US green card through marriage question

[xxfunguyxx]

Hello everyone,

I m new here and in need of help. I am a Canadian citizen who has had a US green card for 4 years now. In on more year,2010, I am going to apply for my U.S. citizenship. However, this year, 2009, I would like to marry my girlfriend who is a Chinese citizen. I want her to become a US permanent resident as soon as possible when we marry.

I was wondering if it made any difference if I marry her before or after I get my U.S. citizenship in terms of her trying to get her U.S. green card through our marriage? Should I wait till I get my U.S. citizenship before I marry her or is it okay for us to marry, and then for her to apply for her US green card in 2010 when I am a US citizen? thanks

 

[Jackolantern]

If you are married to her for at least 2 years at the time of the green card interview, she will get a 10-year green card instead of an 2-year conditional card (which involves another process to change to the 10-year card). So that is one benefit of marrying early.

One downside of marrying soon is that she may have problems with obtaining or using a visitor or student visa to enter the US, because spouses of US citizens and permanent residents have a high rate of visa overstay.