Citizen applying for wife who lives in different state

[greenhouse98]

Hi,

So I'll be becoming a US citizen soon (I hope) and right after I do I would like to apply for a green card for my wife. I have some questions, I hope you can answer:

1) Since I live in California and my wife in NY (doing her medical residency), where will the GC interview be? Do I have a choice in this? I haven't seen the application forms yet, but is which address do I put in?

2) How long will the whole process take (including a work permit)? She is currently on H-1B.

3) Will us not living together be a problem? She is on my health care and life insurance, also my name is on her bank account and car insurance.

4) We got married abroad, we came to the US together, she on her visitor visa and me on my GC. But she already had medical residency interviews lined up before we got married. Will that be a issue? I dont want USCIS to think that my wife came here to live illegally, which she never was.

Any ideas would help a lot, I have no clue when and where to start; should I get a lawyer?

Also

 

[Jackolantern]

The entire process for marriage-based green cards is usually completed within a year if a US citizen is the sponsor. Expect 2-3 months for the work permit (EAD) to be approved after filing the I-485 and I-765.

4) We got married abroad, we came to the US together, she on her visitor visa and me on my GC. But she already had medical residency interviews lined up before we got married. Will that be a issue? I dont want USCIS to think that my wife came here to live illegally, which she never was.

Shouldn't be an issue, she has an H1B now, which allows immigrant intent.