F2B - received visa last week. Am I allowed to get married?

[Colbert Report 5]

I should point out that I'm totally single and have no intention of getting married anytime soon, but should I choose to do so, is it allowed?

I have received Permanent Resident status and just have to go over the border now to activate it, I have until April 3 2015. Am I allowed to get married whenever I want or will that affect my visa? If not, how long would I have to wait? I believe the PR is good for ten years. I'm assuming that I just wasn't allowed to get married while I was waiting for the visa to be approved as it is for "unmarried sons or daughters of US permanent residents over the age of 21".

Thanks.

[Bertoli 16]

I should point out that I'm totally single and have no intention of getting married anytime soon, but should I choose to do so, is it allowed?

I have received Permanent Resident status and just have to go over the border now to activate it, I have until April 3 2015. Am I allowed to get married whenever I want or will that affect my visa? If not, how long would I have to wait? I believe the PR is good for ten years. I'm assuming that I just wasn't allowed to get married while I was waiting for the visa to be approved as it is for "unmarried sons or daughters of US permanent residents over the age of 21".

Thanks.

Following to join benefit applies only in the following cases:

- Immigrated based on DV lotery

-Immigrated based on Employment

-Immigrated based on your relationship to US Citisen sibiling

-Immigrated based on your relationship to US Citizen parents

Since non of the above applies to your case (you received your visa based on relationship to LPR parents) then If you decide to get married you will have to fill out a F2A category petition with USCIS for your future wife and then go through the NVC process and finally interview at US Embassy. This process may take up to 2-3 years based on current trends. Alternatively, you can meet your future wife if she is already in the US, in which case she will have to go through adjustment of status should she be on a non immigrant visa.

[Merrytooth 5,748]

I should point out that I'm totally single and have no intention of getting married anytime soon, but should I choose to do so, is it allowed?

I have received Permanent Resident status and just have to go over the border now to activate it, I have until April 3 2015. Am I allowed to get married whenever I want or will that affect my visa? If not, how long would I have to wait? I believe the PR is good for ten years. I'm assuming that I just wasn't allowed to get married while I was waiting for the visa to be approved as it is for "unmarried sons or daughters of US permanent residents over the age of 21".

Thanks.

Do not make the mistake of getting married before getting the green card. Marriage before the green card disqualifies you from using a visa for an unmarried beneficiary.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

You must make your first entry into the US with the visa being still single. Otherwise you will lose the visa.

[belinda63 3,047]

The visa which is what you currently have is for unmarried children. If you marry prior to using the visa you will no longer be "unmarried" and the visa will become void. If you marry and lie about it to gain entry to the US on your visa they will find out and you will be deported.

Any marriage must happen after you enter the US for the first time, thus using the visa which is for unmarried people, then you can leave and marry and return using your green card.

[Colbert Report 5]

Thanks for the replies. As I said, I'm not even seeing anyone right now, so no danger I'll get married before I use the visa. What I'm asking is if it is okay to get married at any point after I make entry to the United States? The visa is good for ten years (I believe) and I'd like to think I'll get married at some point in the next ten years.

[belinda63 3,047]

Confusion of terms. The visa is the item in your passport. It allows you to make one entry into the US for immigration purposes. When you enter you should make it a point to inform border inspection that you are entering on the immigrant visa so they can give you a stamp in your passport as a temporary "green card" and enter into their computer that you have entered the US. Once the ELIS fee is paid (around $165 or $185) your green card will be produced and mailed to the address you provided.

The green card is a card, independent of your passport, that proves you are an LPR.

So visa, in the passport= one-time use for US entry. Stamp, in your passport, after US entry=temporary green card. Physical green card=permanent proof you are an LPR.

[yannix 24]

Just to add some details to clarify your 10 years statement:

The green card (the card itself) is valid for 10 years but that doesn't mean you lose your LPR status after 10 years. As long as you do anything to "abandon" your LPR status, you can keep renewing the card. Think of it like a passport, you are renewing the DOCUMENT every N years and not your citizenship.