I'm a green card holder and I want to marry my girlfriend who's here on a student visa. I just need general advice on what steps to take.

[Sunsofbeaches 0]

Hello everyone. As the title says, I'm currently a permanent resident and soon to be a citizen(just waiting for interview date now) and I want to marry my girlfriend who's here on a student visa.

Can we just get married right now and file the necessary forms or should I just wait until I'm a citizen already? Her studies/student visa will end on May/June 2017. I just don't want to be put in a scenario where she might have to go home to her country. I know we could have planned all this earlier but much to my regret we didn't and here we are now. Would I need a lawyer for this? Thanks in advance.

Side Note:

• Don't know if this will matter but she's been here since she was 9 years old. She was allowed to come here with her mother who was on a working visa(iirc)at the time. Her mum was supposed to be petitioned by her employers but something went wrong with that so she applied for a student visa.

[KierenHby 899]

When you two marry is your personal decision.

That said, submit the i-130 petition and adjustment of status. Once naturalized, upgrade petition to USC spouse.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

You can't submit the adjustment of status. You must either be a USC or have a visa number available to AOS. You can marry now but it is a question of when you have your oath ceramony. If you have it before she completed school then the AOS form comes into play. If not then she would have to leave or find a visa to stay on ( student visa ? OPT after school ) until you either become a citizen or until a number is available in the non immigrant catagory

[aleful 1,905]

hi

you can marry whenever you want, just wait until you become a USC to send the adjustment of status, since you will need proof that you are a USC