French citizen getting married to a US citizen

[ZeldaLara 0]

Hi Everyone, So i'm planning to get married to my US partner, as a French citizen (born and raised here), I went to the mayor offices to ask the requirements, and they ask for him to be present for an interview, but he can't until next spring but it's way to late. I was wondering what other ways we can get married maybe in the US ? but will also be married in France as well ? 

 

Does it take a long time to do if we celebrate it around may 2026 and i move around june / july with him 

 

Thank you all !

[appleblossom 4,851]

1 minute ago, ZeldaLara said:

Hi Everyone, So i'm planning to get married to my US partner, as a French citizen (born and raised here), I went to the mayor offices to ask the requirements, and they ask for him to be present for an interview, but he can't until next spring but it's way to late. I was wondering what other ways we can get married maybe in the US ? but will also be married in France as well ? 

 

Does it take a long time to do if we celebrate it around may 2026 and i move around june / july with him 

 

Thank you all !

 

You can get married in the US, that's no problem. If you're looking at the K-1 visa, you have to get married in the US anyway, getting married in France isn't an option with that visa route. 

 

It's not really clear, you want to move to the US? On a K-1 visa, or a spousal visa? 

[ZeldaLara 0]

11 minutes ago, appleblossom said:

 

You can get married in the US, that's no problem. If you're looking at the K-1 visa, you have to get married in the US anyway, getting married in France isn't an option with that visa route. 

 

It's not really clear, you want to move to the US? On a K-1 visa, or a spousal visa? 

 

I don't know yet, id like to move with him and study in his city as well (he's a medical resident so they are some benefits for spouses) ... I thought i was the one supposed to do all the papers in France but it seem easier from the US

[appleblossom 4,851]

Just now, ZeldaLara said:

 

I don't know yet, id like to move with him and study in his city as well (he's a medical resident so they are some benefits for spouses) ... I thought i was the one supposed to do all the papers in France but it seem easier from the US

 

Is he a US citizen?

[ZeldaLara 0]

2 minutes ago, appleblossom said:

 

Is he a US citizen?

 

Yes he has UScitizenship as he's born there and basically did his whole life there as well

[Crazy Cat 45,217]

***Moved to What Visa Do I Need as OP says they are undecided as to which route to take***

[appleblossom 4,851]

Just now, ZeldaLara said:

 

Yes he has UScitizenship as he's born there and basically did his whole life there as well

 

OK, so you need to decide which visa route first of all. @Crazy Cat has a fabulous comparison which they'll hopefully share with you to help. 

 

If getting married in France is important to you, then it would have to be the spousal visa route. If you do the K-1 then you have to move first, then marry. May 2026 may not be realistic, but work out your visa route first and then timescales will follow from there. 

 

Good luck. 

[Crazy Cat 45,217]

10 minutes ago, ZeldaLara said:

I don't know yet, id like to move with him and study in his city as well (he's a medical resident so they are some benefits for spouses)

Be advised that, since you are outside the US right now, there are 2 routes available for a Green Card through marriage to the US citizen:  K-1 fiance visa and CR-1 spousal visa.  Here is my comparison of the 2 options:

 

Every couple has their own priorities, and each couple must decide which visa is better for their situation.

K-1 
  More expensive than CR-1
  Requires Adjustment of Status after marriage (expensive and requires a lot of paperwork)
  Spouse can not leave the US until she/he receives approved Advance Parole (up to 9 months) 
  Spouse can not work until she/he receives EAD (up to 9 months) 
  Some people have had problems with driver licenses, Social Security cards, leases, bank account during this period 
  Spouse will not receive Green Card for many months after Adjustment of Status is filed.
  A K-1 might be a better choice when 18-21 year old children are immigrating also
  In some situations, marriage can affect certain Home country benefits, making a K-1 a better choice 
  A denied K-1 is sent back to USCIS to expire
  K-1 entrant cannot file for citizenship until after having Green Card for 3 years.
  Once an I-129F has been approved, delaying the case is difficult to impossible if the need arises.
  If US spouse declines to participate in Adjustment of Status, the foreign spouse will have a very difficult avenue to legally remain in the US.
 Current Presidential executive order (travel bans) don't allow K-1 visa holders from some countries to enter the US.

CR-1/IR-1
  Less expensive than K-1 
  No Adjustment of Status(I-485, I-131, I-765) required. 
  Spouse can immediately travel outside the US 
  Spouse is authorized to work immediately upon arrival. 
  Spouse receives Social Security Card and Green Card within 2 or 3 weeks after entering the US 
  Opening a bank account, getting a driver's license, etc. are very easily accomplished with GC, SS card, and passport.
  Spouse has legal permanent Resident status IMMEDIATELY upon entry to US.
  The clock for citizenship filing starts immediately upon entry to the US.
  A CR-1/IR-1 case can be delayed indefinitely at NVC if the need arises. 
 Current Presidential executive order (travel bans) exempt immediate relatives of US citizens.
   

