I am a grad student on an F1 visa with one more year to go before I graduate. My boyfriend with whom I live got his green card through his job a year ago. We have discussed getting married but are unsure of a few things. 1. Would it be ok for us to return to our home country (Jamaica) to get married or would we have to get married here in the US?
2. Would getting married negatively impact my boyfriend's chances of becoming a citizen? Would it negatively impact my chances of applying for a green card?
3. What is the procedure for applying for a green card for me once we are married? do we first get married then submit the I-130 and I-485 forms?
4. Since my course of study ends in December 2009, I will be in the market for a job come January 2010. When would the best time be for us to get married based on the process? Ideally I would want to be able to stay with my boyfriend and not have to leave the country.
5. If we got married and submitted the I-130 by July, how would I be allowed to legally stay in the country and get a job in January 2010? would I have to also apply for an OPT in order to work?

