How to use this resource

It’s not going to be much fun to sit down and read through this entire resource and I don’t recommend you do so. Not surprisingly, I’ve presented the sections in the order that they’ll be most useful to you.

Presumably, you are reading this resource because you are considering initiating a marriage or fiancee immigration case. Start with Choosing the right strategy to help you understand which of the three potential strategies is the best fit for your situation. Then head over to Overview of the three options. I recommend reviewing not just the strategy that you will be pursuing. Read through the summary of the other processes as well so that you can understand the differences.

You’ll then want to take a careful look at Understanding “inadmissibility.” These rules apply for all three of the strategies discussed in this resource. Before you proceed any further you need to assess whether you have a potential issue with any of these many grounds of inadmissibility.

Next, head over to the section that addresses the strategy you are going to be pursuing: Fiancee visas, Marriage visas, or Adjustment of status. Review the eligibility sub-section carefully to ensure that you meet the requirements to proceed. Then read through the sub-sections that walk you through the procedural steps that will be required – it’s good to get this lay of the land before you put your head down to get started on paperwork.

Now it’s time to actually move forward with your actual paperwork.

Start with our Document checklists – we shared lists for each of the three strategies. You can then begin drafting your initial legal forms. I provide line-by-line instructions for every form you’ll need to prepare, describing common points of confusion. At this point, you’ll want to carefully read through our Preparing USCIS packets section to hear all of our pointers about preparing an error-free and rule-compliant filing.

If you are working on a marriage or fiancee visa case, you’ll later want to review our National Visa Center & Consulate section after your initial visa petition is approved. This will walk you step-by-step through the confusing application process with the Department of State.

As you work through your case, use our Appendix as a reference to clarify confusing terminology.

And lastly, if you have a question just leave a question in the comments.