legally in the US ?

[Tractorat]

I wonder if anyone here has some knowledge here.

I friend of mine retired from the navy maybe 25 years ago. He has been married for a little over 40 years. His wife in from germany.



Here is my concern. His wife came here as a teenager with her parents. Although they eventually became US citizens, she did not (for whatever reason). She did have a green card at one time (she lost it a long time ago and never renewed it). However, she is married to an American citizen, so I think she is probably legal (for now).



Here is my question. If something happens to my friend, what happens to her ? As a widow of an American citizen (and vet), can she stay here legally ? Or can she be deported ?



We've told her she should get her citizenship, but I guess she doesn't want to go thru the trouble.

 

[GHarman]

I wonder if anyone here has some knowledge here.

I friend of mine retired from the navy maybe 25 years ago. He has been married for a little over 40 years. His wife in from germany.



Here is my concern. His wife came here as a teenager with her parents. Although they eventually became US citizens, she did not (for whatever reason). She did have a green card at one time (she lost it a long time ago and never renewed it). However, she is married to an American citizen, so I think she is probably legal (for now).



Here is my question. If something happens to my friend, what happens to her ? As a widow of an American citizen (and vet), can she stay here legally ? Or can she be deported ?



We've told her she should get her citizenship, but I guess she doesn't want to go thru the trouble.

tractorat, She needs to contact an Immigration Attorney. I'll bet it could become a very complicated issue, unless it is dealt with , straight away! She needs to make an honest effort, here! Unless she does want to go back to Germany?

GregH

 

[Tractorat]

Yeh, thats what we told her. It will be interesting to see how it plays out in the long run. BTW, this woman is very patriotic and very smart. For the life of me, I just dont understand why she never got her citizenship.

 

[JLEONARD]

A friend I work with just went thru this. His wife is from Poland orignally but has been in the US married to him for 25 years. She just got her US citizenship last month.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

Yeh, thats what we told her. It will be interesting to see how it plays out in the long run. BTW, this woman is very patriotic and very smart. For the life of me, I just dont understand why she never got her citizenship.

Same reasons the Mexicans don't. They don't exist in the system and can jump ship at any time.

 

[Tractorat]

Nope, she's just lazy.

BTW, I did some snooping around on the internet and I think she's OK. Evidently green cards never expire. Well, if you got one before 1979 or 89 (I forget which), they dont. And even if it was after the date when they expire, its just a matter of getting a new card with no penalty. The actual green card doesnt expire, only the date on the card. If she hadnt lost her social security card (legally obtained)she would be OK. This just came up because she was sent home from a new job because she couldnt produce ID proving she is legal. So now she will have to get off her *** and get a new SS card. (The actual green card is only to prove to a cop that you are legally here. She walks and talks like an American and has a valid drivers lic so would have no problem there)