US Immigration from Colombia

Hello, all.

To make a long story short, I am a US citizen and my husband has been in the US as a permanent resident since May of 2023. We were married in Colombia in 2019, began his process of immigrating under the CR-1 Visa program, which eventually became an IR-1 during the long delays of the pandemic, and he was issued a Green Card around the time he relocated here in 2023. It was a long road, and now we may have more to do.

Considering the current political climate, especially as it relates to immigration and LGBTQ+ rights, we are thinking about what steps we need to take in order to protect our marriage and his immigration status in the (seemingly likely) event that Obergefell v. Hodges (2015) is overturned, perhaps as soon as this Summer. My understanding is that this would send the issue of same-sex marriage back to the states, and being in Georgia, it's likely same-sex marriage would once again become illegal here. Fortunately, for now, the language of the Respect for Marriage Act (2022) should protect a certificate that we obtain in a reliably blue state. So, we're thinking of doing just that. But, I have some questions that I have not been able to answer with my research so far.

1. Can anyone confirm that our Colombian certificate would, indeed, be nullified if same-sex marriage becomes illegal in the state of Georgia? I'm pretty confident the answer would be yes, even in spite of the Respect for Marriage Act, but have not been able to confirm for sure.
2. Would there be any problem having both our Colombian certificate and a US certificate issued by, say, the state of California? I've seen that requirements for marriage licenses/certificates explicitly state that you cannot already be married, of course. But I have not been able to determine if this applies to foreign certificates.
   • If it would pose a problem, what would we need to do?
3. Once we have said US marriage certificate, would we need to provide any updates to any immigration authorities?

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you all and stay resilient in these uncertain times.

Derek & JP

My wife is now in the fourth year of waiting for her AOS. We filed this past September (2024) for the renewal of her work authorization (which she received) and advanced parole, which hasn t been received and could be another year of waiting. We re contemplating going to speak with an immigration lawyer about our case to see what we should do. We live in South Florida (Fort Lauderdale area), looking for any recommendations for attorneys.

Hello everybody!
First of all, big thanks to this fantastic community! It s been incredibly helpful since I started my visa journey.

I d love to hear from fellow Latino green card holders about their recent experiences with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) when returning to the U.S. in 2025 especially after long trips of 4 to 6 months.

Also, has anyone re-entered recently while their re-entry permit was still in process? Was presenting the I-131 receipt enough?

Not gonna lie, I m a bit concerned about the possible changes in immigration policies and how the new administration s stance on immigration might affect our experience traveling and returning to the U.S. as green card holders.

Here s my case and most recent experience:

• My IR1 visa was approved in May 2024, and I entered the U.S. for the first time three weeks later, staying for two weeks.
• Due to work, my family and I couldn t move right away and will only be able to relocate permanently in May 2025.
• During my first U.S. entry, I explained this to the officer, who said it wasn t an issue since it was under 12 months. He mentioned the re-entry permit for those staying abroad over a year and advised me to keep my work contract handy for future CBP inspections.
• I returned to the U.S. in December 2024, after 175 days abroad (almost 6 months). The CBP officer questioned why I wasn t permanently living in the U.S. yet. He was pretty intense and seemed surprised by my time outside the country.
• He warned me that my situation could be flagged for abandonment and that I might have to go before a judge to prove I hadn t given up my residency. After I explained my circumstances, he strongly recommended applying for a re-entry permit. Even though I wasn t planning to be out for over a year, and I was set to move in less than five months from that day. He mentioned that "upcoming immigration policy changes could make this step even more necessary."
• My lawyer believes that the officer likely flagged me in the system, so I went ahead and applied for the re-entry permit. However, processing takes 14.5 months. USCIS and my lawyer confirmed that I can travel after biometrics and just carry the I-131 receipt as proof that my permit is in process.

Now, my big question is: What are other green card holders experiencing when re-entering the U.S.?

The officer s warning about upcoming immigration policy changes has me wondering what s coming next. Has anyone faced similar questioning at CBP? I d love to hear your stories, insights, and any advice!

Thanks in advance! Looking forward to your thoughts.

Hi!!!

I need help doing the I-751. What do I need to include in the package. I am very confuse, the payment for this form is $750.00? Do I need to include Biometrics too or not? Please Help!

My wife had filed for the renewal of her work authorization and advanced parole, because she's still waiting after three years for the AOS process for the green card. She received the work authorization, but not the advanced parole renewal, which could take up to a year.

She has an elderly family member (whom raised her after her biological mother abandoned her) that is at the end of life. My wife says she will leave to attend the funeral, with or without the travel permit. I'm trying to get her to get emergency travel authorization, the paperwork from home is slow. What can of worms will open due to her leaving without the travel authorization? I'm hoping that she will not have to restart the process.

We're really frustrated with the lack of progress, while others get their green cards within a year of arriving.