Visa Approved 90 days to marry?

[dinkum]

After 12 months of paperwork and 7 trips back and fourth to Thailand my fiancee came back with me July 18. We are now planning our wedding and getting ready for the next round of paperwork.
Since then I have taken a position that allows me to live anywhere is SE Asia. So I was wondering what is the quickest way to obtain her permanent residence and allows us to travel back and fourth together from America to Thailand as we plan on living here and there.

[knowledgeable]

Your own status needs to be known ..

... whether you're a permanent resident or an United States citizen?

[dinkum]

I am a US citizen my finacee/wife is from Thailand.

[knowledgeable]

Since you're an USC ..

... it'll be easier for you.

Just use advance search in these forums and you'll get plenty of useful information.

Good luck.

[nichole]

So I was wondering what is the quickest way to obtain her permanent residence and allows us to travel back and fourth together from America to Thailand as we plan on living here and there.

There is no shortcut. You file the papers and wait in line. The sooner you get married, the sooner you get in line.

When you file for Adjustment of Status, you can apply for Advance Parole which is a travel document that allows entry back into the US while the green card is processing. If you file the forms together, you only have to pay the fee for the AOS. The travel document should come faster than the green card, but it may take 2-3 months. She should not leave the US until she has the AP or the green card.

[dinkum]

Thank You for your help!

So if I am reading all this correctly we file I485 pay the fee $930.00 + $80.00 total $1,100.00 and then we can also file with it the I-765 application for employment and the I-131 form for travel and there are no additional fees if everything is filed at the same time?
Once all this happens it takes around 2-3 months for paperwork to be completed?

After that we will need to get her a SSN and drivers lincense and then she can also travel freely from america back and fourth to Thailand?

[nichole]

You are correct about filing all 3 together. They will process and get to you at different times, with the green card usually taking the longest because of additional FBI checks, biometrics, interview, etc. The Advance Parole document is meant more for emergencies, like her mother got very ill, so I don't think it's best to use it like a passport to go in and out of the country many times because she is still subject to whether the Customs agent allows her back in. It is always most safe to have the green card. When you say "travel freely" it sounds like you want to travel often and for long periods, which isn't the intent of the AP document as I understand it. You can "travel" with it, but the green card allows you to "travel freely."

She can get a Social Security card after about 2 weeks in the country. It can be even before marriage, but it will not be issued in her married name and will require going back and changing the name later. You only have to wait for the information in the brown envelope she turns in at the airport to be entered into the system. Allow 2 weeks. Once that's there, she can get the SSN. Having the card does not mean she is authorized to work. She still needs the EAD.

A driver's license depends on the state where you reside so there's 50 sets of rules in the US. Look up the rules for your state. In my state, my fiance can use his UK license to drive legally for 12 months.

[dinkum]

Nichole,

Thank you for your help, so the work permit can take 2-3 months and the green card up to 8 months from what I have been able to research is that correct?
What office is responsible for issueing a SSN?

[nichole]

The Social Security Administration. http://www.ssa.gov/
There are local offices all over. Find one on the website. My closest is in the next town. That's where you apply in person. I went to mine once and got an appointment online before I went. Often people just go and wait in line for a turn. They are always busy and often take a long time to answer the phone.

I think you're probably right on the other timelines. However I have seen a few people recently getting a green card in maybe 4 months. Sometimes they just send the green card without the interview. They go do the fingerprint thing and are waiting to get an interview, but they get the card instead. I don't know how or why some people are special, or maybe they don't see any reason to question their relationship so just skip that part.

I haven't married yet, so I'm not totally up on the AOS thing, but I've been reading alot to be prepared.