Met a Jamaican Man, I’m pregnant & we want to marry.

Question from Rae, USA:

"If a Jamaican man I’m involved with who is on a work visa gets me pregnant and we want to be together, what are the steps we need to take to make that happen before the baby arrives in 6 months? He has to go back in July and the baby is due July 2nd! A day before MY birthday and I was born on my mom’s birthday, so I have a potential 3-generation baby! Very special due date and I wouldn’t want him to miss it!!! This includes, how quickly can we get married, how do we live under the same roof with him as sole provider and start a life together in the US but also for me to eventually gain dual citizenship in Jamaica?…all as quickly as possible! Haha BLESSINGS & THANK YOU!!!"

Answer by Wellesley:

Rae, first of all—congratulations! That three-generation birthday link is truly something special. Thanks for reaching out—and greetings from here in Jamaica, mi deh yah! I know how important it must be for you to have your partner by your side for the baby’s arrival, especially with a moment like that coming up.

So here’s the scoop: if your Jamaican partner is currently in the U.S. on a work visa, and you both want to stay together before the birth, then marriage followed by a green card petition might be your quickest path. If you marry while he’s still in the U.S., you can file for adjustment of status—which lets him stay legally while everything is being processed. He can also apply for a work permit while the paperwork is in, so he could continue being the provider under one roof.

If he does end up having to return to Jamaica in July, then the two of you could still get married here in Jamaica. Once that’s done, you could apply for him to return to the U.S. as your spouse, but honestly, that takes longer—usually several months. So time is definitely a factor if the goal is for him to be there when the baby is born.

As for citizenship, your child would be eligible for Jamaican citizenship through their father, and you can apply too—especially if you eventually plan to live or spend time here. Once you’re married to a Jamaican citizen and live here for a while, you’d be able to apply for Jamaican citizenship by naturalization. So yes, that dream is very possible too.

But now is the time to act! I’d recommend speaking with an immigration lawyer in the U.S. as soon as possible to help file everything smoothly and on time.

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📅 Last updated: June 3, 2025

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