custody and immigration law?

Question

a friend asked me about immigration law because she wants to make her friend who's here on a student visa her child's godmother. But I told her I think if she were to die the woman wouldn't be able to get citizenship or even a green card till the kid turned 18, so the kid would have to leave America if the woman had custody and lost her visa

That's my understanding of the law. That a child can't help the parent become a citizen till they're a legal adult. Is this right?

ibu guru · Accepted Answer

1.  Godparent has no legal standing.
2.  Child could not even apply for a parent's immigration visa until child is over 21.  Child could NEVER apply for a godparent, or even a court-appointed legal guardian!  IF parents die, the godparent would have to try to get court-appointed legal guardianship, and see if they could get the child a visa to their country.  Child would have to go to guardian's or adoptive parent's country - if that was at all possible.  NO way would child end up remaining in US & bring in adoptive parent, legal guardian, etc.

Very idiotic move - this only endangers your child.

Anonymous · Answer

Godparent has no legal standing. Being a godparent won't allow the person citizenship, it doesn't work that way. Nor would the courts allow that person custody of a child.   A god parent, unless they were LEGAL guardian, would not be allowed to take the child out of the country.

Jeffrey · Answer

Godmother is a religious, not a legal title.  If a person dies the godparent does not automatically gain custody.

John · Answer

God parents have no legal standing especially foreign ones.

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custody and immigration law?

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