Latest news with #HermanLawFirm
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Marrying for Green Card? Here's what USCIS warns could happen
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has hardened its crackdown on foreign nationals looking to gain fraudulent citizenship by marrying US citizens. Officials believe that this scam has now transformed into a full-scale industry and endangers the internal security of the country. 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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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Business Standard
Marrying for a green card? US crackdown could lead to deportation
Marriage for a green card can land you in big trouble! Marriage-based green cards might seem like a straightforward path to permanent residence in the United States, but getting it wrong — especially while out of status — could land you in deportation court. '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. 'This is a major shift.' In the past, Parikh shared in a social media push, a denial often meant applicants could try again. 'Now, USCIS may refer your case directly to immigration court — putting you at risk of removal from the country,' she said. What counts as marriage fraud According to the Herman Law Firm, marriage fraud can take several forms, including: * Marrying someone for money or immigration benefits * Entering a fake marriage where both people know it's not real * Tricking someone into marriage under false pretences 'First, make sure you're not entering marriage to boycott the US immigration law, which is punishable by law,' the firm notes. Even in the most straightforward cases, USCIS will want proof that the marriage is real and legally valid — usually starting with a marriage certificate. But that's just the beginning. 'Every piece of information, every deadline, and every piece of evidence can make or break your case,' the firm adds. Legal experts caution against trying to handle this process alone. The Makwana case The risks are real — and they're growing. On May 28, 2025, 29-year-old Aakash Prakash Makwana, an Indian national, pleaded guilty to entering into a fake marriage with a US citizen in an effort to get a green card. Makwana arrived in the US on November 23, 2019, on a J-1 visa meant for temporary work in the hospitality sector. That visa expired on November 24, 2020, but he remained in the country unlawfully. By August 2021, he had agreed to pay $10,000 (around Rs 8.32 lakh) to a US citizen to marry him so he could apply for permanent residency. He was living in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, and working without authorisation. Makwana and his US citizen spouse married on September 3, 2021. To support his green card application, he faked documents showing they lived together. This included forging a lease agreement, adding her name to his utility bills and bank accounts, and even forging the property manager's signature — which resulted in an aggravated identity theft charge. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) warns against dishonesty in immigration applications. 'If you lie on your citizenship application, we will find out,' it said last month. USCIS has an online portal where people — usually US citizens — can report suspected marriage fraud. It allows anonymous tips, although the agency encourages people to share as much detail as possible, including names, dates, addresses, and any supporting evidence.
