Making Sure Your Spouse Doesn't Have A Green Card Denied

When you have fallen in love with someone overseas and you would like to take the next step, you might think that getting married is an easy path toward giving your partner a green card. However, even through marriage, it can sometimes be difficult to obtain a green card in the United States if you don't take the right steps.

Submitting Sufficient Evidence

Even if your marriage is real, you may have a green card application denied if your spouse does not submit enough evidence to prove that the green card is real. Immigration services do not allow marriage to be used simply as a way to overcome immigration laws. Instead, green cards are only supposed to be supplied to married partners when it can be proven that they are pursuing an authentic marriage.

Proving That You Are a Citizen or a Lawful Resident

As a U.S. citizen, you will need to supply the immigration office with your U.S. birth certificate, a naturalization certificate if it exists, or a copy of your citizen certificate. If you are a lawful green card holder or if you hold a passport with a stamp that proves that you are a permanent resident, you must provide this. 

Proving That You Have a Real Relationship

To prove that you have a real relationship, it would help to share a bank account that is several months old. Not only that, but you should have statements that prove that you are both spending out of that account. Provide statements of any accounts that you both have in your name, such as leases, deeds, and insurance statements.

Communications between you and your partner should be printed out and provided to the immigration office. This includes phone statements showing how often you communicate through phone, printouts of text message communications, photos taken together, and proof of trips taken together. You might feel uncomfortable with providing all of this personal information, but this is the best way to prove that your relationship is authentic. If you do not submit enough evidence, you may be provided with a request for evidence. 

The Role of an Attorney

Because of how difficult it can sometimes be to obtain a green card, it's recommended that you work closely with an immigration citizenship attorney. Attorneys understand the common pitfalls that someone applying for a green card might face and will provide you with advice on overcoming these obstacles.