How to Prove Our Marriage Is Real to Apply For Green Card for My Wife

Question:

I am an U.S. Permanent Resident, and I am in the process to apply for Green Card for my wife who is in her country currently. How to prove our marriage is a genuine marriage?

Answer:

The requirements for petitioning a foreign spouse for permanent residence (Green Card) are more exhaustive than any other relationship. When filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, the petitioner must also submit other supporting documents to evidence the relationship.

U.S. immigration officials have an additional layer of scrutiny for spousal relationships. After all, sham marriages are one of the most common ways to commit Green Card fraud. Immigration officials want to be sure that your spouse is obtaining a U.S. Green Card based on a genuine relationship.

As you prepare your I-130 petition package, it is important to paint a picture of your relationship over time. For example, providing five photos over five years is stronger evidence of an authentic marriage than 10 photos of you together from just the past month.

Lack of evidence of a bona fide marriage is one significant reason why I-130 petitions get denied by USCIS. The authentic marriage related documents to include in your I-130 petition package can help you make a strong case of a genuine marriage. USCIS typically wants to see documents that fall into as many of the categories as possible.