How is a “spouse” defined for immigrant visa purposes?
A spouse is a legally wedded husband or wife. Merely living together does not qualify a marriage for immigration purposes. Common-law spouses may qualify for immigration purposes, but only if the laws of the country where the common-law marriage occurs recognizes common-law marriages and grants them all the same rights and obligations as a traditional marriage. In cases of polygamy, only the first spouse may qualify as a spouse for immigration.
