How do I marry an illegal alien? 17 Answers as of December 07, 2011

You may marry anyone anywhere provided the place permits marriage. After marriage, you may petition for her but should consult an attorney if she is illegal or entered the US without inspection or authorization. Good luck.

No different than anyone else. You need to get a marriage license and then you can get married.

If you are free to marry, you apply for a Marriage License at the Marriage License Bureau. It might be a good idea to consult wirth ans Immigration Lawyer first, as she may not be able to apply for US permanent residence( green card) based on the marriage.

Marrying her is really only the first step in an otherwise long haul. Getting married may be possible and may even be easy but getting her legal status, if she entered the country unlawfully may be all but impossible under the current immigration laws. The law states that if one entered the US unlawfully, there is no possibility for that person to legalize his/her status within the US. She would need to go back to her home country to consular process for her visa but as soon as she departs the US, she would automatically trigger a 10 year bar to reentry, which can only be waived by a showing of extreme hardship to a US citizen spouse, which is fairly difficult to do in most cases

There is no bar to you marrying someone illegally present in the United States so long as she has the appropriate documentation to get married pursuant to the requirements of the state you live in and/or wish to get married in. The issue becomes obtaining lawful status for her. As she crossed the border illegally, she would not be eligible to obtain lawful permanent residence in the United States. She would have to leave the country and return to her native country for processing of an immigrant visa. This raises other issues as she will trigger a bar to entry, which can be waived if you demonstrate extreme hardship to you if she is not allowed to re-enter within 3 or 10 years (depending upon which bar is triggered). Some people are eligible for benefits under INA 245(i) and cancellation of removal, but we would need more information to assess her eligibility. This is a complex matter and you should speak to an immigration attorney in more detail about the case before filing any paperwork with USCIS

Get a waiver first then file for adjustment of status to apply for a green card for her.

The "steps" would be the same as you would follow in marrying a person who had entered the U.S. with inspection, i.e., legally.

You have to follow the rules of the state you get married in. In Georgia you have meet the requirements of obtaining a marriage license. Your girlfriend will need to provide her birth certificate. You should discuss with an immigration attorney her case though to determine if she is entitled to any relief. Just marrying her will not provide her with any immigration status. An immigration attorney can help you determine what your options are. Congratulations and best wishes.

The steps for getting married vary from state to state so check with the clerk for what is required. With regard to getting immigration benefits for the "illegal alien" I would suggest a consultation with an experienced immigration attorney as there are lots of questions which will need to be asked to determine the proper procedures.

The same as you would take for anyone else. Whether or not you can sponsor her for a green card and as importantly how (in the US or outside), are great questions. Please have a consult with a competent immigration attorney in your jurisdiction to fully evaluate her case including 245i eligibility and the extreme hardship waiver if needed.