Fiance and Marriage Visas: A Couple's Guide to U.s. Immigration

The book that’s helped thousands of couples live in the U.S. together

You’re engaged or married to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and all you want is the right to be together in the United States. Should be simple, right? It’s not. The pile of application forms can be overwhelming, the bureaucracy isn’t helpful, and delays are inevitable. This book will help you succeed.

• Discover the fastest and best application strategy.
• Avoid common—and serious—mistakes.
• Prepare for meetings with officials.
• Prove your marriage is real—not a fraud.
• Deal with the two-year testing period for new marriages.

The 11th edition covers the latest, higher income requirements, easing of Trump-era regulations that put more immigrants at risk of being denied visas as a likely “public charge,” and a new COVID vaccine requirement. It also provides handy checklists and illustrative sample forms.

Use this book if you are living in the United States or overseas and:

• your fiancé is a U.S. citizen
• your spouse is a U.S. citizen, or
• your spouse is a U.S. permanent resident.

Ilona Bray began practicing immigration law because of her concern with international human rights issues. She is the author of Becoming a U.S. Citizen and U.S. Immigration Made Easy, both published by Nolo. Check out her immigration-related postings on Nolo’s blog.

Ilona Bray, J.D. is an award-winning author and legal editor at Nolo, specializing in immigration law, real estate, and nonprofit fundraising. She has been quoted as a real estate expert in publications across the country, including Money Magazine, Kiplinger, the New York Times, the Boston Herald, and the San Francisco Chronicle. Many of her books are consistent Nolo bestsellers, among them Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits, U.S. Immigration Made Easy, and Nolo's Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home. She particularly enjoys interviewing people and weaving their stories into her books.
Bray's working background includes solo practice, nonprofit, and corporate stints, as well as long periods of volunteering, including an internship at Amnesty International's main legal office in London. She received her law degree and a Master's degree in East Asian (Chinese) Studies from the University of Washington. In her spare time she enjoys writing children’s books, going to open houses, and gardening.