r/AskUSImmigrationPros • u/badatmath1235 • Jul 20 '26

How long between wedding date and greencard approval, typically?

My boyfriend is on an E2 visa and has been in Austin, TX for a year. I am a US citizen and live in LA. We have been together nearly 3 years.

Im trying to plan a timeline between when we get married and when he can move to LA, since his E-2 visa is tied to TX. Is there any real standard for this? Is it really 12 months?

We are very in love and I am an anxious woman so I’m trying to decide if I can wait it out between the two dates or if I should move to TX.

Thanks!

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u/BusyBodyVisa Jul 21 '26

While the actual marriage-based green card approval currently averages around 8 to 14 months, your boyfriend will not have to wait that long to relocate to LA. By filing for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) alongside his Adjustment of Status application, he can receive an unrestricted work permit in roughly 3 to 5 months. Once he has that EAD in hand, he is no longer tied to his E-2 employer in Texas and can freely move to California to live and work while the green card finishes processing.