My Girlfriend may be Deported

[tmujir955]

Good luck, I guess. Marriage might be an option, I know it might not be the best of circumstances, but if you love her, and if you two think it'd work out.

We have talked about the possibility of me proposing to her next year around this time. I think if I were to suddenly marry her, I'd raise a few eyebrows with the government.

Speaking as someone who was once married to a Canadian girl...

What the government wants to know is that the marriage is legitimate. Getting married solely to create an artificial means to keep someone in the country is a felony, but if the marriage is legitimate, as in the couple lives together, consummates the marriage ("fucks each other", for our simple-vocabulary readers), and otherwise behaves in a manner consistent with a legitimate romantic relationship, especially if one existed prior to the marriage (she's your girlfriend, after all), then it's perfectly legit and she'll get her green card independent of her family.

I had no problems at all convincing Homeland Security that I didn't just marry my (now ex-) wife so she could get a green card. Get a good immigration lawyer, and be sure you want to do this because between the legal fees and the DHS filing fees you're looking at about $3,000 in total to do the whole process, not counting the cost of a wedding of course (being a Nevada resident the wedding didn't cost me but $100 for the marriage license and courthouse ceremony, but your mileage may vary. Oddly enough, the divorce cost me 3x as much at the courthouse!)

This won't help her mom and dad any, since she'll have to be a full citizen to sponsor her family, and that will take at a minimum three years from her getting her green card.

If you don't mind...

I'd like to know the whole story of your life.

I lurk a lot here, and I've seen your posts and it sounds like you've had a rather hectic life and I'd like to hear about it if you don't mind.

 

[LastMondaysHangover]

Wait, isn't there something that says if you live in the US for 7 years your officially a citizen?

Unless it means 7 years after the greencard... gah, legal issues make my head hurt...

Anyway, good luck to you. I hope it all goes through alright, but why didn't they get the stuff in the 16 years they've lived in the US?

They've tried to ever since they came here. Or maybe it wasn't until only after 9/11 did they try to pursue it. I'm not 100% sure, all I know is that they've been at it for a few years now

 

[Eumersian]

If Craig Ferguson, a formerly drunken, drug-addicted Scotsman, could pass the citizenship test, your girlfriend and her family should be able to if they commit.

I can try to empathize. They know that there's that chance that the life they've created could end rather quickly. As much as their lawyer says that they'll probably be able to stay and as confident in that as they are, there's still that chance. It is possible that they could be deported. Then all that they had accomplished was worth nothing. They have every right to be worried. All they need to do is believe, as lame as it sounds.

Hope everything goes well for your and their sake LastMonday.

 

[CplDustov]

I cant give advice on the legal system of the country I grew up in, much less the States but I can send a few postive words. I hope things turn out well for you. I wouldn't advise marriage just for the sake of it though... But that's for you to decide. Make sure and let us know how it turns out, yeah?

 

[Mcupobob]

Well you could marrier her. Though her parents would be out of luck inless you married them too. Temporarily of course. Other than that all I can do is wish her and her family good luck.

 

[Judgement101]

CONSPIRACY TIME!
Here's my conspiracy of the day: She is trying to marry you so she becomes legal and can stay without having to file legal citizenship.

 

[InnerRebellion]

Good luck, I guess. Marriage might be an option, I know it might not be the best of circumstances, but if you love her, and if you two think it'd work out.

We have talked about the possibility of me proposing to her next year around this time. I think if I were to suddenly marry her, I'd raise a few eyebrows with the government.

Speaking as someone who was once married to a Canadian girl...

What the government wants to know is that the marriage is legitimate. Getting married solely to create an artificial means to keep someone in the country is a felony, but if the marriage is legitimate, as in the couple lives together, consummates the marriage ("fucks each other", for our simple-vocabulary readers), and otherwise behaves in a manner consistent with a legitimate romantic relationship, especially if one existed prior to the marriage (she's your girlfriend, after all), then it's perfectly legit and she'll get her green card independent of her family.

