Green Card Status Harder To Obtain For Gay Partners: Same-Sex Spouses Hope For Future Immigration Amendment

Green card status is especially difficult for gay couples to obtain, since there has been no amendment to immigration bills that would allow a gay partner to sponsor a green card for his or her same-sex partner.

In response, one male U.S. citizen, John Kirchick, who wishes to help his same-sex partner obtain green card status, expressed his frustration to USA Today.

"As a U.S. citizen myself, I feel as though my country is abandoning me and my rights, that I can't even protect my own spouse," Kirchik said. 

Kirchick also thinks that the current immigration law on green cards is unfair, as he claims, "The only reason I can't get my partner his spousal green-card petition is because we're from the same sex."

Kirchick has been married to his male partner, Christian Pinillos, for 2 years. They had their marriage ceremony in Vermont in 2011.

At first, the two hoped that Senator Patrick J. Leahy, who is a democratic senator from Vermont, would be able to help pass an amendment allowing U.S. citizens to legally sponsor foreign same-sex partners for green cards.

However, Senator Leahy later withdrew his petition for an amendment due to political pressure.

Kirchick was hoping that his partner, Pinillos, would obtain a green card and legal permanent residency in the U.S. so they could stay together. Now, Pinillos will have to return to his country, Peru, since he does not have a green card.

According to USA Today's reports, at least 36,000 same-sex couples in the United States also face the same problem with green card sponsorship. These couples would have to wait for a decision from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services regarding deportation.

Same-sex couples in the United States who are looking to help their partners obtain a green card will be looking towards Congress again to pass an amendment in the future.