Being married to a citizen of the United States as a Dominican Republican gives you a direct path to US residency. Marriage to a US citizen or green card holder gives you access to an immigrant visa based on marriage.
Meanwhile, the regulations vary according to country; your application will be governed by the laws of the Dominican Republic. In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about obtaining a US marriage visa in the Dominican Republic.
If You Are Not Yet Married
If you and your US-citizen partner have not tied the knot yet, they can petition for you to leave as their fiancée. However, that is provided you plan to have your wedding within ninety days of your entry into the US. Otherwise, both of you can get married in the Dominican Republic. Either way, you can only apply for this spousal or marriage-based green card after you have gotten married.
The CR1 and IR1 visas are separate visas with similar benefits: to enable you to live in the US permanently. You can only apply for these visas if your spouse is a US citizen, not a lawful permanent resident. You are to apply for the CR1 (Conditional Resident) visa if your marriage is not up to two years yet. Contrarily, the IR1 (Immediate Relative) visa if it is up to two years or older.
To be eligible to apply for these visas, you will need documents to prove the legal status of your spouse. Also, you must prove that your marriage is real, especially if you only just got wedded. This is essential because it reassures the USCIS that you did not get married to obtain a green card.
Moving to the US from the Dominican Republic
If you are already married and your spouse is living in the US, you can apply for the IR1 directly. Your US citizen spouse, who is also the sponsor or petitioner, will file Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, with the USCIS. It will take a few weeks to months before the USCIS begins work on the petition. However, since your spouse is a US citizen, you are given priority and would not need to wait very long.
Your spouse will need to submit the form with certain supporting documents to prove your marriage’s genuineness and validity. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services will then process the application and, if they are satisfied, forward it to the NVC. The NVC, National Visa Center, will take care of the rest of the application from here on out. They will send you an electronic or physical email containing instructions on the next step.
The next step of the application process involves you submitting forms and getting interviewed in the Dominican Republic. The interview typically holds at Santo Domingo since there is only one United States Consulate in the Dominican Republic. The US Embassy in Santo Domingo handles everything that has to do with immigrant and nonimmigrant visas.
Filing the right forms at the consulate is imperative to ensure your request is properly processed. Moreover, making mistakes in the forms can cause a delay in your application – or even an outright denial.
Documents to Present at Your Consular Interview
Below are the documents to bring with you to the immigrant visa interview at the US Embassy in the Dominican Republic:
- A copy of the invitation letter sent to your mail by the National Visa Center;
- A valid passport that will remain valid for at least six months after you enter the United States. Along with that, you will bring a photocopy of the biographic page holding your name and picture;
- Your Dominican Republic national ID card,
- The DS-260 confirmation page (you will get this when you submit the application form on caec.state.gov/iv;
- The original and photocopy of your birth certificate and those of your children, if applicable. You are expected to bring your children’s certificates even if they are not travelling with you;
- The results of the medical examination you took if you were given (sealed),
- The right Form I-864, Affidavit of Support;
- Proof of your spouse’s US status and residence (domicile) in the US, including their naturalization certificate or photocopy of a US passport;
- Proof of a marital relationship between you and your US-citizen spouse, including letters, travel itineraries, and family pictures.
Herman Legal Group for Spousal Visa in the Dominican Republic
Herman Legal Group is a law firm founded on a sincere belief that immigration makes America stronger. It was founded by Richard Herman, who has advocated for immigrant rights globally for years. He has more than twenty years of experience helping immigrants move to the United States.
Although our headquarters are based in Ohio, our services are global; we have lawyers situated in the Dominican Republic. Thus, if you need a marriage-based immigration lawyer, feel free to book online or call us at +1-216-696-6170.
Conclusion
Marriage to a citizen of the United States gives you direct passage into the country, but not automatically. You still need to apply, starting with your US-citizen spouse filing Form I-130. After that, you will carry on with the consular processing at Santo Domingo, the US Embassy in the Dominican Republic.
