If you manage to find your love on a mail order bride site, you will need to learn everything about international marriage-based immigration law to assist your spouse in entering your country legally. Doris Gordon interviewed Michael Solomon, a licensed attorney with a focus on K1 visas and marriage-based immigration law, to take a deeper peek into all the nuances of mail order bride marriage legalization.
Hey, Doris. Indeed, navigating the process of applying for a fiance visa, going through the interview, entering the country, and adjusting your spouse’s immigration status — these are just a few of the steps an international couple will be involved in. Additionally, the procedures for legalizing your marriage can vary from one country to another. So, it is necessary to approach this matter with special attention.
Actually, international marriage implies applying for two types of visas: CR-1 and K-1.
In case you marry your spouse in the country of her origin and decide to move to the US, it is necessary to get a CR-1 visa. The benefit of this choice is that your wife will receive a Green Card as soon as she gets her adjustment status in the US. In case you want to bring your bride-to-be to the US and marry her in your country, she will need to get a K-1 visa approval first. Obtaining a Green Card after marriage on a K-1 visa can take up to six months, but your wife can legally stay in the country within this waiting period.
Yes, the process of applying for both visas will take some time. The K-1 visa is faster to get approved for, but the price of these two visas is quite similar. The overall process, including medical exams and interviews, will cost around $2,000-$2,200.
Everything depends on the life prospects of each couple. With the CR-1 visa, your spouse can start working as soon as she arrives in the US, and she can travel overseas, which opens up more horizons for a couple. On the other hand, the K-1 visa doesn’t permit the foreign fiancé to work until she has obtained their marriage green card.
If you decide to get married to a foreign bride, taking a deeper dive into the immigration laws is crucial. Moreover, you will need to choose which types of visas will work for your spouse. Check out the articles by Michael Solomon on newbrides.net to get more insights about intermarriage.
