Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 01:43pm on 01 Jan 2026,Thursday International
Marriage to an American citizen no longer guarantees a US Green Card, warns immigration attorney Brad Bernstein. Under the Trump administration, marriage-based Green Card applications face heightened scrutiny, with officials emphasizing genuine relationships over legal paperwork. Bernstein, with over 30 years' experience, stresses that cohabitation not just marriage is essential for approval. Couples living separately risk immediate application rejection, as US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) assesses relationships' totality to determine "good faith" marriages. Immigration officers disregard reasons for living apart, whether work, school, or financial constraints. The development follows Trump's comprehensive Green Card review for permanent residents from 19 "countries of concern" and suspension of the Diversity Visa Lottery program, reflecting stricter immigration pathways and increased marriage fraud investigations. (PC: X)
