Foreign Spouses & Relatives

Finding out the immigration laws that will allow your spouse or relative into the United States can sometimes be challenging, since the regulations change often. Finding an immigration lawyer in your state may be best, so that you can go through the procedure step by step with a professional.

You should find out the 'rules' for immigration if your relative, husband, or wife is coming to the United States to obtain citizenship or to work, but permission also has to be granted for individuals to come to the United States as tourists, or will be attending school in America. All permission for immigrants to enter the country is granted by the Immigration and Naturalization Services, which is a branch of U.S. Department of Justice. In most cases, your relative or spouse will receive a visa from his/her home country's representative for American Embassy. Or, foreign relatives can enter the country under the Visa Waiver Pilot Program, if they are coming from countries such as Canada, Japan, or Paris. With a valid passport, relatives can stay in the United States for up to 90 days.

It is easiest to bring a relative to the United States if they have intentions of working or going to school full-time in the country. If your relative or spouse already has a college degree, and wants to come to the United States to work, a H1-B visa must be obtained. The relative must have a sponsoring employer, and the job must require that the employee have a college degree (a Bachelor's or higher). With an H1-B visa, foreigners are allowed to stay in the United States for up to six years. This is the option most individuals choose, and those who stay in the country for work related reasons usually end up applying for United States citizenship.

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