Processing time for spouse - greencard

[ChicagoCouple]

I am here on student visa - F1, currently on my OPT. My EAD card is valid till Feb 20th, 2011. My fiance is a US citizen. So my fiance and I have a few questions on getting married and how it affects my visa. We are planning to get married on Jan 16th, 2011. We will get the marriage certificate on Jan 24 (approximately) and we will send out an application for my greeencard on 24th (after receiving the marriage certificate) - I-130 and I-864 for Kushan and I- 485 for me for adjustment of status.

Here are a few questions:

* How long will the entire process take - until I get my green card?
* What if my status is not updated or we don't hear from USCIS before my EAD card expires on Feb 20th? What do we do then?
* Once I get my conditional basis Green Card, will there be any travel restrictions on it?

 

[BigJoe5]

You can file an I-765 and I-131 with the I-485 (all one price). Once you have confirmation of I-485 and I-765 receipt, you are legal to work before getting the EAD card because you are filing as the spouse of a USC. Once I-485 is filed do not depart U.S. without advance parole or I-485 is denied and you bare stuck doing Consular Processing.

A CPR who applies for a re-entry permit (REP) will not get one with an expiration date that exceeds the conditional card expiration date. In all other respects, a CPR is treated the same as any other LPR and should not stay abroad for long periods of time without advance persmission (REP) as that may be viewed as abandonment of status.

Processing time is heavily influenced by workload of local office. USCIS Offices post processing times online.