No.  A United States citizen cannot transmit citizenship to a spouse. If your spouse wishes to relocate with you to the United States, s/he will require an immigrant visa.

The time it takes to process a visa application varies with each individual case. If the time factor is of importance, you should contact the USCIS where you will file the petition to ascertain processing times before deciding on applying for a fiancé(e) or immigrant visa

U.S. immigration law does not recognize common-law marriages or civil partnerships.  If you wish to take up indefinite residence in the United States, you are required to qualify for immigration in one of the employment based preference categories or through the Diversity Visa Program, commonly known as the lottery.

No. If the marriage will not take place within 90 days of your arrival in the United States, it is not possible to process an application for a fiancé(e) visa.

No. You may only apply for a K-1 visa at an Embassy or Consulate outside the United States.

You will be required to qualify for an immigrant visa.

If you will return to your permanent residence after the marriage ceremony, you may apply for a tourist B-2 visa, or if eligible, travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program.  At the time you apply for the visa and/or travel to the United States you will be required to show that you have a residence outside the United States that you do not intend to abandon. There is no set form that this evidence takes as it varies with each person’s circumstances.

Once you have married, you must contact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for further information. If you leave the United States without first obtaining permission from them to re-enter the country, you will require an immigrant visa in order to return. This could delay your return by 10-12 months.

If you intend taking up permanent residence in the United States, you are required to wait until the immigrant or fiancé(e) visa is issued. You cannot reside in the U.S. on a tourist visa or visa free under the Visa Waiver Program while waiting the issuance of the visa.

However, if you wish to make a temporary visit at the end of which you will return to your permanent residence outside the United States, you may travel on a tourist (B-2) visa, or visa free under the Visa Waiver Program, if qualified.

If applying for a B-2 visa, you will be required to furnish evidence of your residence outside the United States to which you intend returning at the end of your temporary stay. Although a pending immigrant or fiancé(e) visa application is not necessarily conclusive evidence of intent to abandon a U.K. residence, it is a factor considered by consular officers reviewing a visa application. If you are unable to convince the consular officer reviewing the application that you do not intend abandoning your residence, you will not be issued a visa.

When traveling to the United States either with a visa or visa free under the Visa Waiver Program, you should be sure to carry with you for presentation to U.S. immigration evidence of your residence outside the United States.  If the immigration inspector is not convinced that you are a genuine visitor for pleasure, you will be denied entry into the country.

The online registration period for the 2020 Diversity Visa Program (DV-2020) opened on October 3, 2018 12:00 noon, Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-4) and will close November 6, 201812:00 noon, Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-4).

You can find instructions and apply at the Department of State’s website.

For help and tips about applying, please see our SlideShare presentation.