marrying a green card holder

[dokbogs]

need HELP...
my live-in partner for 20 years is a green card holder now (very recent, november 2018 to be exact).
our problem is...
how can i legally stay in the US?
can we get married in US? (i have a tourist visa)
i have been in the US three times already for a short vacation.
if we get married, can i stay in the US legally?

[krypton9591]

How have you lived in the US for 20 years with your Live-In partner but only entered 3 times?

[newacct]

need HELP...
my live-in partner for 20 years is a green card holder now (very recent, november 2018 to be exact).
our problem is...
how can i legally stay in the US?
can we get married in US? (i have a tourist visa)
i have been in the US three times already for a short vacation.
if we get married, can i stay in the US legally?

Ooo, you might have just missed the simplest opportunity to immigrate. If your partner was immigrating as a principal beneficiary in a category that allowed derivative beneficiaries, and you married before he/she became a permanent resident, you can immigrate as his/her derivative beneficiary with likely no wait for visa numbers. But now that he's already a permanent resident, if you marry, and your spouse petitions for you as the spouse of a permanent resident, you would be in the F2A category, which has a 2-year wait for visa numbers. During this time you have no special ability to enter or stay in the US; you can try to visit, as always, if you can convince the officer that you will leave on time.

[dokbogs]

Ooo, you might have just missed the simplest opportunity to immigrate. If your partner was immigrating as a principal beneficiary in a category that allowed derivative beneficiaries, and you married before he/she became a permanent resident, you can immigrate as his/her derivative beneficiary with likely no wait for visa numbers. But now that he's already a permanent resident, if you marry, and your spouse petitions for you as the spouse of a permanent resident, you would be in the F2A category, which has a 2-year wait for visa numbers. During this time you have no special ability to enter or stay in the US; you can try to visit, as always, if you can convince the officer that you will leave on time.

thank you so much for your reply. :-)