Is it true that now you can not get a green card if you marry a us citizen?

1. The law still recognizes spouses as immediate relatives, but eligibility ≠ automatic admission

U.S. immigration law continues to classify spouses of U.S. citizens as “immediate relatives,” a category that makes them eligible to apply for immigrant visas or adjustment of status; that statutory framework remains the baseline for marriage-based green cards ^{[1] [4]}. Multiple practitioner guides and immigration-law firms reiterate that the core process — filing Form I-130 and, where applicable, Form I-485 or consular processing — still exists, meaning marriage remains a recognized route to permanent residency ^{[5] [6]}.

2. Policy changes and enforcement priorities have raised the bar for proving a bona fide marriage

Beginning in 2025–2026 a cluster of administrative changes increased scrutiny: USCIS and other agencies tightened document requirements, expanded vetting, and eliminated some previous interview waivers, meaning more applicants will face in-person examination of their relationship’s legitimacy ^{[3] [7] [8]}. Several legal observers and firms report that USCIS has moved to require interviews in essentially every marriage-based case and has removed limited waivers that once let some couples avoid an in-person interview ^[8]. Media coverage quoting immigration attorneys emphasizes that these operational shifts translate into fewer presumptive approvals and more denials where adjudicators doubt the “good faith” of the union ^{[1] [9]}.

3. Practical consequences: what typically triggers closer scrutiny and potential denial

Practitioners and reporting agree that adjudicators now weigh the “totality of the relationship” more rigorously — factors such as cohabitation patterns, documentary evidence of shared life, financial commingling, and consistency across interviews and records are pivotal — and living apart or thin documentary records can prompt investigations or denials ^{[1] [10] [11]}. Law firms and guides warn that stricter form requirements, exact editions, new medical or evidence timing rules, and a higher frequency of interview demands will lengthen processing and increase the risk of requests for evidence or outright refusals when proofs are weak ^{[12] [7] [13]}.

4. What has changed procedurally — and what applicants should realistically expect

Numerous 2025–2026 practice notes say the process is now both more procedural and more adversarial: applicants should expect mandatory interviews much more often, newer documentary checklists (including stricter medical exam timing and form editions), and potentially longer embassy delays for consular processing in some countries ^{[8] [12] [2]}. At the same time, the sources also note the process can still move quickly for well-documented in‑U.S. filings when applicants follow the updated rules; some firms even report faster approvals in certain contexts despite the added scrutiny ^{[8] [5]}.

5. Bottom line: answering the core question — “Is it true you cannot get a green card if you marry a U.S. citizen?”

No — it is not true that marriage to a U.S. citizen now bars someone from getting a green card; marriage remains a recognized and actionable basis to apply for permanent residence ^{[4] [6]}. However, it is also true that marriage no longer guarantees approval: the government now places heavier emphasis on proving the marriage was entered in good faith and not for immigration benefits, and administrative changes have made the process stricter and in many cases slower or more intrusive ^{[1] [3] [9]}. Reporting and law‑firm guidance converge on a simple practical rule: eligibility persists, but successful outcomes increasingly depend on thorough documentation, preparedness for interviews, and compliance with the new procedural requirements ^{[10] [7] [12]}.