- Merely living together does not qualify marriage for immigration.
- Common-law spouses may qualify as spouses for immigration purposes depending on the laws of the country where the common-law marriage occurs.
- In cases of polygamy, only the first spouse may qualify as a spouse for immigration.
It is very important that you accurately document your relationship in order to provide evidence that it is indeed a genuine relationship. Evidence from communication such as text messages and social media interaction, photos/videos from engagement to the wedding can be crucial. Other helpful documents can be plane tickets to evidence joint travel, joint bank accounts and notarized affidavits from family and friends. A valid marriage certificate will also have to be provided.
There is also a financial requirement to sponsor a spouse / other close family member. This depends on the number of dependents. The Minimum Annual Income Requirements for Most Sponsors: 125% of Federal Poverty Guidelines.