A1: Yes, you can file the petition. You may file a Form I-130 (and any applicable accompanying application). Your eligibility to petition for your spouse, and your spouses admissibility as an immigrant at the immigration visa application or adjustment of status stage, will be determined according to applicable immigration law and will not be denied as a result of the same-sex nature of your marriage.

A2. Yes.  You may file a Form I-129F.  As long as all other immigration requirements are met, a same-sex engagement may allow your fiance to enter the United States for marriage.

A3: No,
you must file an application with USCIS including an affidavit of support,
certified medical examination, and other documentation as outlined below in our
"Documentation for Application Based on Marriage to a U.S. Citizen"
section.

A4: No, USCIS needs proof that you are married. You can, however, prepare your application prior to marriage.

A5:A
visa that allows a fiance outside the United States to enter the U.S. in
order to get married. The U.S. citizen fiance has to file a petition with
the USCIS in the U.S. The approved petition will be forwarded to the Consulate,
which will contact the applicant and eventually schedule an interview.
Processing will probably take about 4 months before the fiance visa is issued.

A6:If
your fiance has a green card, he/she is NOT a citizen but a permanent
resident. He/she can petition for you to become a permanent resident, but
because of the quota there is a long wait before you can even apply for the
green card. The waiting period is currently 5 years.

A7:Not
unless you have a valid non-immigrant visa throughout the waiting period (about
5 years!).

A8: When you apply for permanent residency (I-485, application, affidavit, medical exam, photos, etc.), you can also request work authorization to cover employment while your application is being processed. If you marry a permanent resident and are not able to file for green card yet, you can only work if you have a valid non-immigrant visa which allows you to work.

A9:It
varies at different USCIS offices and can take up to 12 - 18 months to process.
You should check with the office where you will be filing.

A10:Your
passport will be stamped as proof of permanent residency for travel, work, etc.
The actual laminated "Permanent Resident" green card will be issued
separately, but your permanent residency starts as of the original approval
date.

A11:Yes,
both husband and wife will be interviewed. The purpose of the interview is to
determine that the marriage was entered into in good faith and that all USCIS
forms have been correctly completed.

A12:Yes,
because marriage is a relatively easy route to permanent residency, there is a
second check on the marriage after 2 years. USCIS will grant conditional
permanent residency for 2 years, after which you'll need to file another form
to get an unconditional green card. (If you've already been married 2 years by
the time you apply, the green card will be permanent.)

A13:No.
A permanent resident is NOT a citizen. Your citizenship doesn't change. In
fact, you can only apply to become a U.S. citizen after having a green card and
being married to a U.S. citizen for 3 years.

A14: You may be eligible for in-state tuition at University of Cincinnati, will qualify for most student financial aid, will not have restrictions on working, and can return to the U.S. freely after short trips abroad.

A15: You must not leave the U.S. for more than a year without advance permission -- if you're planning to be abroad for extended periods of time you risk losing your permanent residency. Additionally, you will not qualify for some types of Federal Aid, such as Food Stamps

A16:See the "Documentation for Application Based on Marriage to a U.S. Citizen" section.

A17: With the passage of the immigration law of 1996, there are quite specific financial requirement for people applying for the green card based on marriage. See the page titled Affidavit of Support.

A18:No,
UC International Services will not assist you with filing your application for
permanent residence based on marriage to a U.S. citizen. We have developed
these instructions to assist you in the process.