One path to getting a green card is through marriage. Say that you came to the United States as an immigrant, perhaps using a student visa or a work visa. You then met a U.S. citizen, got married, and used that marriage to get a green card and become a permanent resident.
Your concern may be that your romantic relationship might eventually end. Say that your spouse comes to you and asks for a divorce. Not only does this change your personal relationship significantly, but you may be very concerned about your future and your ability to stay in the United States. Because your green card was only given to you through marriage, does getting divorced mean you’re going to lose it?
Not in most cases
As a general rule, no, a divorce shouldn’t cause you to lose your permanent resident status. This is especially true if you already have your green card. If you’re in the process of applying because you are married, the end of that relationship could complicate this application. But if you already received it and then your spouse divorces you, that doesn’t mean you’re going to be automatically deported.
In some cases, it will mean that you have to provide other information to the government, and they may have questions to ask. But there are also some protections in place. For instance, if you’ve been a victim of domestic violence and that is what led to your divorce, there are specific protections in place so that you won’t feel trapped in a dangerous marriage just to keep your immigration status.
So, while this can be a complicated process, there are solutions. You just need to know what legal steps to take.