My brother just married a woman from Mexico. I was wondering if all goes well as it should? how long is the process? Someone told me they had to be married a year before she applied for paperwork? Something smells rotten in Denmark about what I was told.

I had to double check. She has to wait three years (in the US!*) before she can apply. After that if all goes well it can take about six months. That's if she has all of her paperwork; police background check, birth certificate, medical, etc.

*If the foreigner marries a service member stationed overseas that time counts as being "in the US."

Citizenship is 5 years. Green card application is much sooner. No one expects the couple to live in separate countries while paperwork is processed. Gets a green card and then in 5 years citizenship.

If your asking does it take a year to do paperwork then possibly yes. I know they have shortened the time but it can be 6 months to a year

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

There appears to be a convoluted process with certain prerequisites. She need to compare her situation to the list of requirements.

Naturalization for Spouses of U.S. Citizens | USCIS

Congratulations to the happy couple.

Depends on where the marriage took place (in the US, out of the US), and a number of other factors regarding immigration visa numbers allocated to different countries.

When I lived in Europe, the question came up often, and there was no one answer. A good immigration attorney is a starting point.

I'm told by people going through the process that it has been reduced from five years to three.

I know guys who have imported Russians, Ukrainians , Filipinos , Armenians and others.
But not Mexicans, they tend to be do it yourself folks who import themselves.

__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER

The laws change all the time so I would go to a immigration lawyer and get informed.

It should be fairly easy if he is a U.S. citizen.

It's not something to worry about. Married to your brother, she can transition smoothly over time to citizenship. During the transition, she won't have any issues living with him in the US as long as they initiate the green card/permanent resident process.

Unless they are hard pressed for money, I'd recommend the lawyer route.

Even if the case is straightforward and uncomplicated (I was a white educated European with a US spouse), and a good immigration lawyer will cost you several hundred dollars at least, we found the investment well worth it to avoid all the paperwork pitfalls, deadlines and to have someone who helped us fill out the paperwork and got me through the application process like a charme.

Just having an associate from your lawyer's office accompany you to appointments and interviews prevents any misunderstandings or monkey business and ensures cooperative bureaucrats.

It's three years from green card to citizenship application, if based on marriage, five years if based on another reason (unless they change it recently).

My neighbor and good friend came from Holland on a green card seven years ago. He met and married an American girl not long after. He had to be a permanent resident for three years before he could apply for citizenship. During July of last year he became a U.S. citizen. He said that he couldn’t have done it without an attorney. The paperwork was enormous, the process was time consuming and the cost was not cheap. I don’t dare get him started on people who don’t follow our immigration laws because the man will go ballistic.

__________________
A gun has no brain.. use yours

...the desire to get married and move to the US is a legitimate one.

PS My wife married a Mexican and people kept saying that all he wanted was a green card. She told me recently that he NEVER brought it up. He was a darn nice guy.

__________________
"He was kinda funny lookin'"

....'path to citizenship' I've heard so much about. Congratulations to him for sticking it out til the end.

__________________
"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Many who marry citizens find them to be aliens

__________________
Buy American
Vote Responsibly

It's changed over the years I'm sure because the Feds got wise to some of it all. Many years ago I got offered $10k cash to marry a girl from Mexico by her legalized brother at my job. Of course I ran the other way, never even gave it a second thought.

This guy had it down to a science, he knew exactly how it all worked. He said they'll call you in separately and they are trying to see if you truly live together, he said they'll ask her or you what color is his tooth brush and things of that nature. Sometime very personal, what side of the bed does he sleep on.

With all the terrorism going on now who knows what they are asking, but even back then it seem they didn't give hoot if the person even knew English and from what I hear now a day they don't even care if you know anything about our government.

Let's hope your brother isn't being set up, the woman from the Philippians use to love to get hooked up with the GI's station over there. I met guy years ago who brought one back and she cleaned him out and divorce him and got citizenship in the process.

__________________
Mulebuk Sam and the Governor

Thank you, and it sounds like she's going to have a battle on her hands. She is from Monterrey, Mexico--which im guessing is a nice area?

Thanks and, so far so good on from what ive heard. The gal has a clean background and works in a high-class business area--not sure what store-but a high end one.

Im not sure? but I think they are now in the process of getting a green card. One obstacle--my brother isnt as healthy as he was-0-had some kind of heart surgery last week.

They got married in Austin-doing so to speed up whatever process they will have to go through.

No problem with this one. She has a high-paying job at some upscale business in Monterrey, and soon as she gets whatever is required? will be getting a job here.

He is. I dont know but suspect they already do have a lawyer.

He sounds like a good and legit person--kudos to them.

I kinda know what you mean. I have two good friends who live in a berg in the Black Forrest in Germany. Both are well into their 60s and have been trying to get citizenship here for about 20 years. Their situation is strange--they are only allowed to live here 6 months a year--the rest on the time back in Germany.

His health should not be an issue for Uncle Sugar. Her health could be if she had/has any problems. And green cards aren't green though I think they must have been at one time to get the name.

This situation sounds better than most.
They certainly do need a good lawyer.

__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER

I wonder if its actual name was due to all the greenbacks one has to spend in order to get a legit one?

This process aint for me--a local woman is as far as ill go.

As far as I know, they both been getting everything set for months-so hopefully they are getting good advice? Ive never been involved with this process before-so am ignorant of most anything dealing with it.

Just wondering? anyone here ever been to Monterrey, Mexico?

The only places ive seen are border towns like: Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo and Reynosa.

I have maid service every other Thursday.
The boss lady Maria is a green carded Mexican National and a very nice lady.
Some of the ladies who work for her- I'm not that sure.
So I may be hiring illegals.
I guess that wipes out my chances of being appointed as an under secretary of Defense or AF!

__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER

And caution him to thoroughly vet the attorney. I know a lot of immigrants and more than a few of them have been screwed. They don't have any knowledge of the system and get led along for years and drained of thousands of dollars with no results. One Filipino friend in CA for a work visa has been threatened by her immigration agency if she doesn't pay them $10K.

Only once did I ever use an illegal--unknowingly of course. Was back when I had my yard business and I was 21 at the time. I had way more of a work-load that I could handle-and had three others working for me at the time. I needed one more-hired the guy and he seemed to be a hard worker. I was doing the property of a man who just happened to be a Captain at the local Border Patrol location.

When I was paying attention to the guy? he busted his back working. When I was too busy to look? he was busy trying to swipe small things from the captain's garage-and me for that matter.

I caught the guy stealing tools from the garage when I just happened to round the corner and watched him stuffing tools and sucj=h in various pockets. I just happened to be carrying a larger-sized hatchet.

I encountered the thief with raised hatchet--he literally freaked-cried and tossed a large pile of stuff onto the floor. The B.P. Captain's wife had just come home and I told her what happened. About 5 minutes later-two B.P. trucks arrived and they tookj him into custody. The cap-got home and I said my sorries for various infractions-but he totally understood. No harm no foul on my part-and I kept doing his property till they transferred somewhere else a year later.

He's got a long-time friend who is an atty. I just hope my brother doesnt use him and gets one who isnt connected like they are? That's a good way to make a mess of things.