including evenings and weekends, and we offer payment plans. If your case is a two-stage one, our Removal of Conditions (I-751) page explains what comes next when a conditional card nears expiration. Couples finishing abroad should also read our Consular Processing page.
