Bulgarian Man Married to U.S. Man Gets Green Card

The federal administration seems fully focused on carrying out the intent of the recent decision on DOMA by the U.S. Supreme Court. Last Friday, Traian Popov, a Bulgarian immigrant who married Julian Marsh, a U.S. citizen, and lives with him, received the notice of approval of his green card as spouse of a bona fide U.S. citizen. Probably, this is the first couple to have a spouse receive approval of a permanent resident visa from same-sex marriage.

The administration's super fast reaction to the Supreme Court's ruling on Wednesday and beginning to grant approve visas on the basis of same-sex marriage from Friday caught even the couple's immigration lawyer by surprise. Lavi Soloway, who represents the causes of many such same-sex couples in Florida, said in an interview on Saturday: "I thought, 'Am I reading this wrong?'" He said, be began to cry with emotion when the significance of the notice approving Popov's green card hit him.

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Popov, 41, has been living in the United States for the last 15 years on a series of student visas. Currently working on a doctorate in social science at Nova Southeastern University in Florida, Popov has completed three master's degrees in the United States.

The couple legally married in New York last year and now resides in Florida.

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The New York Times reported that in a telephonic interview, Popov rued, "We are first-class citizens in New York and in the eyes of the federal government, but second-class citizens in Florida." He said he and his wife Julian Marsh are planning to become same-sex marriage activists in Florida.

Immigration officials said that the United States Immigration and Citizenship Services has maintained a list of same-sex couples whose applications for permanent residency had been denied over the course of the last two years. Such denials would now be reversed following the Supreme Court's decision on DOMA, and the concerned applicants will not have to make fresh applications for green cards.