What is a bona-fide marriage and why is the USCIS concerned with fraudulent marriages?
A bona-fide marriage is a “real” marriage – not one entered into for the purpose of obtaining immigration benefits. It is when a couple decides to live their lives together as husband and wife. (Currently, the U.S. government does not recognize same-sex marriages.) The government wants to ensure that you are in a legitimate relationship and a legitimate marriage and not just entering into marriage for the purpose of getting a visa or green card. The USCIS is extremely concerned about fraudulent marriages because many people do in fact get married for improper reasons. A student may decide to get married instead of returning to their home country. A tourist may enter and decide to get married before leaving on their tourist visa. There are many instances when people have tried to take advantage of the immigration laws. Due to this, all marriage-based petitions and applications will be closely examined by USCIS to determine if your marriage is bona-fide. At an interview, the adjudicating
