Most people in their 70s find a different meaning in life. Comfort in the arms of nature. Watching grandchildren make a mess of the kitchen. Or just spiritual fulfillment. Some seek solitude, with less clutter of people around.
But one 73-year-old woman from Gujarat decided to get married. Not for unfulfilled conjugal bliss, but, as investigators allege, for a far more bureaucratic purpose: to get a Green Card.
She is originally from Saurashtra and had settled in Surat, according to reports.
The man in this marriage of convenience is nine years her junior, adding intrigue to the plot which should make for a Netflix thriller.
But their game was up when the language barrier surfaced. The woman didn’t know English. Her husband was unfamiliar with Gujarati.
One unnamed official revealed to a national daily that the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) review process explained that it was difficult for the couple to establish that their relationship was genuine, language barrier raising the red flag.
But it’s not just the septuagenarian in the spotlight. Her son and daughter-in-law are also under investigation for multiple violations, including immigration fraud and financial misconduct. The authorities are clearly keeping a close eye on the entire family.
To backtrack a bit: The woman, along with her son and daughter-in-law, arrived in the US around 2017 on a visitor’s visa, but they allegedly overstayed their welcome.
In December 2023, and the woman allegedly entered into the marriage agreement in Tallahassee, Florida.
The family had been in the US for nearly eight years, during which time her son was allegedly involved in scamming people in Tallahassee. It has emerged that the family had borrowed substantial amounts of money and then disappeared, only to resurface later in India.
Since then, the son has reportedly gone off the radar, and the daughter-in-law is said to be avoiding relatives who are trying to track him down. The family’s asylum application was also rejected earlier this year.
They were reportedly granted 90 days to leave the US.
Now, legal proceedings have been initiated against the 73-year-old woman and her family, with a warrant having been issued. Authorities are clearly not amused by the situation.
And this is another chapter of India’s desperation to migrate to the US. From teaming up with dubious agents to choosing illegal routes, from repeating others’ mistakes to putting their own lives at risk, and now entering a marriage of convenience, the pursuit of life overseas seems to come with no limits. And even fewer lessons learned.
An official told the newspaper that fraudulent marriages, which once seemed like an easy route, have become much riskier now due to stricter rules. Another insider noted that even genuine applicants are facing much tougher scrutiny these days.
Scores of Gujaratis expressed their angst when the Donald Trump government deported them to India. Many spoke of going abroad “for our child’s future,” while others lamented that “in our society, it’s hard to get married without being settled in America.”
The pursuit of a better life can blur judgment, bend rules, and break families. But the price paid rarely matches the promise imagined.
Also Read: Trump Administration Plans Major Overhaul Of H1B Visa And Green Card Systems https://www.vibesofindia.com/trump-administration-plans-major-overhaul-of-h1b-visa-and-green-card-systems/
