A green card can be obtained through marriage. For instance, perhaps you immigrated to the United States on an employment visa because you were offered a job. While working, you met a U.S. citizen and got married. You can then use this as a path to seek permanent residency.
However, because your green card is based on being married, you may have some significant concerns about getting divorced. Is that going to put your status in jeopardy? Could you lose your green card or even risk deportation if your marriage ends?
A valid marriage still qualifies
As a general rule, no, divorce should not alter your status. The key is simply that you had a valid marriage at the time you were approved for the green card.
For example, perhaps you were happily married when you obtained permanent residency status. Over the next 10 years, you and your spouse drifted apart, and they filed for divorce. Your status should still remain the same.
The only issue it creates is if the government believes you were involved in green card marriage fraud, meaning that the marriage was never authentic. For instance, maybe it appears that you quickly got married and divorced just to get a green card, but not because you were romantically involved.
For the vast majority of people who get divorced, however, the marriage was authentic at the time and things changed. The government understands that divorce happens and will not take away your green card on those grounds. If you do have questions or concerns about your legal status in the U.S., it can help to work with an experienced immigration attorney.
