Fiancé(e) Visa vs. Spousal Immigrant Visa – Which one should we choose?
March 8th, 2012 by Nisha Fontaine
As immigration attorneys, we are often posed with this very question by couples who have recently become engaged and are trying to determine how to begin their life together in the United States. These couples have the following in common: one is a U.S. citizen and the other is a foreign national, who is usually residing outside the United States.
While immigration concerns influence a couple’s decision in deciding which course to pursue, the overriding factors usually revolve around a desire to be together in the U.S. as soon as possible, their wedding plans (whether in the U.S., in the foreign national’s home country, or elsewhere in the world), their immediate family’s availability to attend a wedding in either country, observance of cultural norms, employment concerns, ability to see each other during the adjudication process, ability to travel internationally, etc.
The attached presentation summarizes some of the primary differences between the two processes. However, because each couple is unique and their circumstances vary, these couples may want to consider scheduling a consultation with our office to have us review the processes with them in detail, address their specific concerns regarding each process, and help them determine which process best suits their individual needs. Our firm is happy to provide these consultations via conference calls so that both the U.S. citizen and foreign national fiancé(e) have an opportunity to speak to our attorneys.
Fiance(e) Visa vs Spousal Immigrant Visa
