How to Find Someone to Marry for a Green Card—Insights from S. L. Lloyd 

Stacey Laura Lloyd

October 31, 2025

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People often whisper about a green card marriage as if it were an easy ticket to life in America. After two decades studying international dating, I’ve seen the truth: the path is long, emotional, and full of rules that protect both love and law. Together with the datersearch.com team, we will take a deeper peek at bona fide marriage, its regulations, and particularities. If your union is going to be entered into in good faith, not solely for immigration purposes, this information will be useful for you. 

What You Need to Know Before You Apply for a Green Card

The process of a green card application is rather complicated and lengthy, so each couple should plan it beforehand to save time and effort. Both of you should be as authentic as possible, whether you are undergoing the interview or providing a piece of evidence that your relationship is real. 

The marriage-based green card process begins like this. These are steps I usually explain to my clients involved in international relationships. 

• The U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse files Form I-130, proving the relationship is real.
• The foreign partner submits Form I-485 to initiate an adjustment of status process if already living in the U.S., or applies for a K-1 visa abroad.
• Both partners need to provide supporting documentation, such as a marriage certificate, birth certificate, bank account info, and lease agreements.
• After processing, the couple attends the green card interview, where officers ask direct questions about their relationship — from how they met to how bills are paid.

If you are married for less than two years, an immigrant spouse receives a conditional green card. After that, a married couple must jointly file Form I-751 by applying for a petition to remove the conditions. This process also includes providing proof that your marriage is genuine. 

Extra Tips from S. L. Lloyd: Pre-Applying Procedure Explained 

My clients often ask me how to prepare properly for a marriage interview and make the overall immigration process smooth and hassle-free. That is why I compiled the tips that will help you make your bona fide marriage process easier. 

• Gather proof early — photos, travel records, messages. Even if you communicate online, you can provide screenshots of your conversations to highlight the authenticity of their marriage. 
• Keep copies of everything. Whether it is a ticket to your spouse’s home country or a hotel booking for your vacation together, each aspect is essential when applying for a marriage green card. 
• Be ready for a lengthy green card process, which may stretch months. Getting a K-1 visa alone may take up to 18 months. 
• Consider consulting an immigration attorney or reputable citizenship and immigration services if unsure about the paperwork.

Unless you want to risk delays or denials, you shouldn’t skip these steps. USCIS checks whether a marriage is fraudulent, and penalties can include deportation or criminal charges. That’s why each step for achieving a green card in the U.S. should be well-elaborated, and there is no need to rush. 

How to Become a Green Card Holder?—Practical Tips from My Experience

After years of interviewing couples, I’ve learned that the hardest part isn’t handling an application process and filling forms — it’s keeping the relationship strong while doing it. Long queues, background checks, and document requests can test even the happiest couples.

I once worked with a couple who met on a dating site. They lived apart for two years before marrying and living in the U.S. Every visit, they collected boarding passes, hotel receipts, and photos — not for bureaucracy, but because these small memories would prove later that their marriage is real. When they finally sat at their green card through marriage interview, those details they’d gathered were really helpful.

Before marriage, your future spouse will probably live outside the U.S. Here is what my clients shared with me. These ways they handle the distance and grow their love. 

• Talk daily, even briefly. If your future spouse lives outside the country, it will help you grow your connection. 
• Share finances where possible. Open a joint bank account or plan future expenses together.
• Keep your stories consistent and truthful. It will help refute the fact that you marry someone just to get a green card. 

My clients say that these efforts return when their spouses become a lawful permanent resident. All you need is consistency in your steps to acquire a green card. 

What Happens After Marrying a U.S. Citizen

After marrying a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, it is necessary to proceed with a green card application for a lawful permanent resident spouse. Here’s what you need to know about this process. 

• The U.S. spouse acts as the sponsor and submits a copy of the sponsor’s green card or passport to prove eligibility. 
• Together, both partners complete forms and collect evidence, and go through the immigration process in the country (constant checks by local authorities). 
• To become a permanent resident, a foreign spouse should provide an adjustment of status and a naturalization certificate. 
• The marriage green card typically is issued for those who managed to prove the authenticity of their union, and when the marriage fraud wasn’t detected. 
• After 9 months of residence in the U.S., a foreign spouse can get a job permit and obtain a green card. 

Those of my clients who have already gone through all these challenges say that this path is worth the effort. A marriage-based green card gives many rights to a foreign spouse, which ensures stability and a real chance to build a steady family life in the U.S. 

What Happens If the Marriage Ends

When a marriage ends before the card expires, things become more complicated. Normally, both partners — the citizen or green card holder and the foreign spouse — must file a petition to remove conditions together. Still, it shouldn’t be right after marriage since local authorities can suspect that you’ve been married for a green card and your union is a fraud. 

If the couple separates or divorces, the immigrant can still file the petition to remove alone. In that case, the foreigner must prove the relationship was real and not a marriage of convenience. If they cannot find enough evidence of living together (the same bank account, photos, or leases), the request may face extra attention. 

Suffice it to say, all foreign spouses are protected by governmental acts such as IMBRA (International Marriage Broker Regulation Act of 2005) and VAWA (Violence Against Women Act of 1994). They can be applicable even after the marriage ends to protect those spouses who become victims of family violence or unfair behavior. It means that even after a divorce, a foreign citizen is eligible to stay and work in the U.S. 

Real Case from My Professional Life

I would like to share my experience of interaction with a couple of a Polish woman marrying a U.S. man. They had just received the permanent green card. She laughed, showing me the envelope like a diploma. They shared that, first off, they were focused on paperwork only. Nevertheless, it was rather exhausting to go through the long processing time and interviews. What helped them was the mutual support and the fact that they understood each other. 

One of their immigration benefit was that over time, a Polish woman could qualify for a green card and apply for U.S. citizenship. For this couple, it wasn’t only about legalizing their marriage, but also about building a future on evidence of care. For me, the lesson from this case is as follows, and that is what I always cover during the sessions with my clients. If you are searching for someone to marry, ask yourself first: would you choose this person if no documents were involved? Because in the eyes of the law, and in real life, that is the only answer that ever truly matters when marrying a green card holder or a permanent citizen. 

Final Thought

In my consulting work, I often return to a single idea: love and law share one demand — proof. No matter of number of green cards available, the government will never go against the law and real relationships. That is why, if you are seriously inclined, it is necessary to consider an immigration process in advance. 

The most important thing to understand is that international couples’ struggles won’t end after obtaining their green card. Your spouse will need to put in effort and devote time to align with American laws and become a permanent citizen. Nevertheless, all these challenges are worth overcoming. In return, you will get a stable life and a strong relationship with your significant other. 

Stacey Laura Lloyd