How do two non-citizens benefit by marrying in the U.S.?
We are not aware of a specific benefit conferred on both spouses when two non-citizens marry in the United States except for the ability, in some situations, to get a visa immediately for a partner who would otherwise be subject to numerical quotas or other immigration restrictions. For example, the non-citizen spouse of a foreign national who is in the United States under a temporary work visa (the H1-B visa for workers in jobs certified by the U.S. Department of Labor is one such arrangement) is considered the “dependent” of the visa-holder, and entitled to an H-4 visa allowing him to enter or remain in the United States with his spouse. Spouses of H1-B holders also become eligible for permanent resident status if the H1-B holder becomes eligible. (The above rules apply to non-citizen marriages celebrated in foreign countries as well as to those performed here.) How can Connecticut’s laws governing marriages and the issuance of marriage licenses be changed to prevent people from obta
