Foreign nationals seeking U.S. citizenship through marriage to an American citizen are facing heightened scrutiny and longer waits under immigration policies implemented by the Trump administration, even as marriage remains one of the most common pathways to lawful permanent residency and eventual naturalization, reported NPR.

While U.S. immigration law still allows citizens to sponsor foreign-born spouses for green cards and, later, citizenship, immigration attorneys and advocates say recent policy changes have made the process more difficult by expanding background checks, increasing interviews, and exposing some applicants to possible deportation while their cases remain pending.

Administration officials say the changes are intended to strengthen enforcement and prevent fraud rather than alter the underlying law.

"Our enhanced screening and vetting processes help identify fraud, public safety and national security concerns before immigration benefits are granted," U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesman Zach Kahler said.

He added that "the filing or approval of an immigrant petition does not confer any immigration status or protect an alien from removal."

The agency also said filing or receiving approval of a family-based immigration petition does not protect an individual from enforcement actions if the person is otherwise in violation of immigration laws.

Marriage to a U.S. citizen has long provided one of the fastest routes to permanent residency because spouses are classified as "immediate relatives," making them exempt from annual visa caps that apply to many other family-sponsored immigrants.

After obtaining a green card, most spouses may apply for U.S. citizenship after three years if they remain married to and living with the U.S. citizen spouse and meet other eligibility requirements, including continuous residence, physical presence, English-language proficiency, and passing a civics test.

Applicants generally begin the process by applying for lawful permanent resident status through their U.S. citizen spouse.

Couples must demonstrate that their marriage is legitimate and was not entered into solely for immigration purposes, often through documentation of their shared lives, finances, and shared residence.

Federal data show that roughly 343,000 people obtained lawful permanent residency through marriage in 2024, accounting for about one-quarter of all green cards issued that year.

Immigration attorneys say marriage-based cases are now subject to more intensive review, including additional interviews, requests for evidence, and expanded background checks.

"Marriage used to be a glide path to citizenship. Now there are more speed bumps," immigration attorney Charles Kuck said.

Rosina Stambaugh, another immigration attorney, said the heightened enforcement climate has left many families uncertain about pursuing legal status.

"People are afraid," she said, adding that some couples have delayed or avoided filing immigration paperwork because they worry the immigrant spouse could be detained before the case is decided.