K-1 Visa to Green Card
Thinking your fiancé(e) gets US citizenship with a K-1 visa? Not quite! Here's the real process:
1. Enter on K-1 Visa: Your fiancé(e) comes to the US on a K-1 visa to get married within 90 days.
2. Get Married & Apply for Green Card: After marriage, file Form I-485 to adjust their status to green card holder.
3. Conditional Green Card (if married less than 2 years): This requires removing conditions later.
4. Remove Conditions (Form I-751): File jointly to remove conditions on the green card before it expires.
5. Permanent Residence: Once conditions are removed, your fiancé(e) becomes a permanent resident.
6. Path to Citizenship: After meeting residency requirements (usually 5 years), they can apply for citizenship through naturalization (Form N-400).
Remember: The K-1 visa leads to marriage and green card, not direct citizenship. Citizenship is a separate process after meeting residency requirements.