Hey everyone,

I’m looking for some advice on how to best handle my current situation. I’m a German citizen living in the U.S. with a green card, and my fiancé is also a German citizen but living in Germany. We’re planning to get married and want to figure out the best way to navigate the immigration process so we can live together in the U.S. as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, I learned that as a green card holder, I can’t apply for a K-1 fiancé visa. So, it seems like we’ll need to get married first and then apply for a spousal visa (CR-1/IR-1). But we’re not sure how to go about this in the most efficient way and would love some advice.

Here are my main questions:

1. Where should we get married? Is it better to marry in Germany or the U.S.? Does one option make the visa process smoother or faster for her to come here?

2. Spousal visa process: What’s the usual timeline for a CR-1/IR-1 visa for a green card holder? Are there any ways to avoid long delays or speed up the process?

3. Managing time apart: Is it possible for her to visit me in the U.S. on a tourist visa while we wait for the spousal visa, or would that complicate things?

4. Any other tips or things to consider? If you’ve gone through this process or know the ins and outs, I’d love any advice or recommendations to help make this transition as smooth as possible.

We’re really excited to start our life together, but this immigration stuff can be overwhelming. Any advice or insight would be super helpful. Thanks so much!