New York, NY immigration attorney Robert B. Scott explains how marrying an American citizen affects an undocumented person’s ability to stay in the country. He explains that marrying a U.S. citizen is generally a strong path to becoming eligible for legal status in the United States. However, every case is unique. In some situations, the applicant may need to leave the country to complete the marriage-based petition, while in other cases, it is possible to secure residency without leaving the United States. Because of these variations, he emphasizes the importance of consulting an attorney experienced in immigration matters to determine the correct path for a marriage-based residency case.