Marrying for Green Card? Here's what USCIS warns could happen
Marriage green cards are considered the smoothest way to gain fast-track permanent residency in the US. In earlier years, any foreign national facing the risk of losing out on their legal status to be in the US could get a direct green card by marrying an American. After getting a marriage-based green card, three years of permanent residence in the country would grant them naturalization rights to become citizens. Although authentic marriages are permissible, the USCIS has doubled its efforts at recognizing those trying to gain illegal residence in the country through fraudulent nuptials.
Marrying someone for money or immigration benefits, knowingly entering a fake marriage, and tricking someone into marriage using false pretenses all classify as instances of fraudulent marriage acts according to Herman Law Firm. USCIS has now revamped its efforts to separate what's fake from real by demanding intensive documentation and legal proof of the nuptials, starting with a marriage certificate.
'If you're out of status and apply for a marriage-based green card — or if you fall out of status while your case is pending — a denial could land you in deportation court,' said Abhisha Parikh, a US-based immigration lawyer, to Business Standard. 'This is a major shift.' The USCIS has an online portal where citizens can report their suspicions in regard to fake marriages for green card purposes. People can go as in-depth with proof while reporting a suspicion as they'd like, but the USCIS encourages them to give as many details as possible.
A recent May 2025 case led to a 20-year-old Indian national, Aakash Prakash Makwana, pleading guilty to a count of entering into a fake marriage with a US citizen in exchange for money. Joint lease agreements, common bills, and bank accounts, trying to show the authenticity of the marriage, were proved to be fake in court.
The risks for those engaging in marriage fraud have risen in recent years as the USCIS now prefers to refer certain cases directly to the immigration court, which increases the risk of deportation.
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