The spouse is free to enter the United States and wait for the I-130 Petition to be approved.

Generally speaking, without the assistance of an Attorney, the process can takes from 8-12 months. With the help of our firm, we believe that the processing time will be greatly improved. U.S. Marriage-Based Immigration Visa Petitioners must first file their I-130 Petition and all other supporting documentation with the USCIS Service Center assigned to their specific state of residence. Our extended work hours, unique experience, and exclusive practice of K1 Fiancee Visa and Marriage Visa Law, translates into quicker preparation and turn-around time for your case. In fact, most petitions and accompanying documents are prepared and sent to our clients for signatures within 48 hours of receiving completed questionnaires and all checklist documents. Our customized software and e-Center also allows us to send you and your spouse everything you need via email for your final review, printing, and signatures. This is extremely helpful for many third world countries where the mail (even express services) is often unreliable and slow.

Once you are approved, your petition is forwarded to the National Service Center for further processing (allow at least one week) and then sent to the appropriate foreign consulate for continued processing overseas.

While there are a number of uniform requirements and laws that each foreign consulate must adhere to, most have their own unique way in which they handle the Marriage Visa process. Thus, timeframes can vary depending upon factors such as specific foreign consular section agendas, visa application backlogs, or any unique requirements of the U.S. Consular Section at your spouse’s country or place of filing.

Generally speaking, once most consulates receive your approval from the USCIS, and assuming your spouse has the properly prepared paperwork and documentation, you can expect to wait between 3 to 12 weeks for the eventual interview and issuance of the Marriage Visa depending upon your spouse's country.