How can I help my boyfriend to adjust his status? 11 Answers as of October 28, 2011

You can apply for adjustment of status in the U.S. The entire process only takes about 3 months.

You can concurrently file for his petition and application for adjustment of status.

The answer to this depends. If you are a US citizen, you could marry him and immediately petition for his residency (assuming he has no crimes on his record and no other unstated barriers to adjusting his status). Likewise, if your oldest child reaches 21, that child could petition for him as their father.

There are no immigration-related visa categories for boyfriends/girlfriends. If you and your boyfriend were to become married, in a bona fide marriage, it may be possible for you to sponsor your husband for Lawful Permanent Resident status (to get a "Green Card"). Generally, a U.S. citizen may apply for her husband to adjust status in the U.S. to become a Permanent Resident even though he overstayed a visitor's visa and even if he may have worked without authorization. It would be wise to engage an immigration attorney to review all the details and circumstances in order to assess eligibilities, options and strategies.

If you are US citizen, you can file I-130 petition and he should be able to adjust.

If you are a U.S. citizen and marry your boyfriend, you can file a visa petition for him. Whether or not he can apply for permanent residency without going home will depend on how he last entered the U.S. He should consult with an immigration attorney.

Very simple. Marry him and file a petition for him and at the same time have him file a petition for his green card. (Adjustment of Status.) Depending on where you live he should be a permanent resident legal in the U.S. in 4 to 8 months.

The only way would be a bone fide marriage to a U.S. citizen if he cannot leave the U.S.

If you are a USC then you can file for Adjustment of Status (I-485) along with an Petition for Alien Relative (I765). You will also need forms G325, I765, I864, pictures, proof of income, birth-certificate, proof of citizenship, and proof of marriage.

If you are a US citizen, you can marry him and file the paperwork. It is complicated and best if completed by an attorney.