Bring your spouse to the United States as a lawful permanent resident. Attorney Shair handles the complete process — from I-130 to Green Card issuance — with care and precision.
The spouse immigrant visa is one of the most commonly sought immigration benefits in the United States. U.S. citizens may petition for their foreign national spouses as Immediate Relatives — a category with no annual numerical cap, meaning a visa is always immediately available once the petition is approved. This makes the spousal visa the fastest family-based immigration pathway.
The process depends on where the foreign spouse currently lives. If the spouse is abroad, the case proceeds through consular processing — USCIS, NVC, and a U.S. embassy interview. If the spouse is already in the U.S. in valid status, they may adjust status (I-485) without departing, with concurrent filing of work authorization (I-765) and travel permission (I-131).
"Every couple's story is different — and Attorney Shair approaches each spousal visa case with the attention and care it deserves. Keeping families together is not just legal work for him — it is personal."
IR-1 (Immediate Relative-1) and CR-1 (Conditional Resident-1) both refer to the immigrant visa category for spouses of U.S. citizens — the difference is solely the length of the marriage at the time of admission. If the marriage is 2 years or older when the foreign spouse enters the U.S. or adjusts status, they receive an IR-1 with a 10-year Green Card. If the marriage is less than 2 years old, they receive a CR-1 with a 2-year conditional Green Card — conditions must be removed by filing Form I-751 within 90 days before the 2-year anniversary.
USCIS requires evidence that your marriage is genuine and not entered solely for immigration purposes. Strong evidence includes: joint financial accounts and tax returns; joint lease or mortgage; joint insurance policies; photos together over time and across locations; correspondence and communications; birth certificates of joint children; affidavits from people who know you as a couple; and evidence of shared life (travel records, communications). Attorney Shair prepares a comprehensive relationship evidence package tailored to each couple's unique circumstances.
At the USCIS or consular interview, an officer will ask both spouses (sometimes separately) questions about your relationship — how you met, your daily routine, your home, your families, and other details of your life together. The purpose is to verify the marriage is genuine. Attorney Shair conducts thorough mock interview preparation with both spouses — ensuring you are ready for any question. Many spousal visa denials result from inadequate interview preparation.
Yes — there is no minimum marriage duration required to file an I-130 for a spouse. However, very recently married couples should be prepared to provide strong evidence of a genuine relationship that predates the petition. USCIS is alert to marriages entered into solely for immigration purposes. The quality of your relationship evidence package — prepared by Attorney Shair — is critical in recently married cases.
Spousal visa cases require meticulous documentation of both the legal marriage and the genuine relationship. USCIS denials and RFEs in spousal cases almost always result from weak relationship evidence, inadequate financial documentation, or poor interview preparation. Attorney Shair prepares comprehensive packages and conducts thorough interview preparation with every client — because keeping families together is the heart of everything we do.
Attorney Shair personally handles every spousal visa case — from I-130 to Green Card — with the care your family deserves.