Married for Citizenship?

I have a co-worker who just recently got married. Now this is his second marriage, and both times he only married for citizenship. Stayed married to the first girl long enough to make it seem legit to get an extended visa, and divorced. He realized his visa was going to run out and that he would be deported unless he got married. He ended up meeting this girl ( I *think* on-line, because shes a few states away) and talked her into getting married. Now, he said he paid her, but its hard to tell when he's kidding.

So, my question is, would you ever get married to someone for a certain amount of money so they could stay or become a US citizen? And what do you think of the people who are doing this (on both sides)?

sounds good to me. just be sure to sign a pre-nup.

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Originally Posted by Morning Glory

sounds good to me. just be sure to sign a pre-nup.

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And how much money would it take?

assuming that i didn't have to pay for anything, I dunno, like a 100 bucks?

the sanctity of marriage means jack shit to me.

but I wonder if you can get citizenship from a "civil union"?

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Originally Posted by Morning Glory

assuming that i didn't have to pay for anything, I dunno, like a 100 bucks?

the sanctity of marriage means jack shit to me.

but I wonder if you can get citizenship from a "civil union"?

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In most cases I don't think getting a civil union would work...at least I remember a gay advocacy group using that as one example why civil unions were not equal to marriage, but that was several years ago so I'm not sure if things have changed.

I wouldn't be able to marry someone just for the money. Maybe if I didn't have a boyfriend I was in love with it would be different but I just don't think I could successfully fake a marriage.

I don't personally care if people want to lie to the government to get citizenship, as long as it's not fucking anyone else over.

i work with a ton of women who married to come to the u.s. and really they are all happy, they appreciate their husbands for taking care of them and being kind to them and their husbands are happy cause they aren't alone and they have attentive wives. Most of them have been married for tens of years, and they all have their own cars and lead an american lifestyle. I have no huge issue with it unless someone is being abused and having their citizenship held over their heads so they take it. As long as it is healthy...whatever.

But no the only way I could do it is if it was a really close friend. But not for money

I don't think citizenship is any more shallow a reason than MOST couples have for getting hitched. It certainly doesn't happen for love any longer; if it did, the divorce rate would be significantly lower. Instead, people get married for reasons like pregnancy, citizenship, benefit-sharing, tax breaks, convenience, drunken boredom, and other reasons sure to make for a long-lasting bit of monogamous bliss and excellent inter-couple communication. *rolls his eyes*

Marrying someone to provide him or her with citizenship is a major no-no, legally speaking. You can get in deep shit for doing so, and it gets WAY worse, felony-wise, if money changes hands.

I couldn't do it.

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Originally Posted by Bikerpunk

Marrying someone to provide him or her with citizenship is a major no-no, legally speaking. .

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That doesn't make any sense. If it was illegal to marry someone so that they could get citizenship... then why would they grant citizenship status to people for marrying a national?

Oh yeah, and my part of the deal was based on the assumption that we would get divorced soon after the marriage. If I actually had to live with some foreign douche, that would require more money. maybe if he/she paid the rent and bought me food, I could live with that.

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Originally Posted by Morning Glory

That doesn't make any sense. If it was illegal to marry someone so that they could get citizenship... then why would they grant citizenship status to people for marrying a national?

Oh yeah, and my part of the deal was based on the assumption that we would get divorced soon after the marriage. If I actually had to live with some foreign douche, that would require more money. maybe if he/she paid the rent and bought me food, I could live with that.

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Because if the government finds out you did it for money and not a real partnership, the one person will get deported and you get to spend some time in the clink.

happens up here all the time...............

I won't be surprise if I do that one day.

Sure; 's'one of the few good reasons for getting married. Romance doesn't need external validation, so legal benefits are pretty much the only thing keeping it relevant at all.

Only other type reason I'd ever consider for getting married would be to make a mockery of the ritual by perverting the whole thing in every way I could think of.

My GF at the current is american. I'm british.

i think abusing the system makes it harder for the genuine cases. to be belived

You can get in deep shit if you are caught marrying someone just so they can get their citizenship. I know, because my exhusband and I had to go through the process when we were married. He was from Colombia.
I think the fine for being caught is like $250,00 plus 5 or more years in jail.
The process to get a green card takes 3 years and to finally get your citizenship takes another 5-6 years. During this time, you are expected to fill out really expensive documents, some costing $700 or so. Towards the end of the first three years you have to have separate videotaped interviews with an INS officer. You are interrogated about your marriage by the officer and asked all sorts of questions to prove that your marriage is legit. You are also expected to show the INS very personal items to prove that you have an established relationship: cards, photos, letters, etc.

I loved my ex and married him for all the right reasons, but unfortunately he had other motives. Shortly after he recieved his greencard we got divorced and what has become of him I will never know. All of our old friends say he has pretty much disappeared.

I will never marry someone who does not have their citizenship again nor would I ever go through the stress of helping them attain it.

Depends on the situation, the person, how much money, etc.... Under the right circumstances, I probably would.

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Originally Posted by Head Wreck

My GF at the current is american. I'm british.

i think abusing the system makes it harder for the genuine cases. to be belived

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You can't really blame the people doing it for that, though. National borders as they exist are an injust restriction on the freedoms of individuals. You deserve to be free of them and get with your lover, but you don't deserve it more than someone who wants it for a different reason that doesn't have laws gathering to it.

If the government is hindering you, blame the government; not the scapegoat they point at to excuse their getting in your way. There's no third parties in ethics.

true. i'm just hoping the hurdles to move here are a little easier.