Yes. Upon entry into the United States, the foreign spouse is a permanent resident. The foreign spouse will receive a social security number and can begin to work legally.
Marriage
How does a foreign spouse’s child(ren) obtain a permanent residence (‘green card’) card after entering the United States?
Approximately 2 weeks after entry as an immigrant, each person (including children) will receive a lawful permanent resident card by mail. If you and your foreign spouse have been married less than 2 years at the time of issuance of the immigrant visa, the child(ren)’s permanent resident card(s) will be valid for 2 years. This… Read More
How does a foreign spouse obtain the permanent residence (‘green card’) card after they enter the United States?
Approximately 2 weeks after entry as an immigrant, each person will receive a lawful permanent resident card by mail. If you and your foreign spouse have been married less than 2 years at the time of issuance of the immigrant visa, the permanent resident card will be valid for 2 years. This is referred to… Read More
How long can a foreign spouse remain in the United States after they enter?
Permanently.
Can a foreign spouse’s children come to the United States after the foreign spouse enters the United States?
Yes. Since the immigrant visa is valid for 6 months after issuance, the foreign spouse’s children can enter the United States at any time prior to the expiration of the 6 month period.
For how long is a child’s immigrant visa valid after issuance?
The child’s immigrant visa is valid for 6 months after issuance, the same length of time as the foreign spouse’s immigrant visa. This means that the foreign spouse’s children must enter the United States prior to the expiration of the 6 month period.
Can a foreign spouse’s child(ren) come to the United States?
Yes. If your foreign spouse has children from a previous marriage or otherwise and you marry your foreign spouse before the children reach the age of 18, the United States embassy or consulate will issue an immigrant visa to any minor (under 21 and unmarried) children of the foreign spouse.
What happens after you receive the immigrant visa?
The consular officer will return your foreign spouse’s and any child’s passports with machine readable visas, along with a sealed envelope containing the documents previously provided and other documents prepared by the United States embassy or consulate. Before departing for the United States the foreign spouse and any children must pay a USCIS Immigrant Fee… Read More
How is an immigrant visa (CR-1 or IR-1) processed by the United States embassy or consulate?
At the interview, the consular officer will verify that all required documentation has been provided. Second, and more importantly, the consular officer will question your foreign spouse in detail with respect to the specifics of your marriage in order to determine its legitimacy. Assuming that the consular officer is satisfied, the immigrant visa application is… Read More
What is the procedure when a foreign spouse arrives in the United States?
Upon entry into the United States, your spouse and children will give a sealed envelope (provided by the U.S. embassy or consulate) to the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer. The CBP officer will stamp the foreign spouse’s passport. This signifies entry as an immigrant.