Can My Divorce Affect My Immigration Status?

Divorce is stressful for anyone. However, parting with your spouse can be incredibly unnerving if you have recently arrived in the United States on a marriage visa.

If this situation applies to you, the law firm of Esani & Momin can help. As attorneys in Sugar Land, TX, we help individuals understand how their immigration status may be affected by divorce. We also fight to ensure that you can continue living the life of freedom and opportunity you deserve.

Are you ready to be represented by the best divorce immigration lawyers in Texas? If so, call Esani & Momin at 281-313-6100 for a free case evaluation.

Do I Have To Report My Divorce to Immigration?

If you are a United States immigrant and you are divorcing your husband or wife, you must notify United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) using Form I-751.

Why? Because depending on your immigration status, this breakup could affect if and when you will become eligible for permanent citizenship.

That’s why you need a Sugar Land immigration attorney by your side. If you are facing a divorce with a conditional green card or dependent visa status, our legal experts can help you determine how to proceed.

How Does Divorce Impact Your Immigration Status?

If you are a permanent resident of the United States, divorce will not affect your residency status. However, divorce may affect individuals with non-resident visa statuses, such as:

Conditional Residency

Conditional residency is given to immigrant spouses who are married to United States citizens for at least two years. A perk of this residency status is that immigrants can apply for United States citizenship within three years of receiving their green card as opposed to five years.

Dependent Visas

Dependent visas are offered to spouses who have entered the United States as part of their wife or husband’s visa status. Unfortunately, in either of these cases, a divorce can threaten your immigration status.

What Happens to Your Immigration Status After Divorce?

What happens to your immigration status once the divorce is finalized actually depends on your residency status.

If you have a conditional green card and you get divorced before you become a permanent resident, you may be forced to wait five years instead of three to become eligible for naturalization.

If you have a dependent visa and you get divorced, you will lose your immigration status when the paperwork is finalized. Your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) will also be nullified.

How Can an Immigration Attorney Help?

Divorce and immigration cases can be incredibly complicated, especially if you’re facing divorce with a conditional green card. The stakes are high: One wrong move could result in deportation. Fortunately, there are attorneys in Sugar Land, TX, that can help.

At Esani & Momin, we can evaluate how divorce will impact your immigration status and build a compelling case that proves:

• Your marriage was in good faith and not falsified
• The threat of hardship if you were to be deported

In cases where domestic abuse contributed to divorce, our immigration lawyers can also prove that your United States citizen spouse was negligent.

Choose an Experienced Immigration Attorney in Sugar Land, TX

Divorce cases can be very complicated depending on your immigration status and the factors contributing to your divorce.

Many law firms are overwhelmed by these nuanced cases. However, at Esani & Momin, we are not easily intimidated. Instead, we will fight tirelessly to ensure that you are offered a fair opportunity to become a United States citizen.

If you want a lawyer who will help preserve your life in the United States, contact the Sugar Land Texas attorneys at Esani & Momin by calling 281-313-6100.