How to get back at your cheating wife

QMy wife is cheating on me. How can I keep her from getting her permanent green card? I am a U.S. citizen. I petitioned for my wife and she got a conditional green card valid until next July. I recently found out she cheated on me. Should I divorce her? Should I contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services?

withheld, Minnesota Want to keep your cheating wife from getting her permanent card (valid for 10 years, but renewable)? Do nothing. Don’t sign the petition she will need to file for her permanent card, and don’t divorce her. If you divorce her and she can prove the marriage was bona fide or “real,” she can get her permanent card.

Your wife received a conditional twoyear card, because she became a permanent resident within two years of your marriage. She must apply to remove the condition in the 90 days before her current card expires. One way she can get USCIS to remove the condition without your help will be if she can prove that she married you in good faith, the marriage was bona fide or “real” and it was terminated by divorce or annulment. If you don’t divorce her and you refuse to sign USCIS form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, she may have a hard time keeping her green card status.

AQHow can I find a good lawyer to help my girlfriend get a green card once we marry? I am a U.S. citizen, planning to marry my Italian girlfriend. I have no idea when it comes to lawyers. Can you recommend a good immigration lawyer? I’d hate to just pick one based on an internet review.

Steve, Queens When I need a lawyer outside the immigration law field and can’t find a friend to recommend one, I contact a local bar association. Many can refer you to a lawyer who concentrates in immigration law. You can find a national list of local panels at americanbar.org/groups/legal_services. In New York City, try the Bar Association Referral Panel at (212) 626-7373 or online at http://www.nycbar.org/get-legal-help/.

The NYC Bar Association Panel screens and approves panel members based on expertise. Readers contacting a panel in another city should check to see if they screen their lawyers. Just being a member of a bar association does not necessarily mean the lawyer is expert in the field.

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