How much is the overall cost to get a citizen legalized in the USA?
Answer:
My husband is English as well and we just paid an attorney about $3200. That was for everything so that he can work and travel. Assuming he is married to an American, he needs to take his visa to an attorney who will file all the paperwork. If he doesnt have a visa, have him fly home and then back into the US on a visitors visa. The attorney will use that to file his paperwork. He'll get an appointment in about 2 months for his fingerprints and then after a few more weeks he will get permission to get a SS card. Once that is done, an interview will be conducted in about a year and then, as long as everything is ok, he will be given a greencard.
Is he legal? If not, go home and start the process the right way. I don't care where they come from. If they aren't here LEGALLY, they shouldn't be here.
As for cost, I have no idea but he shouldn't be thinking about that until he starts the process RIGHT.
With a good attorney... Probably about $3,500
I'm not sure about the US. But I did move from the USA to the UK about two years ago. And the overall cost was $4600. Between the cost of the passpor the visa and the money to keep me going for about a month. You must show you have funds to support your self too. And I know that green cards are VERY hard to get. I hope that helped. I figure it should be around the same amount of money
$25,000
If he came in with a tourist visa or visa waiver and married a U.S. Citizen he will pay:
I-130 = $190.00
I-485 = $325.00
Biometric fee = $70.00
I-765 = $180 (optional)
Medical Exam = $200.00 - 300.00 depending on the immigration approved physician.
Form preparation if he uses an attorney anywhere from $1,500 on up, depending on the attorney's ego. But contact me and I can offer a better price for the preparation services.
What ever he does don't let him fly back to UK, if the immigration/customs find out he is married to a U.S. citizen he could be refused entry due to what would be considered circumventing immigration procedures.
My husband has been in NY from the UK for 7 years. We've spent over $20,000 already and he still does not have his green card yet.
I have been involved in this legalization question a number of times, from a number of perspectives.
I married an non-American who is now an American. Our daughter (my stepdaughter), who is an adult, now has a green card. My cousin married a non-American who was legalized during the process.
The one thing I can tell you is that unless you are absolutely and completely incompetent, you do NOT need a lawyer, and you do not need to spend the money associated with one.
Everything we did was simple, and the US immigration officials were happy to advise us every step of the way. It took a little time, you had to fill in some forms (not all that complicated), but everything moved along to a favorable conclusion.
So, if you want to keep your costs down DO NOT LISTEN TO ANYONE WHO SAYS YOU NEED A LAWYER. That is why people are saying it is expensive. Once they are on the case the cash register rings without ceasing.
If you have a felony conviction, a narcotics violation, etc. or if you have been already rejected for some spurious reason, OK, get a lawyer. But, if you are an honest, upstanding citizen of anywhere able to read and write English and with a reasonable level of intelligence, PLEASE do it on your own. We have done it 3 times and with no problems at all. The US immigration people are so happy to find someone who wants to do it according to the rules that they fall over themselves to give you any advice you need.
well, when you say legalized...i don't know what you mean. he has to have entered the country legally, and must currently have legal status. if you mean he wants to become a permanent legal resident...well, if he's married, he would well be into that already. from the beginning...it will cost about 1200 without an attorney. but be quick, because the fees are about the TRIPLE if the new bills is approved.
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