The Legal Ramifications for Faking Marriages

This isn’t some romantic comedy movie plot, faking marriages is a serious crime. One might think that getting a marriage to a U.S. citizen is an easy way to score a green card, but you might be catching some serious penalties instead. Because of the relative simplicity of the process, the officials involved aren’t going to be too lenient on you, so be prepared. The punishment for this crime is severe.

Before you make the biggest mistake of your life and try to help someone get an illegal green card marriage, you need to understand the hot water you’re getting yourself into and the ramifications of such a serious crime. Luckily, we here at The Bantner Firm are on the case to get you all the information you need to know to make an informed decision.

Are People Faking Marriages?

Reading this, if you’re not already in this boat, you might wonder why a green card marriage would appeal to some individuals? Well, the reason is right there in the name: green card. They want citizenship. Becoming a legal U.S. citizen is pretty difficult, not only because of the tests you have to pass, but because you must have job skills that are ‘worth something’ to the powers that be, here in America.

But, there’s one way you can get around all of these hurdles, and that’s marrying someone who’s already a citizen of the United States. When you go through this process, you’ll be considered an immediate relative, and you’ll get a free pass on in. All you have to do is pay a stranger or convince a friend to do you a solid.

Sounds good, until you get caught.

What Constitutes Marital Fraud?

What’s the difference between that and any marriage to someone out of the country? Well, The United States Immigration law simply states that anyone who marries for the sake of skirting their laws will be denied immigration status. If your only reason for marriage is becoming a citizen, that’s exactly what they define as fraud.

How Does the Government Catch Onto People Faking Marriages?

With an explanation like that, you might be wondering, “Well then, how do so many people get busted?” It’s pretty simply put: the government is pretty good at their job. The first hurdle these couples face is the fact that they’re made to prove that they went into their marriage fully intending to carry it out. What this boils down to is that these two love birds will actually have to play the part if they want to avoid the slammer, or getting sent back to their country of origin.

What Kind of Trouble Should You Expect?

A crime like this could land you in prison for anywhere between a few months and five years, and the fines you’ll pay will be even worse. The offending immigrant will be deported back to their original country, or could have their temporary visa taken away. This stain on their record could make or break their ability to legally enter the country, whether it’s through green card or any more visas. But, if this is your situation, finding expert legal defense can help.