A lawful permanent resident is a foreign national who has been granted the privilege of permanently living and working in the United States. If you want to become a LPR based on a relationship to a USC or LPR relative, you must go through a multi-step process and your USC or LPR relative must meet certain requirements to be eligible to sponsor you.

U.S. citizens have two options for facilitating a future foreign national spouse's entry to the U.S. First, you may file a petition with the government for the issuance of a fiancée visa to an alien fiancée. You must remain unmarried until arrival of the future spouse to the U.S. and the wedding must take place within three months of his/her arrival, if they are to remain in status. You must also have had to met personally at least once in the two years preceding the filing of the petition. Your second option is to marry your spouse abroad and then file the appropriate petition and supporting documents to the government.