Green Card

Did you ever know anyone to marry someone just to keep them in the country ??

ALSO

How do you feel about that ?? DO you think someone should be penalized if it is proven that is why they did it ?

Re: Green Card

Yes, I know someone.

In the past I would have said deport them. But now that I actually know someone and have seen their struggle personally, so my opinion has changed.

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it's my theory about one of DH friends new wife

I think they changed the law- so you have to be married for like 10 year now-
other wise bye bye

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My dad likes to say that if there were better immigration laws, he'd still be a bachelor!

My mom is legal and became a citizen; she came from Cuba. He just likes to tease her. He also likes to say at family parties that if he yelled "Immigration" the place would clear out. Hee hee...sorry, I totally did not answer the question, which is probably someone's pet peeve.

I'm sure there are more green card issues with special circumstances than I could ever begin to imagine, so I can't say I disagree with it.

Message edited 11/1/2006 3:19:57 PM.

Re: Green Card

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Well, I mean, technically my husband and I fall in that category. We got married on a whim, at city hall, because his work visa was expiring. Did we do it so he would stay in the country? Yes. We probably would have gotten married much later, if not for that issue. But in the end, we WERE (and still) in love, and knew that whether it was then or later, we would end up getting married...

And yes, I know another couple that did the same thing. They got married so that she could get her green card. She ended up divorcing him shortly after. The sad part is that he genuinely loved her. I think he was the only one who didn't realize she was using him

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Posted by Bxgell2

Well, I mean, technically my husband and I fall in that category. We got married on a whim, at city hall, because his work visa was expiring. Did we do it so he would stay in the country? Yes. We probably would have gotten married much later, if not for that issue. But in the end, we WERE (and still) in love, and knew that whether it was then or later, we would end up getting married...

And yes, I know another couple that did the same thing. They got married so that she could get her green card. She ended up divorcing him shortly after. The sad part is that he genuinely loved her. I think he was the only one who didn't realize she was using him

Message edited 11/1/2006 3:23:24 PM.

Re: Green Card

Re: Green Card

Posted by unbelievable

Posted by Bxgell2

Well, I mean, technically my husband and I fall in that category. We got married on a whim, at city hall, because his work visa was expiring. Did we do it so he would stay in the country? Yes. We probably would have gotten married much later, if not for that issue. But in the end, we WERE (and still) in love, and knew that whether it was then or later, we would end up getting married...

And yes, I know another couple that did the same thing. They got married so that she could get her green card. She ended up divorcing him shortly after. The sad part is that he genuinely loved her. I think he was the only one who didn't realize she was using him

well your story to me is a little different .. but say you were just friends and he asked you ? Like you were never intimate just pals???

Re: Green Card

Posted by Bxgell2

Posted by unbelievable

Posted by Bxgell2

Well, I mean, technically my husband and I fall in that category. We got married on a whim, at city hall, because his work visa was expiring. Did we do it so he would stay in the country? Yes. We probably would have gotten married much later, if not for that issue. But in the end, we WERE (and still) in love, and knew that whether it was then or later, we would end up getting married...

And yes, I know another couple that did the same thing. They got married so that she could get her green card. She ended up divorcing him shortly after. The sad part is that he genuinely loved her. I think he was the only one who didn't realize she was using him

well your story to me is a little different .. but say you were just friends and he asked you ? Like you were never intimate just pals???

No, no. We were intimate. We had been dating a year, had been living together for about 6 months. We are a little different than people who just do it to stay in the country and that's all - for us, we were in love and knew we'd end up married, but we quickened the process merely because his visa was expiring.

Re: Green Card

I know a few people who have done this, and I personally do not have a problem with this. They are hard working individuals who want to stay in this country legally and contribute to this society in a positive way, as opposed to staying here illegally and still enjoying the benefits of taxpayers.

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I think the situation has happened with a few of my ESL students. From what I heard, though, they are really strict and want to know some personal details about your life to know that you are in a relationship. I have heard that they ask questions about each other's habits, to show you live together and they kind of want to know about your sexual relationship in not so many words.

I personally don't think it is a good idea if no romantic relationship existed before.

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Honestly, I know it happens, but it's so rare that immigration will approve of that kind of petition. You have to go through a very strict, rigorous screening process. When we had our final interview, I questioned the officer for about a half hour about it - it was very interesting.

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In was wrong-


Divorce after the issuance of a green card
Divorce does not adversely effect an alien's immigration status after the alien obtains permanent residence unconditionally. The only affect divorce may have on an alien at this stage is that it may delay the alien in obtaining citizenship. If a permanent resident is married to a U.S. citizen, he has a three year residency requirement for U.S. citizenship as opposed to a five year residency requirement (for more information on naturalization, please click here). In order to benefit from the shorter residency requirement, the alien must be married to the U.S. citizen for at least three years before the exam date. Therefore, if the alien is divorced before being married to a U.S. citizen for at least three years before his exam date, and he has not been a permanent resident for five years, he will then have to wait until he has been a permanent resident for five years before he is eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship.

Re: Green Card

Posted by Bxgell2

Posted by unbelievable

Posted by Bxgell2

Well, I mean, technically my husband and I fall in that category. We got married on a whim, at city hall, because his work visa was expiring. Did we do it so he would stay in the country? Yes. We probably would have gotten married much later, if not for that issue. But in the end, we WERE (and still) in love, and knew that whether it was then or later, we would end up getting married...

And yes, I know another couple that did the same thing. They got married so that she could get her green card. She ended up divorcing him shortly after. The sad part is that he genuinely loved her. I think he was the only one who didn't realize she was using him

well your story to me is a little different .. but say you were just friends and he asked you ? Like you were never intimate just pals???

No, no. We were intimate. We had been dating a year, had been living together for about 6 months. We are a little different than people who just do it to stay in the country and that's all - for us, we were in love and knew we'd end up married, but we quickened the process merely because his visa was expiring.

Re: Green Card

Yes, I know of a few couples. Two of the couples got married again later on in religious ceremonies and one of them broke up years later.

I have nothing against it if they were originally dating, but just looking for a wife/husband in name only is less honest. The people I know all work hard, pay their taxes and contribute to their communities.

I also know a couple that got married close to when the immigrants visa was running out and they also had to go through the process. Its so strict that I don't think you would want to go through it if you weren't serious about the relationship.

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Hey, thanks for posting this by the way... you reminded me that I have to file our 2 year petition next month or otherwise DH WILL be deported!

Re: Green Card

Posted by Bxgell2

Hey, thanks for posting this by the way... you reminded me that I have to file our 2 year petition next month or otherwise DH WILL be deported!

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My cousin and her husband were in the same situation as Beth. When they were going through the process, she had to come up with pictures that would help prove they were in a relationship. They asked people in their lives questions about their relationship. I was so happy I took pictures one year at Thanksgiving bc it showed him there with our whole family.