H1b Visa Holder Marrying U.S. Citizen
Hi.... I came to the US in 2006 on H1B visa...got it transferred and renewed a couple of times. So I have a valid petition, but my visa stamp is expired. My fiance is a US citizen, and we are planning to do a legal marriage in US around Feb 2010, so that I can get my Green card (so I don't have to get my visa restamped) before we go to my country (Oct 2010) for a traditional wedding. From my research I found out that it takes around 6-8 months to get a green card and around 3 years to become a citizen, after you've married a US citizen. Is that accurate? So us getting married in Feb will give us ample time to get my green card before I leave the country in Oct?
Also I was looking for what documents I will need to submit for my green card application after we get married in Feb, and how long before you can submit them? I heard that you might need a proof of all the vaccines you got in your home country etc...... If someone can provide that information or direct me to a website with that info, it would be really appreciated.
Thanks in advance.....
Re: H1b Visa Holder Marrying U.S. Citizen
Caution: If you're out of status on your H1B and are accruing time for unlawful presence, adjustment of status won't erase the consequences of overstay. That is, if you have accrued unlawful presence you may be turned back at the border, and if you've overstayed to the point that you have a period of ineligibility that period can be enforced.
In terms of forms, read this.
Re: H1b Visa Holder Marrying U.S. Citizen
My H1B situation is this: I came to US on a valid visa which was expiring in April 2008. I got it renewed by my then employer and then I transferred it to my current employer and so it now expires sometime in 2011. I got a valid I-94 and a I-797 petition approval after my last visa petition was approved. So I don't think I am out of status on my H1B visa or accruing time for unlawful presence. I can stay in US until my petition expires, but if I leave the country, I need to get my visa restamped from my country before I can re-enter.
I saw the forms on the USCIS website, but do you know what documents you need to submit with the forms? Thanks so much....