Bringing my wife to the US
Hello, Im getting married in September in Italy, to an Italian. Im American, and my soon-to-be wife is Italian. Were hoping to start our life in the US as soon as possible, and I was wondering what the best (and fastest) process to go through would be.
Do we have to apply for an Immigrant Visa / Green Card from Italy, or is there some way we can come to the US and apply from here?
Thank you for your help.
Fiancee visa (K-1)
Unless you live in Italy, in which case directly going for a green card via DCF (Direct Consular Filing) may be possible.
She can apply for a fiancee visa even if we will already be married?
She can apply for a fiancee visa even if we will already be married?
No. You would have to delay the marriage until after she completes the fiancee visa formalities and arrives in the US.
But in terms of bringing her to the US, the fiancee visa is faster than interviewing for a green card through the consulate. The fiancee visa process takes about half as much time (3-6 months instead of 6-12 months). And you can file for the fiancee visa right away, instead of in September after you get married.
After entering the US with the fiancee visa she would still have to file for adjustment of status to get a green card, whereas after consular processing for the green card she would instantly become a permanent resident upon admission to the US. So with the fiancee visa route it may take just as long overall to complete the green card process. But the fiancee visa still brings her to the US faster, allowing her to complete the last major stage in the US instead of waiting outside the US for a consular interview.