What can I do when a TA asks me to marry her so that she can obtain a green card?
I am a U.S. citizen and happen to have a foreign spouse, so I've had some personal experience with this.
It could conceivably work if the two of you had known each other intimately for some time, even if you had a George Bernard Shaw, separate bedrooms kind of relationship. But if you are just acquaintances, it is unlikely the two of you would get through the interview process successfully. In separate interviews, you would be asked an unpredictable set of questions about your shared personal history. There are sample interview questions posted online, e.g. https://www.usavisanow.com/marriage-green-card/marriage-green-card-faq/marriage-green-card-interview/ and http://www.alllaw.com/articles/nolo/us-immigration/what-happens-green-card-marriage-interview.html.
In addition, USCIS (formerly INS) would need to see documentation that your finances have been shared and inextricably intertwined for some time.
You could enjoy the fantasy together for an evening, with the Dépardieu film Green Card.
P.S. I have heard about a businessman's visa, which her budget might be enough for, but I don't know much about it.
Since you have posted the question on here already, it means that you actually thought about doing so with her.
I advise not to, as this is clearly illegal ("get married so she can get a green card"). This could result in being fined and put in jail as well (like one comment mentioned about it). See here for more information.
With Trump being the new President, things have gone in a hard way for international students who want to become US citizen to obtain a green card. She clearly does not have confidence in her academic ability to stay here, thus trying to lie to the government by "buying" a green card. You should not deal with liar like this.
P.s: I'm international student.
As others have pointed out, you could go to the stripy hole for that.
Her family seem to have enough money, so let’s think about that artsy business she wants. Who would be funding that? Obviously her family are going to have to put in a few $100k for that, if it ever manterializes.
So – for you: run, don’t walk, to the nearest exit. Tell her firmly that the answer so “NO”, and that you won’t discuss the matter again.
That’s all that you need to do – for you. You can stop reading right here.
If you want to help her, try to get it through to her why this is a bad idea. Even if she did find a mug, they could both end up in prison, years later when they had long forgotten their “harmless white lie”; the marriage could be declared illegal & void, she could be deported (after leaving prison) and lose her lovely artsy business.
Perhaps if you explain it in those terms, her family will find that they can afford the full $500k to invest in the business and get her the green card.
(and I would not suggest to her that said business could do business with her family’s business back home, which benefits the family business to the tune of a few $100k ;-)