This Wednesday, Governor Pat Quinn signed a bill making Illinois the 16th state to allow same-sex marriage. The bill will allow for the celebration of same-sex marriages in Illinois, and means that same-sex marriages that occurred in other states will now be recognized by Illinois law. In addition, civil unions filed in Illinois could be converted to marriages within a year. The bill will take effect June 1, 2014.
Prior to June 1, U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents may still petition for residency for their same-sex, foreign national spouses, as long as the couple celebrated their marriage in a state that recognizes same-sex marriage. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has released a helpful series of questions and answers to help same-sex couples navigate the immigration system.
If you have further questions, you can call (312)341-9730 to be directed to an attorney.
