In this episode of Immigration Law for Tech Startups, I’m thrilled to be joined by my amazing law partner, Anita Koumriqian, who is an expert in family immigration law and coincidentally, just got engaged! Congrats, Anita, we’re so happy for you!
Anita and I will discuss how individuals can go through the immigration process based on love and marriage: We talk about how green card holders and U.S. citizens can sponsor their spouses for a green card, as well as how U.S. citizens can sponsor their fiancé for a visa to get married in the United States.
“Wedding planning is already stressful,” says Anita. “I really feel for people, who on top of wedding planning have to do immigration planning and figure out timing, like postponing their honeymoon until they have a travel document.”
Get our new infographic handout on the Path to a Green Card, which puts everything in perspective and offers a timeline for Bay Area immigration offices. Be sure to check out our other immigration resources below.
Anything we can do to help individuals make a better life here in the U.S. and follow their passion will benefit all of us. Please share this episode with investors, companies, startup founders, or anyone who can benefit from it. Reach out to us if you have any questions. We can help you determine your best immigration options whether you’re in the U.S. or abroad.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
- Why we ask all employment-based green card candidates if they’re in a relationship
- Which process is quicker: a marriage-based green card or an employment-based green card
- The benefits of a marriage-based green card
- The K-1 visa, who qualifies, and when it makes sense to pursue
- Why it’s important to talk to an experienced immigration attorney
- Why it matters if the person needing a green card is inside or outside of the U.S.
- What you should keep in mind if you’re in the U.S. on a B-1 or B-2 visitor visa and you marry a U.S. citizen or green card holder
- What to do if a married couple wants to move to the U.S. from abroad
- Immigrant intent
- The financial requirements for sponsoring a spouse for a green card
- The process for applying for a marriage-based green card
- What to expect during a marriage-based green card interview and what U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers think about people who bring an attorney with them to their interview
- The latest on processing delays due to COVID-19 and new and potential changes to the green card process under the Biden administration
Don’t miss my upcoming conversations with top Silicon Valley venture capitalists, startup founders, professors, futurists, and thought leaders on Immigration Law for Tech Startups. Subscribe to this podcast here or on your favorite platform. As always, we welcome your rating and review of this podcast. We appreciate your feedback!
Resources:
Founder Law publications and courses:
- Path to a Green Card
- Subscribe to the Founder Law Newsletter
- Immigration Law for Tech Startups eBook
- Extraordinary Ability Bootcamp course for best practices for securing the O-1A visa, EB-1A green card, or the EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) green card—the top options for startup founders. Use promotion code ILTS for 20% off the enrollment fee.
Immigration Law for Tech Startups Podcasts