PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Apr 2, 2009
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to allow a surviving spouse of a U.S. citizen who was married for less than two years at the time of the citizen's death who proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the marriage was entered into in good faith and not for the purpose of obtaining an immigration benefit to self-petition (within the required two years) for continued immediate relative status. (Applies such provision to applications and petitions pending on or after the date of enactment of this Act.)
Extends the petition filing deadline for two years after the date of the enactment of this Act if: (1) the alien's U.S. citizen spouse died before the date of the enactment of this Act; (2) the alien and the citizen spouse were married for less than two years at the time of the citizen spouse's death; and (3) the alien has not remarried.
People & committees
Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-3] · D–MA
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Jan 2, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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