Are you eligible for a marriage-based green card within the US? What is your marital status—engaged or married?
What is your Marital Status? Are you engaged or married?
If you’re trying to figure out if you’re eligible to get a green card based on your marriage to a US citizen or lawful permanent resident, let’s start with an easy question: Are you married or engaged? If you’re not yet married, you cannot file for a marriage-based green card from within the US. There is a route for fiancé/fiancées of US citizens if the fiancée is outside the US; but there is no path for a fiancée to get the green card from within the US unless the fiancée entered the US with the special fiancée visa (K-visa).
If you need to talk to an experienced immigration attorney. We’ve helped hundreds of people traverse the complicated immigration and citizenship process. We would love to help you as well. Call (617-272-7980) or email hello@cambridgeimmigrationlaw.com to get in touch.
Absolutely not! Having a good attorney makes you look, and actually be, prepared for your USCIS interview. 
Your USCIS officer may give you a decision while you are at the interview. However, there is no requirement for USCIS to give you a decision on the day of the interview. If you do not get a decision at the time of the interview, you (or your attorney) should ask to speak with a supervisor and then advocate to the supervisor for a decision on that day. 
You don’t need a joint back account to win a marriage-based green card. The only thing that you absolutely need to prove your marriage is a marriage certificate. After that, you need to provide documents that paint a picture of your life using lots and lots of paper. 
Maybe! Some people are eligible to work even if their marriage-based green card pending after submitting the application because they have another visa that allows them to work. Others are not eligible to work with their marriage-based green card pending until a temporary “employment authorization document” is approved. Currently, USCIS is processing the temporary work permits very slowly…or not at all before the green card is finally approved. At the time of starting your case, and throughout as we get updates and new information, our attorneys will give you estimates of how long it will take for USCIS to approve a work permit for you. Also, we will let you know if there is a problem if you worked without permission at some point before or after submitting your green card application. 
Recently, our client was thrilled that his marriage based green card was approved. Due to COVID travel restrictions and embassy closures, 2020 was a stressful year for him and his wife, but now they are at ease that their application has been approved.
Last week, we represented a client who obtained U.S. citizenship after immigrating to the U.S. almost 9 years ago. He had met his wife in Europe, married there, had a child there and immigrated to the U.S. on a marriage based green card. He now enjoys the peace and security of U.S. citizenship.