Once you’re approved for your spouse visa, what happens next? When do you get your green card?

Once you have that visa, you need to make sure you enter the United States before the expiration date. Typically, they give you six months.

Once you enter the United States, immigration will put a stamp on your passport called an I-551 stamp and that completes the process for you to be able to receive your green card. That visa and stamp together serve as proof that you’re a lawful permanent resident while you’re waiting for your green card to arrive in the mail.

Wait times vary but we’re seeing that individuals are receiving their green cards anywhere from about three to six months later. Your visa and the stamp in your passport are proof that you’re a resident so you can begin to work and start your next chapter.