Can I lose my green card if I get divorced?
Emma Newman
Updated on May 22, 2026
Regarding this, can I lose my permanent resident status if I divorce?
A divorce may make it harder to become a permanent resident, but it is still possible. If you already have a green card and are a permanent resident at the time of the divorce, the divorce should not change your status. However, the divorce may force you to wait longer to apply for naturalization.
One may also ask, can a divorced US citizen sponsor a new spouse? Under a law passed in 1990, a person who became a permanent resident based on a petition filed by a U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse, may divorce and file for a new spouse within five years of getting permanent residence.
Likewise, can I get deported if I get divorced?
If the marriage is still intact at the second anniversary, then the immigrant spouse will receive a full permanent residence. Meanwhile, if the marriage ends in divorce, then the immigrant spouse will lose his/her immigrant status and become deportable.
How long do you have to stay married to get a green card?
In fact, you have to remain married up until you actually get your U.S. citizenship, and you have to be living with your spouse three years before filing your N-400 application to qualify on this early basis. However, you may still be eligible to file Form N-400 on the basis of five years as a permanent resident.