Denver Divorce Lawyer News & Blog

Can I Get Divorced If I Recently Became a U.S. Citizen?

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The citizenship process is incredibly daunting. When you add the complication of divorce to that, it can become flat-out overwhelming. Our goal here is to make sure that you know the facts about what can and cannot happen to you. Having all of the information is helpful in settling some of the anxiety that comes from dealing with the legal system, in both divorce and citizenship cases.

Is there any difference in the divorce proceedings if I have recently become a U.S. citizen?

The short answer is no! The proceedings should continue exactly as they would if there were no citizenship concerns. If you have recently become a citizen, there are no concerns about the status of your citizenship. Because your citizenship has already been awarded and approved, it cannot be taken away from you. The same goes for permanent resident status. If your green card has already been approved, it will not be taken away. When you refile for your green card, the application contains no marriage questions and even allows you to change your name when filing the paperwork.

In short, if you have obtained the permanent resident status or U.S. citizenship, you have no reason to worry about your status when getting divorced. Your status cannot be revoked because of the divorce and your status cannot be used against you in your divorce case.