Marriage-based green card
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If you are planning to live permanently in the United States with your spouse, the first thing that comes to your mind is to file for a marriage green card to live legally and permanently in the country. Most of all, this is also a way to have a job in the country without being compromised. 

A spouse needs to have a marriage green card because it allows both of them to live and have a job anywhere in the United States. Once they have this, they will have a "permanent resident" status and they are eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship after three years.

According to Boundless, an immigration resource, there is a three-step process in getting a marriage green card. These are the following process:

  • Establish the marriage relationship
  • Apply for the Green Card
  • Attend the Green Card Application interview and wait for the approval

Here are the steps in each process:

Step 1: Establish the Marriage Relationship (Form I-30)

  • The first step in applying for a marriage green card is to establish your marriage by filing the form I-30 or also known as "Petition for Alien Relative" to U.S. Citizenship and Services which is under U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The purpose of filing this form is to prove the existence of the marriage along with other documents. The spouse filing the form is called the "petitioner" while the one seeking the green card is called the beneficiary.

Step 2: Apply for the Green Card

  • The U.S. government has two different ways they follow in determining the application for marriage-based green cards. This depends on where the spouse currently lives. Typically, if the spouse who is seeking a green card is living in the United States, he or she needs to file Form I-485 or officially called "Adjustment of Status." The main purpose of this form is to make sure that the spouse qualifies to have a green card.

Step 3: Attend the Green Card Interview and Await for the Approval

  • The final step in applying for a marriage green card is to attend an interview and await its approval. The interviewer or the officer's purpose during the interview is to ask questions about the existence of the marriage, history of the relationship, daily activities, and plans together. If the officer is convinced during the interview, they will approve the green card application.

Take note also that there are corresponding fees that you need to pay in each process and some documents to support your application. You will also be notified from each time that the process is approved. 

Spouse planning to live permanently in a legal way and looking for a job in the country must follow these steps. If the beneficiary is living in the United States, the green card will arrive through mail within 2-3 weeks once the application is approved. 

Meanwhile, a spouse seeking a green card, but living outside the U.S., must attend the interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate in their home country. Once the application is approved, a green card and a visa stamp in their passport will be given to the beneficiary to allow them to travel to the United States.