Immigrants want to immigrate to the US for the lifestyle it offers. For that they many options from which marrying a US citizen is one of them. The question pop out is that is marriage will make the process easy and if yes Is it Make Immigration Easy if You Marry a US citizen or Permanent Resident?

Marry a US citizen or Permanent Resident?- Which one to choose

Let’s try to understand what are the rules and process of immigration under both cases and decide-

• Immigration Process of getting Green Card if you Marry a US Citizen-

There is no doubt that a US citizen holds more power than a Green card or Permanent Resident. As far as Immigration is concerned, if you marry a US Citizen, then you come under Immediate Relative Category. There is no number cap on this category, and you don’t have to wait for the visa for long.

Immigration authorities to ensure the genuineness of the relationship put a condition on the visa. If your marriage is just a few months old when you applied for the visa, in other words when you become a resident if your marriage is less than two years old then you will be provided with Conditional Visa which comes with the validity of 2 years. After two years you have to renew it which gives the immigration authorities a chance to double check the Genuineness of the marriage.

In three years of Residency, you can apply for US citizenship; this perk is when you married a US citizen. Otherwise, like other programs one wait is of 5 years.

• Immigration Process of getting Green Card if you Marry a US Permanent Resident-

If you marry a US Permanent Resident, then you come under Family Second Preference Category. Only limited numbers of the visas are available yearly, and you can expect the visa number in a year you have applied I-130 visa petition.

The waiting process is usually five years which is longer as compared to the above case. Waiting depends on various factors such as the date you have applied, the date USCIS received the application that is Priority date and the country from where you have applied for. Pre country there are limited numbers of the visas are available.

When your Priority date become your current, then it is the matter of only a few months to get the permanent residency. The main benefit that comes with the all this waiting is once you get the Residency it is permanent, no conditional visa like the former case. One can apply for citizenship as soon as they become eligible for the same.