Navigating the complex U.S. immigration system can be daunting, especially when pursuing unique green card solutions like marriage to a U.S. Citizen. But what happens if your petitioning spouse tries to sabotage your petition?
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LaToya McBean Pompy is an immigration lawyer who immigrated to the United States from Jamaica. Her experience sparked an interest in helping many families be together in the U.S. by founding McBean Law. If you need help with your or a loved one’s visa, contact us here or call us today at (888)-462-4006 to schedule a private consultation with LaToya and her team of New York immigration lawyers who are here to help you.
Common Ways Your Spouse Can Sabotage Your Petition
See this topic on our YouTube channel – Spouse Sabotages Green Card Process!
If you notice any of these things happening with your case, do not sit on the information! Immediately consult with an immigration lawyer to make sure that you avoid additional issues down the road. Reach out to us to talk about what you’re seeing and why this is a problem, and how it may impact your case.
- Issue After Interview Notice: Once your marriage visa interview notice arrives in the mail, your spouse may become distant and upset with you because they do not want to attend the interview.
- Refusing to Give Evidence: As you’re preparing your marriage petition, your spouse may refuse to provide essential documentation such as their tax papers, naturalization certificates, etc.
- Not Cooperating With Lawyer: Your spouse may be uncooperative with your lawyer by refusing to respond to their calls or emails, not turning over documents, refusing to meet with the lawyer, etc.
- Refusing to Help You: If you were to get a request for evidence or notice of intent to deny, your spouse would need to be part of your response and/or appeal as your petitioner. If they refuse to help you and cooperate, this is a red flag and a sign of sabotage.
- Sabotaging Your Interview: Your spouse may sabotage your marriage petition interview by pretending they cannot remember key details of your life together, therefore raising a red flag with the immigration officers that your marriage is not legitimate. They can also provide false or inconsistent information that would get your case flagged as fraudulent.
- Sabotaging Your Petition: A very extreme case of sabotage would be if your spouse claims that your marriage case is not bona fide. For example, they could write a letter or place a call to the immigration authorities stating that you only married them for a green card. This would flag your case as fraudulent and you could have marriage fraud on your record as a result.
What Can You Do?
First things first, you must keep track of everything as soon as you notice issues with your spouse during your green card petition process. Document all communication between the two of you, as well as communication with your lawyer and the two of you, either together or separately.
Secondly, make sure you secure your marriage documents and take them with you if you are leaving the home for extended periods of time or if you’ve decided to separate from your spouse petitioner. Include your marriage certificate, joint utility bills, bank statements, etc. – anything included in your marriage petition packet should be kept safe with you at all times to avoid issues.
Don’t sit on these issues because sometimes situations like this can only become worse if they are not addressed early on.
For more information on different pathways you can take for a green card, read our blog about 7 Surprising Ways To Legalize Your Status. If you are a victim of domestic violence and want to self-petition for a green card, read out blog about VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) self-petitions.
Planning Your Roadmap to Success
Whether you are seeking assistance with visa applications, green cards, citizenship, or any other immigration matter, we are here to help you every step of the way. Our mission is not just to provide legal services but to empower our clients with the knowledge and resources they need to achieve their immigration goals. With proper legal counsel, persistent preparation, and meticulous attention to detail, your success can become reality too. Partner with professionals like McBean Law to chart your visa journey’s triumph.
If you are interested in more topics like this, please consider subscribing to our newsletter to get weekly updates on immigration news, relevant topics, and more! You can also find us on YouTube where we do weekly Q&A sessions.
LaToya McBean Pompy is an immigration lawyer who immigrated to the United States from Jamaica. Her experience sparked an interest in helping many families be together in the U.S. by founding McBean Law. If you need help with your or a loved one’s visa, contact us here or call us today at (888)-462-4006 to schedule a private consultation with LaToya and her team of New York immigration lawyers who are here to help you.
