How long does Permanent Residency take?

[JoeColonna 0]

My fiance and I have handed in our K1 fiance visa application and are currently waiting for it to be processed.

In the meantime we are trying to organise as much of our wedding as we can, and my family want to start organising the party we will have in UK following our wedding in the USA.

Can anyone tell me how long it takes once we are married to get a permanent residency card? Also, is there limitations on how and when I can leave the country?

Any help or information would be most appreciated.

Thanks.

[canadian_wife 1,823]

Sorry, you submitted the petition I assume, the application comes at the interview.

Count on 10 - 12 months from your petition submission to start planning a wedding. However, do not book or pay for anything until the visa is in hand.

Once married and the Adjustment of Status paperwork has been submitted, you may submit also a travel and work document. This will take about 90 days to receive

Good luck

[HK12 273]

Your Green Card can take anything between three and 12+ months from submission of the AOS package to be processed. As Canadian_Wife said, you can apply for an Advance Parole (AP) so you can leave the country while they are still working on your Green Card. The AP is free if submitted concurrently with AOS and usually takes between 60-90 days to be processed.

[ChicagoSarah 127]

You cannot travel without applying for and receiving AP (Advanced Parole). This can be done for free when you apply for your AOS. You'll fill out forms for EAD (Employment Authorization) and AP to send with your AOS documents. Since they're free, it's best to do them.

Once you enter the US, marry, and submit your AOS (which can be done as soon as you have the marriage certificate back), your EAD/AP can take up to 90 days. Once you have the combo EAD/AP card, you can travel. Your green card (permanent residency) will then take up to a year. Some K1 AOS applicants are being put into the Interview Waiver Group (which we were). This means you may not have an AOS/Green card interview, but the processing will likely take a bit longer as well.

Check out the timelines on VJ to see how other K1's are progressing through London. And, as has been mentioned, always be careful and don't plan your wedding until you have the visa (or have flexible wedding vendors).

Good luck!