Press Release
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updated: Mar 22, 2017

Cleveland, Ohio,
March 22, 2017 (Newswire.com) –

A question from readers in respect of divorce and immigration was received, the question was as below: I am from China and married a U. S. citizen. He helped me to get a green card in the U. S. but we got divorced two and a half years after I came here. Now I have been a resident for five years and would like to apply for U. S. citizenship. Will I be permitted to do so? Or will the divorce mean that my application will be denied?

To assist with a response to this question is a lawyer and spokesman for the law firm Herman Legal Group provided comments.

In response to the questions and scenario stated in the letter, the spokesman stated that many applicants for naturalization in the U. S. are worried that if they received their green card as a result of a marriage and they later got divorced they may not qualify for citizenship. However, the spokesman stated that there is little or nothing to worry about.

“That being said, the people who need to worry about the effect a divorce can have on their ability to be eligible for naturalization are those who are trying to get early citizenship; like after three years as spouses in the U. S. If this is the case one would need to remain married up until he or she actually gets the U. S. citizenship. This would then entail living with one’s spouse for three years before filing your citizenship application.” The spokesman stated that, however, in respect of the reader’s question she had been a permanent resident for five years, therefore, she would not be subject to early citizenship rules; as long as she had a real marriage.