L1 to Green Card - Adjustment of Status and Alien Relative.

[Colorado 0]

Hi

I'm from India and working in USA on L1 visa and making 45+K.

I met my wife(US Citizen) in 2008 and in 2010 we married and blessed with a baby girl. My L1 visa is valid till 2012 but as we married last September 2010, I need to look into how I can get my status changed from L1 to Green Card holder. We planned to get it earlier but it got delayed as we went to meet relatives and then X-mas holidays came, so I need to work on it as soon as possible.

My case:

1. I'm working and making 60+K annually. Have my tax returns for 2008/2009. Yet to file my 2010 tax return jointly with my wife.

2. My wife is a housewife (as baby is infant).

3. I'm currently staying with my In laws (i.e. my wife family where her father/mother/sister lives) so as I don't pay extra for monthly appartment rent and spend more time with family.

4. My wife is not working thus she don't earn.

My questions are as follows:

1. As I got married here in USA, last Sept 2010, do I need to update some authority/govt. body here in USA to update my marital status? How soon I should have done that, can I go directly with filing for Alien Relative and Adjustment of status to get green card?

2. As my wife is not earning, what can I do for sponsorship. I assume that I'm earning good and can support my family (wife/baby) easily, so do I need someone to sponsor me (I'm already in USA, working on L1 visa). Can someone else sponsor me (i.e. in my in law family) if it's a must requirement for someone to sponsor me.

3. Where should I go to find information/help to get this process (Changing my status from L1 to Green Card holder) started? Do I need to some govt. office (like court house) or find some lawyer.

4. How much on average a lawyer charge for such cases?

5. What information/help Visajourney team can help me

6. I recently got my full health check up in June 2010, do I need to get a new "health check". Pls advise, so that i can check with my insurance company.

7. Will it going to affect anything as I haven't started my GC processing so far since my marriage?

8. Please advise if I missed something that I should prepare/check before starting this process.

Please advise, thanks a lot.

[YuAndDan 153]

Moving to AOS from WORK/Student/Tourist visa forum

You will be filing an I-485 and I-130 together to AOS based on marriage to a US Citizen.

Guides: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?autocom=custom&page=i130guide2

1) No

2) Wife still provides an I-864 as primary sponsor, and you can add your income, to hers, attach a copy of JOINT IRS tax return to show income.

3) Nope, see the above guide.

4) You can do it yourself, this is a straight forward thing, you have no problems with intent, you are here on a work visa.

5) GUIDES

6) Is it an I-693? If so it can be used when adjusting status, if not, then you will need to visit a US Civil Surgeon and get a full medical done and recorded on an I-693

7) Nope, you are in the country legally

8) Read Guides.