Immigrant visa for a Spouse of a U.S. Citizen (IR1 or CR1) - An immigrant Petition for Alien Relative, Form I-130 is required. To qualify, you have to have been residing in the United States for three years before you file your citizenship application.Well, in most cases, the US citizen does file the I-751, but the good news is that for naturalization, you don't need the permission of your spouse. Filing under this provision requires proof that the marriage and the U.S. citizen spouse's citizenship are valid. How Long Does it Take to Obtain a Green Card for a Military Spouse? Evidence of a bona fide (genuine) marriage, such as joint bank account statements, shared leases, or family photos. Please note, it is not possible for a U.S. citizen to transmit citizenship to their spouse – an immigrant visa would be required. To apply for citizenship under VAWA, you must file an N-400 Application for Naturalization and have been living in the United States for at least three years. If you file together (in the same FedEx envelope), USCIS will try to have the appointments scheduled at the same time. Now, I have several job prospects, but they're all out of state.