Pacifica, CA Immigration Law Firms & Lawyers

Assuming no glitches and a perfect paperwork, it should take 9-15 months if you are a citizen. If you remain a greenc ard holder, the visa availability is about 5 years right now (As per the January 2011 visa bulletin).

There is no substitute for your friend and her husband to seek a careful review of their situation, and preparation of their case, but an immigration attorney. You mentioned three facts (married while bail posted during removal/deportation proceedings; 20-year age difference; and difference in religions), each one of which will lead immigration authorities to suspicious, and all three together will require particularly strong and convincing documentary evidence of the bona fide nature of the marriage relationship. If the USCIS were to determine that the couple filed a fraudulent application, there could be very serious legal consequences for both your friend and her husband.

if you divorce, she can file her own petition to remove the condition (it's called waiver of joint petition)? If no fraud involved, she can get her permanent green card. This is the best solution. If she chooses not to do that, after the expiration of her conditional green card, she can apply for regular B1/B2 visa like others. She may face issues like immigrant intent as she had green card before.