Green card

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sid84200

New Member
Hi,

Me and my girlfriend are planning to get married this Oct. She is a US citizen but currently unemployed and gets benefits from Social Services. If I go ahead and apply for green card after getting married, will it have an effect on her benefits she is receiving right now.

Thanks
 
It depends on the program. If she is unempl;oyed, how does she plan to meet the financial sponsorship requirements? Are you legally in the US and working with authorization?
 
I am legal in US on F-1 status and unemployed but I have some financial backing. Just want to make sure she continue to get the benefits or else it will be an extra burden.
 
I am legal in US on F-1 status and unemployed but I have some financial backing. Just want to make sure she continue to get the benefits or else it will be an extra burden.
 
sid84200 said:
I am legal in US on F-1 status and unemployed but I have some financial backing. Just want to make sure she continue to get the benefits or else it will be an extra burden.
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It depends on the types of benefits she is receiving. Personally, I don't see how the govt "foot long" .a.k.a. social benefits will be affected by your marriage to her. What you need to concern yourself at this stage is this: has she filed taxes in the last couple of years while she was employed? Also, you will certainly need a joint-sponsor for I-864, I doubt the govt dough is sufficient to demonstrate financial responsibility towards you. Also, how long have you had your F1 visa?
 
If the benefits are means-tested, once you get married your income and assets will be included in the means-testing to determine if she is still poor enough to qualify for those benefits.

Note that even if you are not married, your income may be included anyway in the means-testing formula if you live with her, depending on the rules of the specific state and program.
 
A list of means tested benefits is on the USCIS website. Some programs will be affected by others in the home. You realize that a recent GC will not allow you to qualify for many of the benefits so that those benefits which are adjusted by family size will not be done in your case. In the even that you were to happen to use benefits covered under the affidavit of support, the government could come after your sponsor for reimbursement.

I assume that you will be fining for work authorization. Even after filing, there will be some time during which you cannot work while your work authorization is pending so you will be unable to contribute. How close are you to being able to file for H1B?

The social service agency will be able to better answer your GF's questions about her benefit changes after marriage.
 
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