How long do you have to remain married to someone if you sponsored them for citizenship?

Question

How long do you have to remain married to someone if you sponsored them for citizenship?

Answer 1

FOREVER!!

Answer 2

You have to remain married 2 years for the person to have the temp status removed from their green card.

Bad news for you on the sponsorship.....you are on the hook for up to 10 years after they started work or attain citizenship whichever comes first.

That means that even after divorce you remain responsible. Medical bills not paid, immigrant gets welfare or government assistance, you have to repay.

People really need to think twice about sponsoring.

Answer 3

You married for love, didn't you, and of course you realize that marriage is a lifelong process of learning and change that will affect you twenty-four hours a day. Hello...hello?! :)))))

And ditto on what YBA says......yes.

Answer 4

i remember our immigration lawyer telling me i would be financially responsible for my husband, even if we got divorced, until he became a citizen.  i think once they have permanent residency, you are okay as far as not ruining  his/her chances for citizenship, but i would ask an immigration lawyer for your specific case.  for us it took 3 yrs from filling out the first paper to the time of permanent residency.  then it will be another 3yrs until citizenship.  but fortunately, we are not looking for a divorce.  good luck to you.  you're in a tough spot.

Answer 5

Divorce up to 2 years after citizenship is granted can trigger a marriage fraud investigation and deportation of the foreign spouse.  You are not necessarily "safe" once conditions are removed on the green card, in fact, timing of these things is a key to triggering marriage fraud investigations.  You remain on the hook for support!  And the divorce court may grant alimony to a foreign spouse because you signed an affidavit of support.

If you married a foreigner and that marriage is already rocky, consider that your spouse may have married you only for money and green card, and as soon as he/she gets it, they will dump you.  Happens all the time.

If you suspect your spouse may be defrauding you, the solution is to get an annulment based on the foreign party defrauding you.  Report to ICE that you are annuling the marriage because you now believe the spouse deceived you to induce you to get them immigration benefits, and therefore you are revoking the affidavit of support because it was induced by fraud on the part of the spouse.  It keeps you free of the burdens of support, and keeps you out of prison on marriage fraud charges.

Answer 6

That depends.

How long did they pay you for?

Answer 7

you can do jail time if caught marrying someone just for immigration reasons