fa7505

This forum has been VERY helpful over the past 4 1/2 years, and I have another question, which may be my final question to the forum.

USC married Brit in 2013, divorced in 2015, but was able to prove marriage was real, so a permanent green card was issued, Sept 2016. We got back together after being divorced for only 9 days in 2015, but have just split, this time permanently.

I would like to terminate my sponsorship of him, but do not want him to lose his green card. I have read that is possible, but where do I start? With his immigration attorney, my attorney, or is there a form online to complete?

Pulaski

You can't impact his green card, even if you wanted to.

Personally I'd just walk away and let the sponsorship lapse unless you fear he is likely to try to invoke the sponsorship requirements. It seems to be rare that the sponsor is ever called on to actually pay anything. I certainly wouldn't waste any money on a lawyer to try to terminate a sponsorship contract

ian-mstm

Do you mean financial sponsorship? If not, then there's almost nothing you can do that will change the fact that he has a green card.


If you're talking about financial sponsorship, then there are 5 situations - and 5 situations only - that will release you from your obligation under the I-864 contract: 1) he becomes a US citizen; 2) he earns 40 quarters of social security credits (roughly 10 years); he leaves the US permanently; 4) you die; or 5) he dies. This last one should not be considered a goal.

That's it. There are only those 5 options.

Divorce does not cancel the obligation. You can't voluntarily withdraw the obligation. He can't voluntarily withdraw from the obligation.

And, sad to say, it's entirely possible that none of the above 5 situations ever happens... and you could be on the hook for this for the rest of your life. That's really not likely to happen - but it's within the realm of possibility.

Ian

scrubbedexpat099

Options 4 and 5 will happen.

Pulaski

Fa7505 has no control over 2, 3, or 5, and obviously 4 is undesirable in the short and medium term, and as Boiler pointed out, inevitable in the long term, but I can't help but wonder if she could offer to pay for his fees related to 1, to induce him to apply for citizenship at the earliest opportunity. Of course if there is animosity he might refuse to, just to be a jerk.

fa7505

Thank you. Yes, I do mean financial. It is not what I wanted to read, but that is the way it is. I do not expect any problems, but the financial sponsorship is a loose end that I wanted to tie up. He does plan on applying for citizenship as soon as legally possible. Thank you again.