It is the dream of many married couples to reside together in the United States. One route that makes this possible is the IR1/CR1 Visa or Marriage Green Card. This allows foreign spouses of U.S. citizens to become permanent residents.
Obtaining a marriage green card involves going through several legal steps, such as filling in specific forms and attending interviews with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officials. Immigration officers will first ask for your marriage certificate, but they will need more evidence than this to prove that your marriage is authentic.
What types of evidence should be provided?
Strong evidence
As with all legal processes, the stronger the evidence you have, the better. Anything that proves you and your spouse have taken on joint commitments together is very useful. For example, if you own property together, you can provide USCIS with joint title deeds, mortgage accounts, home insurance policies and life insurance policies.
Any form of documents that show you have lived together for a sustained period (preferably several years) will strengthen your case. Of course, not all spouses live together. So, what should be done in this situation? Essentially, you’ll want to provide USCIS with compelling reasons why you were not living together. For example, has one of you been working overseas?
Proof of a family unit
If you can provide evidence of a strong family unit, then you have a better chance of ensuring your application is successful. Providing USCIS with the birth certificates of your children can help with this. You can also show pictures of vacations you have taken together as a family (although this evidence is not as strong as formal documents).
To maximize your chances of success in an immigration case, it’s best to seek legal guidance.