The Green Card stands for a person’s legal permanent residential status in the US. So a foreign national who enters the US needs to apply for a Green Card to enjoy all the facilities and rights of US. The fastest and most common way to get a Green Card in the US is through Marriage, but it is not an easy process. There are certain mistakes commonly committed by US nationals and immigrants while applying for Green Card through marriage, which can be avoided easily. You can apply for a green card through marriage here.
Essential Steps in Applying for a Green Card through Marriage
Here are a few things you should know while applying for a Green Card through marriage:
Incomplete Application:
You need to be careful while filling up the immigration form because every bit of information needs to be provided properly in the allotted fields to get a Green Card. The most common mistake in the submission of a form is keeping it unsigned. So double check every detail in your application before submitting the form.
Affidavit of Support:
The Federal Government attaches immense importance to the Affidavit of Support. The migrant has to ensure that he/she has enough means of financial support and is not likely to turn out to be a public charge. Since each sponsor’s situation might be different from others, it is advised to supply these extra documents as well: W-2s, Ok-1s, 1099s, extensions, tax returns, IRS transcripts, account statements, pay statements, letter from accountant, letter from employer, and so on.
Another prevalent mistake is the misunderstanding of when the intending immigrant’s earnings/assets may be included and/or failing to provide a joint sponsor and/or co-sponsor.
Police Encounters:
Most candidates think that mere subway fights or misbehavior that has been wiped off the records need not be mentioned in the application form. Nonetheless, this could only lead to rejection of the form and denial of a certain service or later on, revocation of one’s Green Card. Even simple things like parking tickets and every detention, arrest, citation or encounters with police anywhere in the world must have clear mention in the application.
Being Truthful:
Reveal everything in the application form or in the interview while applying for Green Card through marriage. Do not attempt to hide anything that might only lead to some complication in the later process, and harm the overall application process.
Wrong Category:
It is imperative for an immigrant to know whether he/she is eligible to apply for the Green Card through marriage. You need to choose the right application and meet all the requirements appropriately.
Filing non-English documents without translations:
Every document, in any language other than English, has to be accompanied by an English translation. Birth certificates, any educational certificates or any document in a language other than English needs to have an English translation.
Outdated information:
Immigration fees and forms are updated regularly. So you need to check the current forms and fee structure before submitting the application for Green Card through marriage as USCIS may or may not accept certain older versions of the specific forms and will not accept the incorrect fees.
Appropriate supporting documents:
The more credentials you submit to make your case stronger for a Green Card through marriage, the better it is. Along with two passport size photographs and a copy of the non-immigrant visa, certain cases may demand more documents like birth certificate, citizen certificate, employment verification letters, name change documents, marriage certificate, divorce decrees, etc.
At times, an applicant may have to produce the originals of certain documents at the interview. Failure to produce these when required may lead to rejection of your application for a Green Card.
Medical Exam
The USCIS does not accept any sham marriages. So the applicant needs to provide true documents about their marriage to get a Green Card. A part of this process is undergoing the medical exam by an USCIS approved doctor. The I 485 application should be sealed with the original reports of the examination from the doctor. Even a copy of the medical examination should be kept for future reference.
