Soon to be citizen, and married... filing for wife

kukumjacka

Registered Users (C)
I will apply for citizenship on March 7. My gf are planning to get married but we're a bit confused as to when to file for her GC.
She's a Singapore citizen, born in China and currently in the US via F1 OPT, expiring in mid July. Per the terms of her OPT, post expiration she has 60 days to depart, so essentially her status expires mid September. I know we can perform the ceremony at city hall pretty much any time, but the question is when to file.

If we file before my N-400 her application would go in the F2A category which is a long wait. I know I can upgrade her application once my citizenship is approved, but I am thinking if it's better to wait for us to wait until I have the certificate in hand before filing. I know that'll take some time, probably around July/August. So my options are:
1. wait to become citizen then file
2. file now and declare my marriage in the N-400 application, then upgrade it later

Any benefits/drawbacks to either?
 
I would say wait until you become a citizen to file, because even if petition her under F2A now it's not likely she'll be able to file I-485 before you become a citizen anyway.
 
That's what I was thinking as well. As for the marriage itself, I'm thinking to do it after my interview. That way I eliminate unnecessary questions from the IO.
 
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