Gay Marriage Green Card
Gay Marriages have always been a source for controversy in every single political campaign for years, and few leaders have taken a decisive view on the subject whether ye or nay. However, apart from the machinations of the politicians, citizens live in the real world, and must deal with bureaucracy and red tape. And if you have a gay partner that you wish to bring to live with you in this country, chances are that you will get to know the issue of green cards fairly well.
Although same sex marriages are legal in Michigan, and the states of California, Maine, New Jersey and Vermont acknowledge gay marriages to a certain extent, and countries such as Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Greenland, Holland, Iceland, and Sweden all recognize gay marriages, still, in the United States, you are not allowed to sponsor a spouse for a green card unless they are of the opposite sex.
What most couples can do is file for a green card through the normal channels. These include several options. The first is a work based visa. Your partner stands the best chance of obtaining a green card if his or her job skills are in demand in the United States. If this is the case, then you may find an employer who will sponsor them for a temporary work permit. Many employers prefer to sponsor employees for a temporary green card and deal with the much more difficult green card application approval later.
The second option is Political asylum. In this option, your lover must prove that he has undergone persecution in his native country because of his sexual preferences. Be aware that the persecution does not have to come from the government itself. Many homosexuals and lesbians have won political asylum by proving that the governments in their native countries did not protect them from street violence.
Gerald Hartigan, Immigration consultant, 29.12.05
