Fiance and Marriage Visas: A Couple's Guide to U.S. Immigration

by Ilona Bray JD

Overview

The book that’s helped thousands of couples live in the U.S. together

You’re engaged or married to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and all you want is the right to be together in the United States. Should be simple, right? It’s not. The pile of application forms can be overwhelming, the bureaucracy isn’t helpful, and delays are inevitable. This book will help you succeed.

• Discover the fastest and best application strategy.
• Avoid common—and serious—mistakes.
• Prepare for meetings with officials.
• Prove your marriage is real—not a fraud.
• Deal with the two-year testing period for new marriages.

The 11th edition covers the latest, higher income requirements, easing of Trump-era regulations that put more immigrants at risk of being denied visas as a likely “public charge,” and a new COVID vaccine requirement. It also provides handy checklists and illustrative sample forms.

Use this book if you are living in the United States or overseas and:

• your fiancé is a U.S. citizen
• your spouse is a U.S. citizen, or
• your spouse is a U.S. permanent resident.

Ilona Bray began practicing immigration law because of her concern with international human rights issues. She is the author of Becoming a U.S. Citizen and U.S. Immigration Made Easy, both published by Nolo. Check out her immigration-related postings on Nolo’s blog.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781413332490
Publisher:	NOLO
Publication date:	07/11/2025
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
File size:	22 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Ilona Bray, J.D. is an award-winning author and legal editor at Nolo, specializing in immigration law, real estate, and nonprofit fundraising. She has been quoted as a real estate expert in publications across the country, including Money Magazine, Kiplinger, the New York Times, the Boston Herald, and the San Francisco Chronicle. Many of her books are consistent Nolo bestsellers, among them Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits, U.S. Immigration Made Easy, and Nolo's Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home. She particularly enjoys interviewing people and weaving their stories into her books.







Bray's working background includes solo practice, nonprofit, and corporate stints, as well as long periods of volunteering, including an internship at Amnesty International's main legal office in London. She received her law degree and a Master's degree in East Asian (Chinese) Studies from the University of Washington. In her spare time she enjoys writing children’s books, going to open houses, and gardening.

Table of Contents

1. First Things First 2. Are You Eligible for a Visa or Green Card? 3. Meeting Income Requirements 4. The Right Way to Prepare, Collect, and Manage the Paperwork 5. Overseas Fiancés of U.S. Citizens 6. Overseas Fiancés of U.S. Permanent Residents 7. Overseas Spouses of U.S. Citizens 8. Overseas Spouses of Lawful Permanent Residents 9. Fiancés in the U.S. Engaged to U.S. Citizens 10. Fiancés in the U.S. Engaged to Permanent Residents 11. Spouses of U.S. Citizens, Living in the U.S. 12. Spouses of Permanent Residents, In the U.S. 13. Interviews With USCIS or Consular Officials 14. Applying for a Green Card at a USCIS Office 15. Dealing With Bureaucrats, Delays, and Denials 16. After You Get Your Green Card 17. Legal Help Beyond This Book Glossary Appendixes A. Table of Visas and Immigration Benefits B.USCIS Application Processing Addresses C.Using the Checklists Index

Interviews

The first time I helped a couple prepare a marriage-based green card application was both daunting and embarrassing. All those official forms, with strange-sounding names, and important choices to be made about where and how to apply! The clients were looking at me with worry. Their case went fine in the end, but I frankly wish I’d had this book then.

My goal in writing it was to demystify the process, and give readers an actual look at what paperwork they’ll be preparing and what to expect back from the U.S. government. I don’t intend for it to replace lawyers in all cases—particularly if you’ve entered the U.S. unlawfully, have a criminal record, a low income, or other complications—but reading it will give you a better idea of whether you need an attorney and how to proceed if you can’t afford or don’t wish to hire one.

Editorial Reviews

An excellent resource for people who are trying to wind their way through the immigration service’s Byzantine rules and regulations....” Mark Silverman, Immigrant Legal Resource Center

Author comments: The first time I helped a couple prepare a marriage-based green card application was both daunting and embarrassing. All those official forms, with strange-sounding names, and important choices to be made about where and how to apply! The clients were looking at me with worry. Their case went fine in the end, but I frankly wish I’d had this book then. My goal in writing it was to demystify the process, and give readers an actual look at what paperwork they’ll be preparing and what to expect back from the U.S. government. I don’t intend for it to replace lawyers in all cases—particularly if you’ve entered the U.S. unlawfully, have a criminal record, a low income, or other complications—but reading it will give you a better idea of whether you need an attorney and how to proceed if you can’t afford or don’t wish to hire one.

From the Publisher