Photo: Alamy
Foreign nationals seeking U.S. citizenship through marriage to an American citizen are facing increased scrutiny and longer processing times under immigration policies implemented by the Trump administration, even as marriage remains one of the most common paths to lawful permanent residency and eventual citizenship.
While U.S. immigration law continues to allow American citizens to sponsor foreign-born spouses for green cards and, later, naturalization, immigration attorneys and advocates say recent policy changes have expanded background checks, increased interviews and exposed some applicants to possible deportation while their applications remain pending.
Administration officials say the changes are designed to strengthen immigration enforcement and prevent fraud rather than alter existing immigration law.
“Our enhanced screening and vetting processes help identify fraud, public safety and national security concerns before immigration benefits are granted,” Zach Kahler said.
He added that “the filing or approval of an immigrant petition does not confer any immigration status or protect an alien from removal.”
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services also said that filing or receiving approval of a family-based immigration petition does not shield an individual from enforcement actions if the person is otherwise violating immigration laws.
Marriage to a U.S. citizen remains one of the fastest routes to lawful permanent residency because spouses are classified as immediate relatives and are exempt from the annual visa caps that apply to many other family-sponsored immigrants.
After receiving a green card, most spouses may apply for U.S. citizenship after three years if they remain married to and living with their U.S. citizen spouse and satisfy other eligibility requirements, including continuous residence, physical presence, English-language proficiency and passing the civics examination.
Applicants typically begin the process by seeking lawful permanent resident status through their U.S. citizen spouse. Couples must demonstrate that their marriage is bona fide and not entered into solely for immigration purposes, often by providing documentation of shared finances, a shared residence and other evidence of their relationship.
Federal data show that approximately 343,000 people obtained lawful permanent residency through marriage in 2024, accounting for roughly one-quarter of all green cards issued that year.
Immigration attorneys say marriage-based applications now receive more extensive review, including additional interviews, requests for evidence and expanded background checks.