I had no problems at all convincing Homeland Security that I didn't just marry my (now ex-) wife so she could get a green card. Get a good immigration lawyer, and be sure you want to do this because between the legal fees and the DHS filing fees you're looking at about $3,000 in total to do the whole process, not counting the cost of a wedding of course (being a Nevada resident the wedding didn't cost me but $100 for the marriage license and courthouse ceremony, but your mileage may vary. Oddly enough, the divorce cost me 3x as much at the courthouse!)

This won't help her mom and dad any, since she'll have to be a full citizen to sponsor her family, and that will take at a minimum three years from her getting her green card.

Your life sounds more intriguing every day...

OT: I don't think you can do anything but be there for her. It's all legal stuff, so unless you're a law major, I doubt you can do anything but be comforting company.

 

[SimuLord]

Good luck, I guess. Marriage might be an option, I know it might not be the best of circumstances, but if you love her, and if you two think it'd work out.

We have talked about the possibility of me proposing to her next year around this time. I think if I were to suddenly marry her, I'd raise a few eyebrows with the government.

words words words

If you don't mind...

I'd like to know the whole story of your life.

I lurk a lot here, and I've seen your posts and it sounds like you've had a rather hectic life and I'd like to hear about it if you don't mind.

Haha...looks like I've got the first couple of preorders for my autobiography.

I dole out my stories one at a time...makes 'em last longer that way, but I have considered a collection of essays that hit the best of the highlights (as I remember them, which makes them true in my mind and probably complete bullshit in objective reality!) for NaNoWriMo next month.

 

[Dags90]

Getting residency and citizen in the U.S. is a long, harrowing, and often expensive procedure if you aren't marrying in or have a child. I read a few articles of people facing deportation when some of them "emmigrated" as young as one year old.

 

[Zer_]

Good luck, I guess. Marriage might be an option, I know it might not be the best of circumstances, but if you love her, and if you two think it'd work out.

We have talked about the possibility of me proposing to her next year around this time. I think if I were to suddenly marry her, I'd raise a few eyebrows with the government.

words words words

If you don't mind...

I'd like to know the whole story of your life.

I lurk a lot here, and I've seen your posts and it sounds like you've had a rather hectic life and I'd like to hear about it if you don't mind.

Haha...looks like I've got the first couple of preorders for my autobiography.

I dole out my stories one at a time...makes 'em last longer that way, but I have considered a collection of essays that hit the best of the highlights (as I remember them, which makes them true in my mind and probably complete bullshit in objective reality!) for NaNoWriMo next month.

What about the times you went through hell and back?

Spoiler: Accurate Artists Depiction

OT: I wouldn't worry. Her family has been in America for a while, and they've seemed to show themselves as upstanding citizens.

The best you could do is be there for her and re-assure her of those facts.

 

[PrototypeC]

I was wondering why this was such a big problem but then I realized most of you are American... d'oh

I don't know what I can say that hasn't already been said, but first up is calming yourself down. Whatever activity you use to relax and take away stress, do it. Next, be the good boyfriend. Help her and her family by just being there.

 

[Cheery Lunatic]

Tell her to take a citizenship test they are not that hard

You be shittin' me.

My parents have to take it (I don't cuz I'm under 18), and I was looking at their review... holy crap, they have to know so much stuff, it's not even funny.

They'll be taking the test in late-ish October... no idea how this is gonna turn out. Does anyone know what happens when you fail the citizen test?

 

[SimuLord]

Tell her to take a citizenship test they are not that hard

You be shittin' me.

My parents have to take it (I don't cuz I'm under 18), and I was looking at their review... holy crap, they have to know so much stuff, it's not even funny.

They'll be taking the test in late-ish October... no idea how this is gonna turn out. Does anyone know what happens when you fail the citizen test?

You still get to be a lawful permanent resident, you just have to hold off on becoming a citizen. The differences...well, you're the green card holder, I don't need to explain them to you, but the biggest one is probably the right to vote.

 

[General_Potatoes]

Marrying her isnt such i bad idea but won't it be weird at that age?

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

If she's been in the country for 16 years can't she claim for participation in the naturalization process regardless? Like without having to go for a citizenship examination or anything o.o

Anyways, best of luck :x

 

[PureChaos]

marry her? she'll definately get to stay then