How long does it take to get a marriage green card?

The marriage green card process is usually a very happy process. The newlyweds are excited and full of expectations for their happy lives together. The process is different if the foreign national is already in the US or if the foreign national is still in a foreign country.

If the foreign national spouse is still living in a foreign country, the process
starts with filing of a petition for the foreign national spouse. The average processing time to have the petition approved is now 6 – 7.5 months. Once the petition is approved, it’s sent to the National Visa Center, which takes approximately 30 days. The National Visa Center will need some documents to be submitted and the immigrant visa application needs to be filed. Once the National Visa Center receives all documents, it sends the case to the US Embassy or Consulate for an interview. The time it takes to schedule the interview depends on the US Embassy or Consulate. The interview is usually scheduled within a few months. Some US Consulates take longer to schedule an interview, for example in Ciudad Juarez in Mexico it is taking 6-8 months to have the interview.

If the foreign national is already in the US and is eligible for an adjustment of status, the processing time depends where (s)he lives. For example, in Phoenix, the average processing time to adjudicate the adjustment application is now 9.5 -29. months.

Please note that this article does not constitute a legal advice.  We simplified the law to outline the marriage green card process and discuss the processing time of the marriage green card. If you would like to discuss if you may qualify for a marriage green card, call our experienced marriage green card attorney at 480-425-2009 or schedule your consultation online.