 

 

 

Edited 7 hours ago by Crazy Cat

[JeanneAdil 7,232]

if you want to study in the US with your US husband , the best way is to go he spouse visa as not all colleges allow K1 to study

 

You can wait for him to come to France and marry there OR marry per the Utah zoom now 

Both require u to wait till u consummate the marriage to apply for the CR 1 spouse visa

 

From that point it will be anywhere from a year to 2 for the visa but you can travel to the USA and visit him

 

As a student , he will probably need a joint sponsor for the income requirement 

 

it would be a good idea if he could join the discussion and get familiar with the process

[ZeldaLara 0]

8 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

Be advised that, since you are outside the US right now, there are 2 routes available for a Green Card through marriage to the US citizen:  K-1 fiance visa and CR-1 spousal visa.  Here is my comparison of the 2 options:

 

Every couple has their own priorities, and each couple must decide which visa is better for their situation.

K-1 
  More expensive than CR-1
  Requires Adjustment of Status after marriage (expensive and requires a lot of paperwork)
  Spouse can not leave the US until she/he receives approved Advance Parole (up to 9 months) 
  Spouse can not work until she/he receives EAD (up to 9 months) 
  Some people have had problems with driver licenses, Social Security cards, leases, bank account during this period 
  Spouse will not receive Green Card for many months after Adjustment of Status is filed.
  A K-1 might be a better choice when 18-21 year old children are immigrating also
  In some situations, marriage can affect certain Home country benefits, making a K-1 a better choice 
  A denied K-1 is sent back to USCIS to expire
  K-1 entrant cannot file for citizenship until after having Green Card for 3 years.
  Once an I-129F has been approved, delaying the case is difficult to impossible if the need arises.
  If US spouse declines to participate in Adjustment of Status, the foreign spouse will have a very difficult avenue to legally remain in the US.
 Current Presidential executive order (travel bans) don't allow K-1 visa holders from some countries to enter the US.

CR-1/IR-1
  Less expensive than K-1 
  No Adjustment of Status(I-485, I-131, I-765) required. 
  Spouse can immediately travel outside the US 
  Spouse is authorized to work immediately upon arrival. 
  Spouse receives Social Security Card and Green Card within 2 or 3 weeks after entering the US 
  Opening a bank account, getting a driver's license, etc. are very easily accomplished with GC, SS card, and passport.
  Spouse has legal permanent Resident status IMMEDIATELY upon entry to US.
  The clock for citizenship filing starts immediately upon entry to the US.
  A CR-1/IR-1 case can be delayed indefinitely at NVC if the need arises. 
 Current Presidential executive order (travel bans) exempt immediate relatives of US citizens.
   

 

 

 

That seem to take years not a few months... Ok i will look into it more thank you for your help!

[ZeldaLara 0]

9 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

if you want to study in the US with your US husband , the best way is to go he spouse visa as not all colleges allow K1 to study

 

You can wait for him to come to France and marry there OR marry per the Utah zoom now 

Both require u to wait till u consummate the marriage to apply for the CR 1 spouse visa

 

From that point it will be anywhere from a year to 2 for the visa but you can travel to the USA and visit him

 

As a student , he will probably need a joint sponsor for the income requirement 

 

it would be a good idea if he could join the discussion and get familiar with the process

So there is no other way for us to live together straight ? i will have to come back to france as my visa expired is that correct ? 

[appleblossom 4,851]

6 minutes ago, ZeldaLara said:

So there is no other way for us to live together straight ? i will have to come back to france as my visa expired is that correct ? 

 

Which visa? K-1 and spousal visa both lead to permanent residency ('green card'), you don't need to come back to France with them. 

 

If you mean the VWP, then yes, you can just visit on that, you can't stay longer. It's up to 90 days, but the recommendation would be less than that, partly so you don't risk overstaying (if for example, you stayed until day 89 and your flight was delayed, you could never use the VWP again and it would make it MUCH harder to visit in the future). But also because it's only for visiting, and any implication that you're trying to live in the US as a visitor could be being refused entry. So you can visit whilst you wait for your visa to be processed, but keep it to shorter visits with large gaps just to be safe. 

Edited 7 hours ago by appleblossom

[JeanneAdil 7,232]

1 minute ago, ZeldaLara said:

So there is no other way for us to live together straight ? i will have to come back to france as my visa expired is that correct ? 

you can travel on ESTA (if approved ) to visit him as allowed by CBP 

To live here with him u need the proper US visa 

Spouse visa as described by crazycat is the best as it allows u all the privileges as a permanent citizen (PR) with a US green card upon arrival with spouse visa 

 

the very best to the 2 of u

[Crazy Cat 45,217]

7 minutes ago, ZeldaLara said:

That seem to take years not a few months... Ok i will look into it more thank you for your help!

Nothing associated with US immigration is fast, cheap, or easy. 

[Crazy Cat 45,217]

10 minutes ago, ZeldaLara said:

That seem to take years not a few months

This usually enters the conversation, too.  Be advised that a person cannot enter the US as a visitor with the intent to stay and adjust status.